Image: Sandile Ndlovu
It was excitement and celebrations at Soshanguve Technical College in Tshwane as a group of Grade 12 pupils prepared to reveal a car they have modified.
The pupils are from an Engineering School of Specialisation with an automotive focus that is expected to be launched by the Gauteng department of education on Tuesday.
It took three months for the six Grade 12 pupils to turn a 2003 BMW T318 E46 hatchback into a mini bakkie.
Automative teacher Phaleng Scotch said the car was beyond repair when they bought it.We asked the pupils to come up with ideas on how to modify the car. They chose to turn it into a bakkie because BMW SA doesn’t have one,” he said.
The department is working in partnership with BMW, who will provide pupils with all the experience they need. The car company will also hand over one of its first X3 models to the school for educational purposes.
The department has initiated the establishment of schools of specialisation that seek to nurture talent in young people across key disciplines and develop the country’s future leaders. These schools of specialisation are intended to respond to the skills shortage and unemployment crisis among the youth in the country.
MEC Panyaza Lesufi said it is envisaged that SoS would equip learners with the skills and knowledge to give them the best chance of success in life.
The car was expected to be revealed during the course of the day.