MultiChoice Africa is partnering Eutelsat Communications to boost Mindset Learn, a channel on the Digital Satellite (DSTv), with ‘DStv Eutelsat Star Awards’ for students.
Head: Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Caroline Creasy said the partnership would promote science and technology learning in African schools.
She noted this was in continuation of the joint strategy to expand and democratise the Information Society (IS).
According to her, the development of technology and science skills among students is a key factor; hence Africa is no exception to this.
“... Much like in other regions of the world, stimulating young minds is core to creating relevant solutions for the development of the African continent,” she said.
Creasy explained that with a shared vision that education is a key driver for the development of Africa’s social and economic landscape, MultiChoice Africa and Eutelsat Communications, supported by Mindset Learn, have assembled their expertise to initiate a pan-African student competition called the “DStv Eutelsat Star Awards”.
The aim of the awards, she said, is to inspire innovative thinking among secondary and high-school students, to create awareness on how science and technology could be applied to everyday life, and to show the many ways that satellites already impact on the development of the African continent.
The awards, she said, would take the form of a competition open to 14-19 year-old students in 42 countries across the continent.
The students, she said, would be invited to write an essay or design a poster on satellite technology and how it could assist further development of their communities, country or the African continent.
“Country winners vying for the overall prize will go on to compete at an international level, adjudicated on 12 September 2011 by an international judging panel,” she said, while the overall winner will be invited to see a live rocket launch and to Eutelsat’s headquarters in France.
The merit award winners, Mrs. Creasy further said, will win a trip to Johannesburg to see DStv’s technical facilities and television studios at the MultiChoice Africa offices.
“They will also tour the Mindset education broadcasting facilities,” she declared.
Mrs. Creasy said that a resource booklet for teachers and students has been developed for the competition and could be accessed online; www.dstvstarawards.com or from MultiChoice or Mindset Offices in South Africa only.
She added that MultiChoice Africa will leverage its network of MultiChoice Resource Centres (MRCs) which enable almost 1,000 schools in Africa to access information and educational television resources for the competition.
Emphasising that two 26-minute programmes, produced by Eutelsat on the conquest of space and how satellite applications impact directly or indirectly on everyday lives, will also be broadcast by the Mindset Learn channel on DStv and available on the Internet at www.dstvstarawards.com.
She quoted the President, MultiChoice Africa, Mr. Collins Khumalo as saying that they are excited about the new initiative.
“... Investing in the development of our continent is always a priority for us. Investing in young people and education is an ideal we take very seriously,” he said.
The DStv Eutelsat Star Awards, he said, is another way of showing MultiChoice continued commitment and support for Africa and its next generation.
“Africa and its people will benefit from a new generation of big thinkers who will take on the new world and become change agents and leaders. We are also very proud of our partnership with Eutelsat and Mindset Learn on these awards,” he said, describing it as a testimony to the fact that good relationships with partners are far-reaching and go beyond the traditional borders with a common vision that will touch many generations to come.
For the chief executive officer, Eutelsat Communications, Michel de Rosen, the information society opens a myriad of opportunities for emerging countries to accelerate their economic development on an equitable basis.
“Working with MultiChoice and Mindset Learn on this new award is a way for Eutelsat to show our commitment to encouraging African students to engage with new technologies. Over half a century since Arthur C. Clarke developed his vision for using satellites to connect the world, space still represents a field of adventure which can stimulate the minds of students,” he said.
Eutelsat, Rosen said, is honoured to launch this joint initiative with MultiChoice and together with longstanding partner to demonstrate further commitment to developing digital services in Africa.
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