Ndibongo is among 150 rural teachers from Mthatha district being trained for five days by TWB members on how best to teach maths and science if you do not have any equipment, except the textbook.

When the Daily Dispatch looked in on the training sessions yesterday, the Bantwana Junior Secondary school teacher was beaming with excitement as Melisa Mano, her maths teacher, taught her how to cut out pieces of paper and make different shapes regularly used in geometry theorems.

"This is going to make things very simple for me. You see I can now show my kids what a vertical opposite angle is. This is exciting," said Ndibongo, fiddling with the cube she had just created.

While the class of 15 were all glued to their work, the Education Department's national director for developmental support, Lucky Moeketsi, arrived.

She had come from Pretoria to see the work being done by TWB.

"I'm here to find out why such a big group of teachers willingly cut short their winter vacation to attend a workshop," she said.

"I haven't seen much because I've just arrived, but I'm impressed to see that our maths and science teachers are so willing to improve their skills for the good of the future of our children. This has to be commended."

TWB director Yunus Peer said these were the fruits of work that started five years ago when former Education Minister Kader Asmal approached them to assist in improving science and maths teaching in South Africa.

Peer said there was a huge gap between rural school and urban schools when it came to maths. He put the pass rate in urban schools at 90 percent while in rural schools it was around 30 percent. "Our focus is on these rural teachers," he said.

An ex-South African teacher himself, Yunus said over 850 teachers and 3500 Grade 12 pupils have benefited since the programme was introduced in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Free State.

The group receive funding from Hawaiian Rotary clubs, families and friends for their travelling costs to South Africa every July, while local supporters provide them with accommodation and food.

The Education Department's Mthatha district subject adviser Nomonde Dabula said the department had noticed a significant improvement in matric results, as a result of TWBs work.

"They were here last year. I think teachers have noticed a big change, that's why more teachers have joined in this year. Their work is very wonderful," said Dabula.

Peer attributed TWB's success largely to the attitude of its volunteer teachers who do not see themselves as experts but as colleagues wanting to share knowledge and also learn.

"TWBs are collaborative, interactive and they are engaging - as a result everybody participates," said Peer.

"We are not saying we have the best approach but I think people enjoy the fact that everyone is able to stand in front of the class and share ideas."