Education Outreach Staff

Sibongile Mokoena - SAEON National Office

Science Education Outreach: Coordinator Sibongile Mokoena is passionate about sharing the exciting and life-changing world of knowledge with the young people of South Africa. Sibongile is based at the SAEON National Office in Pretoria; she is the coordinator of the Science Education Outreach Programme. The education outreach activities mostly take place at schools in the vicinity of the SAEON nodes in Phalaborwa, Grahamstown, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town. In a career spanning over 40 fruitful years, she has taught and mentored generations of young people throughout the country, not only as school teacher, but also as a college lecturer, an author of an award-winning environmental learning guide and, ultimately, establishing and leading the unique science education outreach programme of SAEON since 2004. Before joining SAEON, Sibongile worked for BirdLife SA as an education officer where she developed a resource, Learning for Sustainable Living, which won the Green Trust Award for Best Project in Environmental Education in 2002.

Omphile Khutsoane - SAEON Arid Lands Node

Science Education Officer at Arid Lands Node (Kimberley). Omphile was appointed as the node’s Education Officer in November 2014. Over and above her involvement in the education outreach programme, the versatile young Education Officer provides administrative assistance to node staff. Since joining SAEON’s Arid Lands Node as an intern early in 2014, Omphile Khutsoane has been very active in planning and initiating the node’s science education outreach programme, which is aimed at bringing active science closer to learners and educators. To this end, she has designed, produced and distributed appropriate educational material in both hard copy and electronic formats, which has been well received by learners and educators alike. Omphile holds a National Diploma in Nature Conservation from the Tshwane University of Technology, and has also pursued her studies at the Mangosuthu University of Technology with a B-Tech in Nature Conservation. She is currently enrolled for a postgraduate diploma in Nature Conservation, majoring in Conservation Ecology. In 2010, she worked as an intern at South African National Parks (SANParks). Based at Golden Gate Highlands National Park, she gained extensive experience in environmental education. Since then she has been involved with various environmental organisations such as Ushaka Marine World in KwaZulu-Natal, where she interacted with visitors to the aquarium by coordinating interpretation of the marine environment and disseminating information. Her passion for community involvement and young people in particular, has inspired her to work for a couple of leading environmental entities such as Klapperkop Nature Reserve and Magoebaskloof Adventures.

Joe Sibiya - SAEON Ndlovu Node

Science Education Officer at Ndlovu Node (Phalaborwa). The longest serving member at the Node, Joe was appointed as SAEON's first Education Outreach Officer in 2005. His responsibilities include the development and implementation of a plan of extra-curricular environmental science for learners (grades 9 to 11), as well as a plan to support science educators. He provides a vital link between the scientists, and educators and learners at the schools in the vicinity of the Node. He has organized and facilitated numerous science awareness events, science camps, educator workshops and school projects in conjunction with scientists and tertiary level students. Joe has over ten years experience as a high school teacher in Life Sciences, over five years active involvement in the Programme for Technological Careers (PROTEC) as well as having worked in the commercial sector. In addition he served over five years as an honorary ranger of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

Nozipiwo Hambaze - SAEON Elwandle Node

Science Education Outreach Officer and Social Scientist at Elwandle Node (Grahamstown). Nozi Hambaze left formal teaching to pursue her passion, and unique talent, for working with children outside the classroom. As Education Outreach Officer at Elwandle Coastal Node, she strives to nurture our young, budding scientists from previously disadvantaged schools by equipping them with the necessary, baseline skills required for scientific enquiry. Nozi Hambaze left formal teaching to pursue her passion, and unique talent, for working with children outside the classroom. As Education Outreach Officer at Elwandle Coastal Node, she strives to nurture our young, budding scientists from previously disadvantaged schools by equipping them with the necessary, baseline skills required for scientific enquiry. She achieves this by implementing a process of active learning involving participation in ongoing long-term monitoring programmes and by arranging and hosting dedicated science camps.

Thomas Mtontsi - SAEON Egagasini Node

Science Education Officer at Egagasini Node (Cape Town). Thomas pursued science education and has since taught sciences at high school. As part of his experience, he has worked in Marine Science Education for ten years. Thomas currently coordinates the SAEON Egagasini Node Education Programme. The node supports five schools in the Western Cape’s Cape Town Metro Region. The schools are either in fishing communities or in areas of abject poverty. Houtbay Secondary in Houtbay, Ocean View Secondary in Ocean View, Masiphumelele in Fish Hoek, Sophumelela in Samora Machel Phillipi, and Usasazo secondary in Khayelitsha. The objective of the programme is to support the development of science skills using a marine science context, encourage an interest and awareness in ocean sciences. The Node supports the school through school based monitoring programme: Argo Floats Education Project and Adopt a Drifter Programme (with NOAA). In each school a monitoring team (a group of fifteen learners and a teacher) is established to track changes at sea. Further support include Educator Workshops where teachers are trained to integrate ocean science in the curriculum through the Argo Floats Education Project.