Staff
Chief Education Officer
and Head of Department
Mr Tebogo Mohlakane SPTD, BSc, HOD. tebogo [dot] mohlakane [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Tebogo completed a 3-year diploma (Senior Primary Teachers Diploma, SPTD) at Kagisanong College of Education, Bloemfontein, in 1990 and taught for a year at a farm school in Wallop, near Clocolan. He then enrolled for a BSc at Rhodes University, majoring in Biochemistry and Microbiology and thereafter taught for 8 years at Hodisa, a technical high school in Bloemfontein. Tebogo joined the National Museum in 2005 as Head of the Education Department, where he has been instrumental in the Museum's involvement in science awareness projects such as National Science Week, African Origins Month, Astronomy Month and Antarctica Month, collaborating with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA). These awareness projects are targeted at students of the University of the Free State, the Central University of Technology, Motheo Further Education and Training College and the tourism students of Universal Colleges Outcomes. Tebogo is also responsible for the development of educational programmes aligned to the revised curriculum statements, such as lessons on Heritage, Fossils and Human Evolution, and Maths and Science Investigations. He is also involved in the annual storytelling competition for the aged, aimed at reviving oral heritage traditions.
Senior Education Officer
Ms Sandra Bishop, BA Hons. sandra [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Sandra obtained a BA Hons in Anthropology, starting at the University of Cape Town and finishing through UNISA. She started working at the Museum in 1969 as Assistant in the Anthropology Department. Later she moved to the Art & Design Department, helping to make Museum displays. She became involved in helping with groups of children visiting the Museum, and finally moved permanently to the Education Department when it expanded in the 1980s. Besides presenting guided tours and lessons on various themes to visiting school groups and doing outreach presentations at schools, she is also instrumental in devising curriculum-related lessons and creating the relevant PowerPoint presentations. Sandra is especially interested in the Earth Sciences and Astronomy, and thus has greatly enjoyed creating lessons related to the school curriculum on Earth and Beyond.
Senior Education Officer
Miss Ancilia van Staden HED. ancilia [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Ancilia received her Higher Education Diploma in 1985 from the Bloemfontein Teachers’ College. She taught for 2 years at primary schools in Sasolburg and Theunissen in the Free State, before taking up a post as Education Officer at the National Museum in 1989. Ancilia has been involved with the preparation and presentation of curriculum-based lessons mainly for Pre-primary and Foundation Phase learners and gives guided tours to visiting groups. She is also involved in outreach lessons and programmes for schools and libraries, and, on request, gives handicraft workshops to various associations. As a member of the Public Relations Committee of the Museum, she is constantly involved in the construction of temporary exhibitions as well as the presentation of special functions and open days.
Education Officer
Mr Andries Makoae, FDE, BA, BEd Hons. children [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Andries started his Museum career as a General Assistant at Oliewenhuis Art Museum towards the end of 1990. He studied part-time for a BA Degree at the then Vista University, majoring in Education and Sotho, which he completed in 1998. He was then transferred to the National Museum as Assistant in the Education Department. Andries furthered his studies by obtaining an FDE (Further Diploma in Education) through distance learning at the University of Pretoria in 2003, followed by BEd Hons in Education Management, Law and Systems at the University of North West (Potchefstroom campus), graduating in 2006. He presents lessons and guided tours to visiting groups as well as being involved in outreach programmes. He is also responsible for Sotho translations of various texts and documents in the Museum.