Thomas Mtontsi

Education Officer at Egagasini 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.