The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has launched another school of specialisation with a focus on renewable energy and climate change, in Bophelong, Vanderbijlpark.

The Dr Molefi Oliphant Maths, Science and Information and Communication Technology School of Specialisation will be the twentieth school of specialisation launched by the department.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said Oliphant played a significant role in education, community development and South African football.

GDE head of department Edward Mosuwe and Gauteng education portfolio committee chairperson Matome Chiloane were among those who attended the launch on Tuesday.

Mabona said attendees were given a glance into a smart home with a biometric fingerprint system coded by pupils at the school and augmented reality headsets.

"The smart home also contained virtual reality textbooks that can be stored on a single 3D printed object that learners scan with their smartphones and then proceed to see 3D animations of certain subject matter," said Mabona.

He said the pupils then proceeded to introduce attendees to a pocket-sized computer that facilitates the communication between software and hardware in multiple ways.

"Learners used this technology to code and create a digital guitar, a water dispenser that senses when a plant has dry soil and a physical touch game," said Mabona.

A few of the many pupils' creations included their calculator, an app that allows pupils to access past exam papers offline, and biodegradable packaging, he added.

He said this was a true example of a future school. "It encapsulates our vision to ensure that learners have access to a specialised, modern, relevant, dynamic, and responsive curriculum that is an alternative to the traditional academic curriculum and prioritises critical skill areas," said Mabona.

Oliphant expressed his gratitude to the department and the community of Bophelong for recognising him.

He said the school was a culmination of the dreams of many like him who were born and raised in the area.