Lockdown in South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has just announced a 21-day “stay-at-home” whole-country lockdown for South Africa effective from midnight on Thursday 26 March 2020 until midnight on Thursday 16 April 2020.

The full statement of President Ramaphosa, published by Brent Lindique in https://www.goodthingsguy.com is available here and a pdf copy is here.

Covid-19: Prof Anton Stoltz gives valuable advice

Prof. Anton Stoltz, a specialist of infectious diseases, gives valuable advice in the following video.

It is a sober and complete analysis of the new virus. Please, watch and listen with intense attention. Click here to access the video (78MB).

Isaac Newton worked from home too

Schools have closed in South Africa and many other parts of the world due to the Covid-19/Coronavirus outbreak. Our learners here in South Africa are also requested to work on their own to prevent falling behind. 

Here is a wonderful story to motivate everybody. 

In the 14th century, the Black Death, also known as the Great Bubonic Plague, the Great Plague or the Plague, wiped out between 75 to 200 million people in Europa and Asia, peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351 in which it is believed that 30% to 60% of the European population was wiped out. 

The disease was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, commonly present in fleas carried by rats and mice. This is a very good reason why we must not have rubbish bags lying in our streets. They attract rats and mice, which endangers everybody due to the possibility of bubonic fever; even today.

Anyway, the plague repeatedly returned to Europe and the UK throughout the 14th to 17th centuries. In London, from 1665 to 1666, the Great Plague caused havoc. 

It was during this period that young Isaac Newton was at university. Due to the seriousness of the disease, "social distancing" was applied and the University of Cambridge sent the students home. Newton went back to his family's estate and it was there where he came up with his theories in mathematics and physics. All by himself, without his professors to guide him. Everybody knows the story of the apple and Newton ...

The Washington Post recently published a wonderful article about Newton and his work at home. It is available here and a pdf version is here. It will hopefully motivate our learners to do their best and to work in their best interest for themselves.

A lot of interesting information is available about the Black Death, the Great Plague, Bubonic plauge, and even Newton's apple tree. To start reading, go here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plague_of_London

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plague/symptoms-causes/syc-20351291

https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/tangled-tale-nists-newton-apple-tree (pdf of this is here)

We have come to the end of 2019 and I guess it is an embedded part of human nature to reflect on things of the past and wonder about things of the future.

2019 is over and we cannot change anything anymore. For some, it was a good year in which opportunities and happiness presented themselves. For others, it was a year in which sadness and sorrow were constant companions.

In view of this, I want to wish you, and everybody close to you, everything of the best for 2020. May new horizons unfold and may all your dreams become true. Be kind to yourself and to those close to you; friends included! Enjoy the simple pleasures of life and tackle the responsibilities with energy and a spirit to succeed.

May you discover your hidden potential and convert it into a massive positive effect on other people. I trust that 2020 will be very special for you!

Merry Christmas 2019

We wish all our readers a very special Christmas 2019.

This comes from Miss Janetta Nel, our CES at head office, and the team of subject advisers:

• Fezile Dabi: Mr Motlhoki Seepamore and Mrs Nomgwaqo Nthontho
• Lejweleputswa: Messrs Henry Welman and Motseki Sefo
• Motheo: Mr Bennie Bisschoff, Mrs Emma Malahlela and Mr Marnus Kleinhans
• Thabo Mofutsanyana: Mesdames Busi Manchu, Madewa Zapi and Mr Thabang Ntsie
• Xhariep: Mr Motsie Lethena

Christmas is a time for reflection, for appreciation and for re-commitment. Everything we have and can do is pure grace from Above.

Henry Welman
Acting Provincial Coordinator

Quantitative error analysis data for the 2019 November examinations (grades 10 and 11) are available.

A permanent link to the data is available under "Pages" on the left of the home page. Here is a picture of what you should be looking for.

You can go to the error analysis page by also clicking here. 

World Teachers' Day 2019

https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday

Error analysis data for September 2019

Quantitative error analysis data for the 2019 September tests and examinations is available.

A permanent link to the data is available under "Pages" on the left of the home page. Here is a picture of what you should be looking for.

You can go to the error analysis page by also clicking here. 

How carbon-14 revolutionised science

We teach our learners about isotopes and one of them is carbon-14. I am pretty certain many teachers also tell their learners about carbon-14 dating. The Guardian has recently published a very user-friendly and interesting article about the history of carbon-14. Click here to go to the page with interesting articles and follow the links from there. We have such appreciation to The Guardian to publish such educational articles.

Dates: September examination and test papers

Dates are available. Look under "Pages" and click the link "Dates: ...". It will take you to a web calendar with dates, including the IBP memo discussions for PhySci and the centralised memo and marking fo TecSci grade 12.

Cell notation: remember the rules to write it down correctly

Remember to make learners aware of the rules to write down the cell notation of a galvanic cell. A permanent link is available under "Pages" (left-hand side of home page); see "Curriculum Guidance" or click here to go to the summary.

Error analysis

Quantitative error analysis data for tests and examinations will be available from now on, starting with March 2019 control tests.

A permanent link to the data is available under "Pages" on the left of the home page. Here is a picture of what you should be looking for.

You can go to the error analysis page by also clicking here. 

Vacancy List 1 of 2019: Promotion Posts

The above-mentioned vacancy list can be downloaded here. Closing date for applications is 18 July 2019.

Einstein's message to a bellboy in 1922

Although Happiness Day was on the 20th of March, this short video (4,25MB) from www.yourdost.com with Einstein's message to a bellboy has a profound message for all of us as well.

Coming from the great Einstein, it is worth thinking about what he said. We live in such a broken reality, attached to so many cosmetic influences, that it is no wonder so few people experience real happiness. What are you going to do about it?

Examination dates for May/June 2019

The final dates for the internal grade 10 to 12 examinations in May/June 2019, and the accompanying broadcast dates for IBP memo discussions are available here. There was a change in the grade 12 examination dates, and the IBP dates have changed as well. Check that you have the correct ones.

Technical science will be written on the same date as physical science in grades 10 and 11; in the case of grade 12 on the same date as physical science paper two.

2019 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists

The organisers of the 2019 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists in Welkom are ready to receive your registrations.

\\\\*** Take part in this exciting event! ***////

The Expo is scheduled for 23 and 24 August 2019. Closing date for taking part is 5 August 2019.

Click here to download a pdf file with all the detail. Pages 1 and 2 deal with organisational info, pages 3 to 6 give descriptions of the different categories, page 7 lists the categories and page 8 gives the dimensions of the display boards.

Examination dates: NSC 2019

(C) https://pixabay.com/p-308611

Are you looking for the dates of the NSC examination in October/ November 2019?




Click here to go to the calendar on this website for PhySci and TecSci dates. You can also click here to download the complete circular from the FSDoE.

Selection test for the ICHO: Lebogang Seseane

Today is a great day for Lebogang Seseane, a grade 11 learner of Akademia Secondary School in Brandfort. 

Lebogang has done well enough in last year's National Science Olympiad that he was shortlisted to take part in the selection test for the 51st International Chemistry Olympiad (ICHO). Those who qualify will DV take part in the ICHO that takes place in Paris (France) from 21 to 30 July 2019.

The selection test takes place today and we want to wish Lebogang all of the best. Thank you to Mr M Sello, Lebogang's physical science teacher, for the effort put in with preparations, organisation and other related matters. We are very proud of Mr Sello and Lebogang!

Mr M Sello and Lebogang Sesiane

PAT for Technical Sciences: Grade 12 for 2019

DBE has released this year's PAT for technical sciences. Please note it is for 2019.

Click here to download the Afrikaans version (Not available anymore).
Click here to download the English version (Not available anymore).

National diagnostic reports: NSC examination November 2018

The national diagnostic reports of the NSC examination of Nov 2018 are available on the NDBE website. 

You can also download the report in which physical science is addressed by clicking here; then follow further links.