Season-5, episode 4,(Part 2) featuring a Teacher and Champion of Children, Ms. Sharanjeet Shan,   a globally recognised social entrepreneur, and recipient of the Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year award and a recipient of the  first Chancellor’s award from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Her work has reached about 500 K learners and about 30K teachers. 

Sharanjeet is Executive Director for the Maths Centre, and has championed Maths, Science and Technology education for children in South Africa for 25 years. She has conceptualized and managed many projects in Maths, Science, Technology, ECD & has Published world class training materials and primary school text books in mathematics, skills development and ECD materials.

Sharanjeet has published several books including an autobiography ‘In My Own Name’ in 1985 which subsequently became a school text in England.    

http://www.mcis.org.za 

“It does not suit my nature to believe in creation, Nature, divinity, in one kind of God; and yet, as a hard cord mathematics and Quantum Physics person, if I look around me, the beauty of Universe, the complexity of Mother Nature says to me that there is a Higher power!” says  Ms. Sharanjeet Shan, in her conversation with Venkatesh Mahadevan. 

After studying for a full four years for Medicine, she was thrown out of family and India as a result of a traditional clash, that turned into banishment. Sharanjeet Shan spent her adult life in England, studying, working and writing. She gained a first degree and a masters in Social Science: how slavery colonialism and patriarchy came about. She taught Maths and Science for twenty years in England at various levels moving into management positions over a period of thirty years including an Office for Standards in Education inspector. In 1995, Sharanjeet was invited to lead Maths Centre in 1995, transforming a small and struggling project into the widely respected institution it is today and to lead developments within the new dispensation of the South African Maths and Science delivery.  

The Centre works with some 500 disadvantaged schools enabling Teacher and learner development in Maths, Science and Technology. Constantly seeking anti-poverty solutions, Sharanjeet is committed to serving children and young people into the fourth Industrial revolution, promoting critical and creative thinking through STEM subjects at all levels of schooling. Her Maths Centre conducts advocacy campaigns for parents, business, industry, children with disabilities and promotes language connections.  

“ZENPod” is a Podcast series that features trailblazers from different walks of life, with a purpose to build an empowered eco-system where learnings and experiences from these enlightened professionals, will be available within “arms reach of desire” for those who aspire to scale higher and wish to contribute, in their life’s pursuit.