Background Information

Transcription

1 Background Information Munich, January 17, 2014 Mandela School of Science & Technology Critical Labor Situation in South Africa According to official reports, unemployment in South Africa stands at around 25 percent. The South African labor market is currently characterized by an oversupply of low-qualified and unskilled workers on the one hand, and a shortage of well-qualified candidates on the other. Main reason for the extremely high levels of social inequality and structural unemployment, particularly among young people, is a socially selective and poor-quality training and education system. Half of the jobless are between 18 and 25 years of age. A staggering 72 percent of South Africa s jobless are between 15 and 34 years of age, and thus make up the largest group within the country s 25 percent unemployment figure saw more than 50 percent of 15-to-24-year-olds in South Africa without a job. Some seven million people are classed as long-term unemployed, without job prospects. The New Growth Path framework of the South African Government South Africa's New Growth Path announced in November 2010 sets out critical markets for employment creation, growth and equity, implying fundamental changes in structure of production to generate a more inclusive and greener economy. Policy s principal target is to create five million jobs over the next 10 years. Improvements in education and skill levels are a fundamental prerequisite for achieving many of the goals in this growth path. Page 1/7

2 MSST a chance for 700 children and young adults Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela. When Peter Loescher, former CEO of Siemens AG, met Nelson Mandela in 2010, the former President of South Africa expressed his dream of building a high school in the village of his birth, Mvezo, Down to the present day, students of Mvezo do not have the chance to attend high school unless they moved away. So Peter Loescher promised Mandela to help him building the first secondary school in Mveza. Nelson s dream became reality: The construction of the school started in October of It is Siemens vision that the school educates the next generation of South African leaders who are going to change the world. Mandela School of Science & Technology will focus on engineering, science, technology and agriculture. The Mandela School of Science & Technology represents Siemens biggest sustainability project ever with an investment of more than 10 million Euros. Siemens is covering all costs associated with the Mandela School of Science & Technology s (MSST) construction and initial operations. In addition, Siemens will provide financial support in the amount of 1.5 million Euros to the operation of the school over three years. There is no school fee that has to be paid by the learners. Once operational (January 2014), the school will be handed over to the Department of Education and the village Mvezo. The school will start with Grades 8-10 in 2014, and will be at full capacity by 2016 with students in Grades The school will provide secondary education to approximately 700 learners from up to 22 feeder schools in the surrounding areas. Learners attending the MSST who live further than 5km from the school are being provided with safe, reliable transport by two 33-seater busses, donated by Siemens. The bus drivers have been on a dedicated driver training program. Page 2/7

3 The school is being developed according to Siemens sustainability principles. It features wind and solar energy, energy efficient lighting, automation systems, rainwater capture and water filtration technologies. Mandela School of Science & Technology is within the Experimento program of Siemens Stiftung (SiemensFoundation). Experimento is an educational program of discovery-based learning within science. It is based on the principle of learning through discovery: The experiments teach children to explore natural phenomena on their own and understand the relationship between science and technology. The central tenet of Experimento is the application-oriented training courses for educators. In this way, educators can implement the didactic approach of discovery-based leraning immediately in their daily teaching practice using the experiment kits. Siemens is the reliable partner of choice for the successful execution of pioneering projects The project is an excellent proof point of how education and technology can change the world. Siemens is committed to both of these topics as a leading technology company and as an employer. Siemens investment in the Mandela School of Science & Technology and commitment to the project reinforces the company s position as a Trusted Partner to the South African Government and other customers in Africa, as well as around the world. The initiative highlights the company s commitment to make a sustainable difference and uplifting communities in the countries in which it operates. The project emphasizes the company s focus on science and technology education to develop the engineers and leaders of tomorrow. Commitment to education has a long tradition at Siemens. The aim is to inspire young people to become involved in technical professions, teaching them key skills, and thus counteract the impending shortage of skilled workers. Siemens aim is to recruit youngsters from the school that have gone on to university or technical college and become science, engineering and technology professionals and technicians. The long-term goal behind: to better open up new business opportunities in growing markets with local experts. Page 3/7

4 Siemens a global Corporate Citizen Siemens is committed to providing long-term benefits to the societies in which it operates, through corporate citizenship activities following the helpto-help-yourself principle. These activities can take a variety of forms ranging from philanthropic disaster relief to more strategic shared value or inclusive business approaches in three focus areas: Education & Science, Social and Environment. Siemens believes that within these areas its company competencies, resources and employee volunteering can make a meaningful difference. The responsibility for choosing and carrying out charitable activities lies with the local units in each country. This ensures that support is provided where it is needed most. Examples from all over the world: Electricity for a better quality of life: Siemens believes that access to energy and water are the key for the sustainable development of communities. In a rural community in India for example, access to energy has been the starting point for the sustainable transformation of a whole village: - Siemens joined hands with AROEHAN, a non-governmental organization, to create Project Asha (= Hope). The project aims to restore hope and bring basic amenities through an integrated holistic, long-term approach to the people of Amle, a remote tribal village India. - The primary areas of concern for the villagers of Amle were the basic necessities of life electricity, water, livelihood, healthcare, education and infrastructure. - Through Project Asha, Siemens aims to turn this village into a selfsustainable community within three years with its technology and support, making it a shining example for rural India to follow. Amle has Page 4/7

5 gone from being a remote, inhospitable hamlet to becoming a model village, not just for the rest of the country, with its 120,000 off-grid villages but for the entire world. Enhancing living conditions: Siemens aims to improve living conditions for people in remote areas and offer medical care to people who have no access to it. For example, Siemens builds mobile clinics to deliver healthcare services in rural parts of India. - In India, a majority of the rural population lacks adequate medical care. - The mobile clinic concept responds to this need of India s rural population. - The mobile health workers are also responsible for educating the rural people in an effort to prevent certain forms of disease that result from poor nutrition and lack of sanitation. - In the past 10 years, 25 such mobile clinics have been designed and developed by Siemens. These are owned and operated by different organizations across India with the objective of providing diagnosis and basic treatment to patients in remote areas of the country. Siemens itself has deployed two mobile clinics in northern and eastern India as part of the Indian Corporate Citizenship program. - From the outside, the mobile clinics look much like any other bus, but inside they are fitted with a fully functional doctor s office, complete with an array of diagnostic aids, including X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, and electro-cardiogram equipment. In addition to a second examination room there is a darkroom for developing X-ray images that doubles up as a viewing room for health education films. It operates independently and has its own power generator. - Over the past six years, the mobile clinic in northern India has set up more than 800 medical camps and has treated some 60,000 patients. Consequently, the number of people who have access to comprehensive health care service has increased by around 20 percent. Fostering sustainable behavior: Siemens sets high priority on dealing responsibly with natural resources and treating the environment with respect. In Chinese Schools Siemens partnered to donate energy-efficient products Page 5/7

6 and its employees volunteer to promote sustainable behavior in migrant schools: - Siemens I-Green Education Program aims to educate youngsters about environmental protection. It targets migrant workers children through teaching of tailor-made lectures. - Siemens has rolled out the I-Green campaign at eleven schools in nine cities in China. By September 2012, 761 Siemens employees had volunteered their free time for the campaign and contributed 8,486 hours to nearly 15,000 beneficiaries. - OSRAM and BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH have equipped the schools with energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances. Page 6/7

7 Contact for journalists: Michael Friedrich, Tel.: Aynur Saltik, Tel.: For further information on the Mandela School of Science&Technology, please go to Follow us on Twitter at: Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the fields of industry, energy and healthcare as well as providing infrastructure solutions, primarily for cities and metropolitan areas. For over 165 years, Siemens has stood for technological excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality. The company is one of the world's largest providers of environmental technologies. Around 43 percent of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. In fiscal 2013, which ended on September 30, 2013, revenue from continuing operations totaled 75.9 billion and income from continuing operations 4.2 billion. At the end of September 2013, Siemens had around 362,000 employees worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at: Page 7/7