Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School launches innovative digital learning space

Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School pupils can now learn coding and robotic skills in their new digital room, unveiled on Tuesday, June 17.

The new room, which is called “The Digital Den,” cost under R400 000 and was made possible through a large donation from a local bank and through funds raised by the Grade 7 pupils of 2024.

School teacher, Tamli Elliot, who will be running the digital classes, said the room has new technology like a giant IPAD which can be used for teaching lessons or for pupils to connect their Chromebooks to the device.

Ms Elliot said there are also "probots" which will help pupils learn coding skills.

There are electronics workshop kits as well as fold-up tables and cloud-shaped white boards to use a marker pen.

Ms Elliot said that there are also Lego pieces which the girls can build structures that they can programme and code to move.

The Digital Den also repurposed old tables and chairs, as well as refurbished old wooden boards and fresh paint on the walls.

Principal Belinda Petersen thanked everyone for their support in creating this room where her girls can learn new skills. “The girls can explore coding and robotics, they can create, develop, and construct in different ways in this space,” she said.

Ms Petersen said this new room makes the school proud as part of the community. “The opportunities for our girls are endless,” she said.

The School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson, Unathi Stofile, said it is fulfilling to see the vision come alive in this new digital room.

“It's not only beneficial to our young girls but also beneficial to our entire school community, as the girls will learn new skills and the staff will also hone their skills and it will help parents in coming to grips with what their children are learning and how they can assist them,” she said.