Aimed at sparking interest in Science Education and STEM careers, the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Department of Mathematics, Science and Business Education participated in the Nkangala District STEM Career Expo at St Peter Christian College in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, on 15 June 2026.

The event connected Grade 11 Mathematics, Science and Technology learners with higher education institutions, industry and science organisations while showcasing career opportunities in STEM fields.

TUT used interactive demonstrations to highlight its commitment to preparing future Science educators with practical learning experiences that equip them for modern classrooms.

The demonstrations focused on electrolysis as well as series and parallel electrical circuits, illustrating practical teaching approaches that educators can use to improve learners’ understanding of key Chemistry and Physics concepts.

The hands-on activities generated enthusiasm among learners and raised awareness of Science Education as a rewarding career pathway. Learners engaged directly with scientific concepts and gained insight into how practical laboratory work enhances teaching and learning.

The Department of Mathematics, Science and Business Education forms part of TUT’s School of Education and offers programmes that maintain strong links with business, industry and professional sectors.

These connections help ensure that graduates are well prepared to meet the evolving needs of schools and communities.

By participating in initiatives such as the Nkangala District STEM Career Expo, TUT continues to inspire future educators and scientists while strengthening the pipeline of skilled professionals needed to advance STEM education in South Africa.

Courtesy: Tshwane University of Technology

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For decades, South Africa has grappled with an education system that seems to promise much but deliver little. Despite commendable reforms and bursts of innovation, the country’s schools remain unequal, under-resourced, and often poorly governed. The result is a crisis that goes far deeper than declining mathematics enrolments or underperforming universities: it is a crisis of national competence.

According to Prof Linda du Plessis, senior deputy vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), this is nowhere more evident than in the state of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

“These fields hold the key to South Africa’s economic renewal, yet they rest on crumbling foundations. A staggering 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, according to the 2023 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. Without literacy, numeracy falters; without numeracy, STEM collapses. The failure to get the basics right has turned the promise of technological progress into a mirage.”

“The problem does not start at university gates. It begins at home, in communities, and in the earliest years of schooling. A strong STEM pipeline depends on well-trained teachers, engaged parents, and curricula that reward curiosity rather than compliance. Yet in 2025, nearly 500 South African schools offered no mathematics at all. In rural areas, class sizes exceed 40 pupils, sometimes 55, and teachers are left to manage chaos rather than inspire learning. The system is not producing underachievers; it is manufacturing exclusion,” she says.

Prof du Plessis further explains that the first step towards repair is to treat education as a continuum rather than a set of silos, as universities should not only prepare graduates but help shape national policy and strengthen the basic education ecosystem.

“Universities’ research can guide reforms in teacher training, curriculum design and early childhood development. Teacher quality remains the fulcrum. Incentive schemes for rural educators, coupled with continuous professional development in digital and AI literacy, could stem the exodus of talent from the classroom. Teaching must be restored to its former prestige, which is a respected, aspirational career rather than a reluctant fallback.”

Technology can amplify progress if used wisely.

“Artificial intelligence, already ubiquitous in learners’ lives, can provide personalised tutoring and rapid feedback. But it also demands ethical literacy and responsible use. Universities must therefore train both teachers and students to harness AI without surrendering judgement. Learning management systems should evolve beyond repositories of lecture notes into dynamic tools for engagement, assessment and adaptation. At their best, they can turn passive consumption into active inquiry”.

“Yet technology alone will not close South Africa’s digital divide. Solutions must be low-tech enough to reach schools with limited connectivity. Expanding broadband access through national partnerships or even satellite initiatives such as Starlink could democratise opportunity, particularly in remote areas. Case studies from countries like South Korea -– once poorer than Kenya and now wealthier than Spain -– show what disciplined investment in education can achieve. South Korea’s rise was not built on slogans but on consistent attention to teacher training, extended class hours and respect for academic excellence.”

She also states that, at the tertiary level, universities must align their STEM curricula with economic realities, as the future labour market will reward adaptability, data skills and entrepreneurial thinking more than narrow technical proficiency.

“Integrating business acumen into STEM degrees would allow graduates to create employment, not just seek it. Work-integrated learning and community-based projects should form part of every programme, ensuring that knowledge translates into impact. Micro-credentials and modular courses can then help graduates reskill throughout their working lives.

“The state, meanwhile, must confront its own complacency. Celebrating matric pass rates based on 30% thresholds is political theatre. It masks the rot of low expectations and hollow achievement. Between 2023 and 2024, more than 12 000 fewer pupils enrolled for mathematics, and thousands dropped physical and life sciences. These are not mere statistics; they signal the erosion of ambition. If the government insists on parading inflated success rates while neglecting substance, it will condemn another generation to mediocrity.”

Prof du Plessis is adamant that fixing education also means cleaning up governance, as corruption, mismanagement and political interference have corroded trust in provincial departments. The focus on Grade R is commendable and holds a lot of promise, provided it is supported by sufficient resources.

“Funds meant for textbooks or feeding schemes vanish before they reach classrooms. A zero-tolerance stance is overdue, not only for moral reasons but because every rand stolen from a school deprives a child of a future. Reforming the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), now mired in dysfunction, would further help bridge the gap between learning and labour.

“Ultimately, South Africa’s future will be written in its classrooms. A country that cannot teach its children to read and reason cannot expect to innovate or compete. The task is not glamorous, but it is existential: rebuild the foundations, or watch the edifice crumble,” she concludes.  

Her message then, is clear. The solution lies not in grand strategies or more promises, but in the daily act of putting competent, motivated teachers before engaged learners in functional classrooms. That is how nations rise, and how South Africa might yet learn to do so again.

Courtesy: NWU

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The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), in collaboration with the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), the Uyilo e-Mobility Programme at Nelson Mandela University (NMU), and Volvo Cars South Africa, has launched the e-Mobility Energy Drive, a landmark initiative aimed at demonstrating the viability of electric vehicles (EVs) for long-distance travel in South Africa.

Taking place from 28–30 October 2025, the Energy Drive will culminate at the Uyilo e-Mobility Innovation Summit in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. According to the DSTI, the summit is a flagship Transport Month event showcasing South Africa’s progress toward a sustainable mobility future.

The vehicle undertaking the drive—a Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor Ultimate—will collect real-world data on EV performance, charging efficiency, and energy consumption over a route stretching from Johannesburg to Gqeberha, crossing Gauteng, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape.

“This initiative proves that clean mobility is not just a vision for the future, it is happening now,” said Mandy Mlilo, Acting Chief Director: Hydrogen and Energy at DSTI.

“Through strategic partnerships with SANEDI, Uyilo and Volvo, we are building public confidence in electric mobility, advancing our just energy transition goals and reducing our national carbon footprint.” 

The department and SANEDI said the Energy Drive will also raise public awareness around clean mobility and engage communities along the route.

A senior representative from the Uyilo e-Mobility Programme said the Energy Drive and Summit will serve as a powerful platform for collaboration between government, academia, and industry.

“The Uyilo e-Mobility Summit and this Energy Drive create a powerful platform to accelerate collaboration across government, academia, and industry,” said the senior representative from the Uyilo e-Mobility Programme.

“As we mark Transport Month, we are proud to position South Africa as an emerging leader in the global shift toward smart, sustainable mobility.” 

SANEDI CEO Dr. Titus Mathe added that the initiative highlights the nation’s growing capacity and commitment to cleaner transportation.

“This partnership reflects our nation’s growing capacity and commitment to cleaner transportation. By aligning research, innovation, and public engagement, we are driving tangible progress toward a low-carbon, energy-efficient future,” Mathe said.

The DSTI and SANEDI further said that the e-Mobility Energy Drive underscores South Africa’s commitment to building a resilient, sustainable transport ecosystem that supports economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy justice.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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Coenie Koegelenberg, Professor of Pulmonology at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), started experimenting with options to perform virtual ward rounds in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Tygerberg Hospital shortly before South Africa’s lockdown, and is assured that ICU specialists can, indeed, run ward rounds remotely, using robots as tireless helpers that can’t get infected.

Tygerberg Hospital has a limited number of specialists in its general medical ICU at present.

“Between the specialists, we will share the workload of Covid-19 patients who end up in ICU. The odds of at least one or all of us falling ill are quite high, so we need to realistically plan for what could happen.

“If any of the specialists gets the virus and is unable to physically go to work, we will be able to function remotely using the robot, from a phone or a laptop,” said Koegelenberg.

“Using this device will enable us to provide a service if our skills sets are in short supply.”

The idea of using robots came about through “a combination of thoughts of many people,” Koegelenberg said. “We started wondering how we could help more people if we ourselves were to fall ill.”

His wife Dr Suretha Kannenberg, a dermatologist, had told him about this device.

“On Wednesday 18 March, on my way home after many meetings, I wondered whether ‘virtual’ ward rounds in many ICUs could be feasible. I phoned my wife and shared my thoughts. I had thought of using a fancy ‘nanny cam’ she bought a few years ago.

“She suggested using the Sunskill laboratory’s Double Robotic ‘robot’ instead. [Sunskill is a state of the art clinical training facility at the FMHS]. I was not familiar with this device. The next day I met with Professor Ian Vlok from the FMHS’ Division of Neurosurgery and the Sunskill facilities manager, Bronwyn Stockenstrom who gave me a ‘crash course’ on how to use the Double Robotic ‘robot’. The Sunskill lab without any hesitation agreed to have the robots be used in the ICU until the pandemic is over.

“On Friday Dr Usha Lalla (Tygerberg Hospital’s head of ICU) and I tested the device. We performed a full ICU ward round without entering the ICU. It was truly an eye opener and a potential game changer in this and future similar pandemics. It was a remarkable success! We both concluded (with more than 30 years of combined experience in ICU) that our physical presence was not required, and that the technology has great potential to be rolled out. This is, of course, anecdotal and not ‘true evidence’, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Moreover, should one of us be under ‘self-quarantine’, we would be able to ‘work from home’.”

The “robot” that looks like an computer tablet and has two wheels, uses gyroscope and accelerometer sensors in its base and can be controlled with a desktop, tablet or smartphone. It enables communication between patient and doctor through a microphone and a zoom function and can relay vital signs of highly infectious patients.

Robots have also been used in Italy, where the pandemic has claimed many lives, including those of doctors.

The use of the robot at Tygerberg Hospital is yet another example of how the pandemic has brought ingenuity and collaboration to the fore.

“This has been a team effort – and such a bonding experience,” said Koegelenberg.

Vlok, who oversees activity at the Sunskill lab, said: “The Sunskill clinical training facility uses world class technology to further the skills training of our postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University. The robots have given us access to international and national experts in their fields for training with their virtual presence guiding the teaching and training. Now the same technology can allow us to carefully navigate and manage patients in a high-risk environment and reduce risk to our staff. I sincerely hope this initiative will not only have a positive effect during this pandemic but open the door for further innovation and collaboration.”

Courtesy: Stellenbosch University

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With AI-integrated, hybrid workplaces becoming the norm, arguably these skills – compared with, say, knowledge recall – will be key to future graduate employability. 

Transferable skills, which include communication, teamwork, adaptability, self-motivation and self-management, as well as technical and digital skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, are already integral to employability and career path progression.

In face-to-face learning, technical skills are typically taught through a mix of theory and hands-on application to real-life scenarios and even work placements, while soft skills such as teamwork and oral communication are usually developed through presentations and tutorial sessions.

So, you might doubt that online learning can replicate that practice and experience. But, thanks to virtual learning environments (VLEs), many in academia see no reason why these essential employability skills can’t be taught effectively online. 

Moreover, the opportunity that online learning offers to build digital and distance communication skills is increasingly in tune with modern workplaces that are ever more technology-centred and global.

Almost five years after Covid-19, 28 per cent of working adults in Britain are hybrid working, according to Office for National Statics figures, and this type of working is a new norm in most English-speaking countries.

As more communication is done online, teaching these skills online can, in some cases, provide a more authentic learning environment. Even body language can be caught through a VLE.

Challenges and workarounds for teaching soft skills online

A prerequisite to teaching transferable skills online, and indeed a key challenge, is ensuring that students engage with the learning. So far, relatively few studies have compared student engagement and outcomes between face-to-face classrooms and distance learning.

It is important also to bear in mind that distance learning takes many forms, including synchronous – for example, online tutorials and live guest lectures – and asynchronous, which can range from students watching a recorded lecture to participating in interactive forums and workboards. 

A 2022 study from the University of Bordeaux found little difference in average knowledge acquisition and student interaction with their educator and peers when comparing face-to-face and synchronous distance learning, but it did suggest lower cognitive engagement and reduced social presence (meaning the sense of feeling present as part of a community) in the case of the latter.

This feeling of student detachment is heightened if, as online educators often report, students are reluctant to switch on their cameras or even to use their microphones.

Possible reasons for this, among many, include student anxiety, cultural or social sensibilities, or fear of being recorded without consent.

Online “invisibility” (such as that which might take place during a “relaxed tutorial”) can be an advantage if it attracts less-confident or neurodivergent students who might otherwise not have attended a class at all, whether in person or online.

However, student satisfaction tends to increase with higher engagement.

A range of opportunities and strategies can be deployed to improve online engagement in synchronous distance learning. Educators can foster a relationship with students by: 

• having their own camera on
• spending the first part of a session on informal exchanges to help build community
• being open to a wide range of communication, including chat and emoticons
• using interactive digital tools such as polls and whiteboards to prompt responses
• building in small-group activities using breakout rooms. 

All these options are readily available in VLEs. In an asynchronous setting, too, active learning will promote genuine engagement with the module materials. Interactive forum activities and discussions can be a useful tool to develop teamwork and allow students to practise their written communication skills at the same time as learning from their peers.

The opportunity to design activities based on real-world events, using news articles and other media, can help engage students with module content in forums. Educators can also ask students to draw on, and connect module concepts to, their own experiences to prevent forum fatigue. 

Online curriculums also need to embed and integrate the teaching of transferable skills alongside discipline-related knowledge in interesting and creative ways and scaffold these so that skills are developed to higher levels as students proceed through their studies.

For example, introductory social science modules might develop numeracy and digital skills through teaching students how to solve problems using Excel and later hone these skills with training to use more advanced statistical software such as SPSS or STATA, or how to prompt and critique AI when used for these types of task.

Designing online assessments and activities that authentically replicate work-based activities is also key to ensuring students have the appropriate adaptable employability skills – for example, designing assessments that require students to compose social media posts and blogs reviewing policy developments can replicate the type of work that professionals do in many industries.

Also, asking students to reflect on how they would use the transferable skills they are acquiring in a future career can raise engagement.

It goes without saying that no two learners are the same. And, for the foreseeable future, work environments will likely be a combination of on- and off-site interactions. It is thus key to aim for a blended, flexible and mixed learning environment wherever possible. 

Emilie Rutledge is head of economics and senior lecturer at The Open University and managing editor of the Journal of Gulf Studies. Jonquil Lowe is senior lecturer in economics and personal finance at The Open University.

Timeshighereducation

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South African aerospace firm Mura Space and the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (ASRI) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) have signed an “exclusive agreement” to commercialise the country’s Sounding Rocket Launch Facility at the Overberg Test Range in the Western Cape.

According to UKZN, the partnership will allow for suborbital test launches from the site using existing and mobile launch infrastructure, with operations conducted under strict safety and regulatory oversight.

The agreement marks a significant step in efforts to position South Africa as a hub for aerospace research and investment, according to both parties.

The organisations said the collaboration would help advance local research, support skills development, and promote science and engineering among young South Africans, while also facilitating international technology transfer.

Mura Space said it has scheduled a series of suborbital rocket launches beginning in 2026, including missions targeting the internationally recognised Kármán line — the 100-kilometre boundary marking the edge of space. The launches are expected to be historic firsts for the African continent.

ASRI Director, Professor Michael Brooks, said the collaboration with Mura Space represented a significant milestone in delivering indigenously developed, sovereign access to space for South Africa and the continent.

“By combining our advanced engineering expertise, in-house manufacturing capabilities, and 16 years of innovation with Mura’s commercial vision for launch, we are opening new frontiers for local research, skills development, and global technology exchange. We are excited about a launch ecosystem that will empower the next generation and position Africa as a key player in the global aerospace sector,” said Brooks.

Mura Space Chief Executive Frederik de Ridder said the partnership with ASRI creates new opportunities for local research and education. “We hope some of these launches will offer new opportunities for select South African micro-gravity research payloads as well as contribute positively to local educational and human capital development programmes in ways previously not possible.”

De Ridder added that the growth of suborbital activity forms the foundation for eventual orbital launch capabilities. “South Africa is walking, and we are excited about working with key space stakeholders to help grow the momentum towards a historic first commercial orbital attempt from African soil,” he said.

The activities will be carried out under the newly established AfriRoC (African Rocketry Challenge) initiative, subject to regulatory and safety approvals. Both Mura Space and ASRI said they are independently committed to developing a credible, safe, and entrepreneurial launch ecosystem that aligns with South Africa’s ambitions to achieve sovereign orbital launch capability.

Mura Space, a privately funded South African company, focuses on commercial investments and partnerships in the aerospace and launch sectors. It is conducting a technical feasibility study and market assessment for the Mura Spaceport, a proposed privately funded, multi-user facility designed to attract international small and medium orbital launchers by leveraging southern Africa’s favourable geography.

The Aerospace Systems Research Institute, based at UKZN, leads South Africa’s efforts to build indigenous space-launch capacity. Supported by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the university, ASRI has spent more than two decades designing and testing advanced aerospace systems, including liquid and hybrid rocket engines, turbomachinery, green propellants and in-space thrusters.

The institute operates an advanced manufacturing facility equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and provides consulting and product development services globally. Its research and engineering teams have been instrumental in positioning South Africa as one of the few African nations developing home-grown launch capabilities.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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Across universities worldwide, a quiet revolution is underway. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, DeepSeek and Gemini are being used to produce essays, summarise readings, and even conduct complex assignments.

Generative artificial intelligence is a kind of AI that can handle a variety of creative tasks in diverse domains, such as arts, music and education.

For many university teachers, this raises alarm bells about plagiarism and integrity. While some institutions have rushed to restrict or support AI use, others are still unsure how to respond.

But focusing only on policing misses a bigger issue: whether students are really learning. As an education researcher, I’m interested in the topic of how students learn.

My colleagues and I recently explored the role AI could play in learning – if universities tried a new way of assessing students.

We found that many traditional forms of assessment in universities remain focused on memorisation and rote learning. These are exactly the tasks that AI performs best.

We argue that it’s time to reconsider what students should be learning. This should include the ability to evaluate and analyse AI-created text. That’s a skill which is essential for critical thinking.

If that ability is what universities teach and look for in a student, AI will be an opportunity and not a threat.

We’ve suggested some ways that universities can use AI to teach and assess what students really need to know.

Reviewing studies of AI

Universities are under pressure to prepare graduates who are more than just knowledgeable. They need to be self-directed, lifelong learners who are independent, critical thinkers and can solve complex problems. Employers and societies demand graduates who can evaluate information and make sound judgements in a rapidly changing world.

Yet assessment (testing what students know and can do) tends to focus on more basic thinking skills.

Our research took the form of a conceptual literature review, analysing peer-reviewed studies published since the release of the AI tool ChatGPT in late 2022. We examined how generative AI is already being used in higher education, its impact on assessment, and how these practices align (or fail to align) with Bloom’s taxonomy.

Bloom’s taxonomy is a framework widely used in education. It organises cognitive (thinking) skills into levels, from basic (remembering and understanding), to advanced (creating and evaluating).

Several key patterns emerged from our analysis:

Firstly, AI excels at lower-level tasks. Studies show that AI is strong in remembering and understanding. It can generate multiple-choice questions, definitions, or surface explanations quickly and often with high accuracy.

Secondly, AI struggles with higher-order thinking. At the levels of evaluating and creating, its effectiveness drops. For instance, while AI can draft a business plan or a healthcare policy outline, it often lacks contextual nuance, critical judgement and originality.

Thirdly, the role of university teachers is changing. Instead of spending hours designing and grading lower-level assessments, they can now focus on scaffolding tasks that AI cannot master alone, thus promoting analysis, creativity and self-directed learning skills. Self-directed learning is defined as “a process where individuals take initiative to diagnose their learning needs, set learning goals, find resources, choose and implement strategies, and evaluate their outcomes, with or without assistance from others.”

Lastly, the opportunities AI presents seem to outweigh the threats. While concerns about cheating remain real, many studies highlight AI’s potential to become a learning partner. Used well, it can help generate practice questions, provide feedback, and stimulate dialogue (if students are guided to critically engage with its outputs).

All these challenges prompt universities to move beyond “knowledge checks” and invest in assessments that not only measure deeper learning, but promote it as well.

How to promote critical thinking

So how can universities move forward? Our study points to several clear actions:

Redesign assessments for higher-order thinking skills: Instead of relying on tasks that AI can complete, university teachers should design authentic, context-rich assessments. For example, using case studies, portfolios, debates, and projects grounded in local realities.

• Use AI as a partner, not a threat: Students can be asked to critique AI-generated responses, identify gaps, or adapt them for real-world use. This transforms AI into a tool for practising the ability to analyse and evaluate.
• Build assessment literacy among university teachers: University teachers need support and training to create AI-integrated assessments.
• Promote AI fluency and ethical use: Students must learn not just how to use AI, but how to question it.
• They must understand its limitations, biases and potential pitfalls. Students should be made aware that transparency in disclosing AI use can support academic integrity.
• Encourage the development of self-directed learning skills: AI should not replace the student’s effort but rather support their learning journey. Hence, designing assessment tasks that foster goal setting, reflection and peer dialogue is crucial for developing lifelong learning habits.

By fostering critical thinking and embracing AI as a tool, universities can turn disruption into opportunity. The goal is not to produce graduates who compete with machines, but to cultivate independent thinkers who can do what machines cannot: reflect, judge, and create meaning. Assessment in the age of AI could become a powerful force for cultivating the kind of graduates our world needs.

Anitia Lubbe, Associate Professor, North-West University.

THE CONVERSATION

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The University of Cape Town (UCT) recently joined the World Data System (WDS), reinforcing its commitment to advancing open science, data accessibility and research excellence on a global scale.

The WDS is an affiliated body of the International Science Council (ISC) that aims to enhance the capabilities, impact and sustainability of its member data repositories and services.

For UCT eResearch, membership in the WDS aligns closely with its vision of fostering open science and supporting global research collaboration.

Reinforced leadership in data stewardship

Membership in WDS means joining a trusted international community dedicated to strengthening the scientific enterprise across the entire data lifecycle. It ensures that UCT’s data repositories uphold rigorous international standards of trust, sustainability and interoperability – enhancing the visibility and impact of its researchers’ work worldwide.

The significance of this milestone was highlighted by Professor Mattia Vaccari, Director of eResearch at UCT: “Becoming a member of the World Data System underlines UCT’s dedication to creating high quality and accessible data infrastructure that supports our researchers in producing impactful, reproducible science.

“Membership strengthens our ability to collaborate internationally, reinforcing our leadership in responsible data stewardship.”

Professor Vaccari said this includes creating first-class, quality-assured data that feeds first-class research outputs. “It is about advocating for accessible, transparent, impactful and reproducible science.”

Professor Jeff Murugan, UCT’s acting deputy vice-chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, emphasised the strategic importance of WDS membership for the university. “This is a key step in our broader commitment to open science and global research excellence. It not only advances our digital identity but also ensures our research outputs are connected and recognised within the worldwide scientific ecosystem.”

Earlier this year, UCT officially joined DataCite, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to providing persistent digital object identifiers (DOIs) for research data.

This move empowers UCT researchers to establish a stronger digital identity, ensuring their contributions receive the recognition they deserve in academic and public domains. With the new WDS affiliation, UCT now joins a worldwide community devoted to the provision of quality assured data and data services.

Membership entails the university’s participation in a trusted network that supports data repositories in enhancing data discoverability, reliability and accessibility, fostering an environment conducive to collaboration.

Advancement of Open Science and reproducibility

UCT’s engagement with the WDS builds on its existing achievements such as the CoreTrustSeal certification awarded earlier this year to the institutional repository ZivaHub: Open Data UCT.

Hosted by UCT Libraries, the ZivaHub platform publishes UCT research data and scholarly outputs.

“UCT Libraries’ continued support to the university is now bolstered by membership of WDS,” said Nikki Crowster, director of Information Systems and Resources.

“It reinforces our commitment to the ongoing advocacy for FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability) data principles and Open Scholarship.”

A core principle of WDS is to improve and facilitate access to research data, supporting the open data movement and making data available to researchers and the public.

As a trustworthy repository, ZivaHub sets high standards in research data management and accessibility. ZivaHub has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to science, engineering and technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa, and was a recent finalist in the ‘Data for Research’ category at the NSTF-South32 2024/2025 Awards.

Overall, being part of the World Data System means that UCT will continue to champion accessible data, sustainable data management practices, and global collaboration, ensuring that its research data infrastructure supports the university’s position as a leader in research excellence and innovation.

UCTNEWS

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Artificial intelligence or AI uses computers to perform tasks that would normally have needed human intelligence. Today AI is being put to use in many aspects of everyday life, like virtual banking assistants, health chatbots, self-driving cars, even the recommendations you see on social media.

A new survey of over 3,000 South Africans from all walks of life asked how people feel about AI. It reveals that most South Africans can’t relate to AI in meaningful ways – despite the global hype about its pros and cons. We asked two of its authors to tell us more.

What did you find?

The research set out to capture how South Africans understand, experience and imagine AI. It aimed to provide representative insights into levels of awareness, perceptions of impact, and degrees of trust in the institutions developing and deploying AI. The aim is to help create an empirical basis for more responsive and inclusive AI governance in the country.

We found that for most South Africans (73%) the term “AI” barely registers. AI increasingly plays a role in public life – often behind the scenes in areas like healthcare, credit scoring and social media moderation. But 37% of the survey respondents had never heard of AI, while 36% indicated they’d heard of it but knew very little about it and the role it might already be playing in their lives.

The survey also gives us a sense of why awareness remains so low. Most information comes through social media. Only 4% learn about AI through formal education, and a meagre 2% through their workplaces or professional training.

What also stands out is uncertainty. While nearly 47% of people felt AI’s social impact was largely positive, 40% had no clear leaning either way. So while AI is becoming more influential, it does not seem to be visible or real enough in everyday life for many to form solid opinions.

Economic threat is a central concern: people have worries about being replaced or devalued by machines, or targeted by scams.

But trust in both government and big tech is measured and pragmatic. It’s hoped that big tech will help provide connectivity and jobs. The government is seen as most trustworthy when it comes to using AI in areas like health and education.

Yet, these are the very areas where unease surfaced. Respondents called for lines to be drawn with unsupervised, AI-driven care tasks. They felt that learning based on human experience should be preserved. Social media, while a key source of AI-related information, is also a site of worry, especially around data privacy and children’s exposure to harmful content. People felt there should be guardrails and human oversight.

Looking ahead at the next 10 years, respondents said they hoped AI would help create a better future, especially in health and job creation.

How was the survey conducted?

Since 2003 the Human Sciences Research Council has been capturing how South Africans experience social change through the annual National Social Attitudes Survey. This time, the think tank Global Center on AI Governance contributed an AI-specific component to the survey through its project The African Observatory on Responsible AI, funded by the AI4D programme of the International Development Research Centre of Canada and the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, UK.

Trained fieldworkers surveyed a diverse cross-section of South Africans, covering all nine provinces, both rural and urban areas. They interviewed people over the age of 16 across a range of socio-economic backgrounds and in their preferred official language. Over 3,000 people were interviewed.

The survey included both structured and open-ended questions, asking how people learnt about these technologies, how they felt about their impact, and the degree of trust they placed in different institutions using them.

The findings offer rare evidence into the social views shaping the ways AI may be taken up or contested, and how public opinion might start to inform decisions about how technology is shaped and used.

What can we learn from these findings?

The survey shows how difficult it is to get to grips with a technology like AI in a country where there is a stark digital divide. Access to information is uneven, trust in institutions is limited, and there isn’t a shared language to understand or question AI use. For many, AI remains largely opaque and abstract.

This matters because a lack of basic knowledge prevents meaningful public debate about AI.

Uncertainty and lack of information open the door for hype, misinformation, even exploitation. There’s a danger that fears about AI replacing human skills and jobs will overshadow more optimistic views of its possible benefits.

Still, there’s a cautious hope that AI can improve livelihoods and access to information. Concerns about technology are less about it taking over and more about how to use it or even just access it.

This is a crucial moment because public opinion about AI is still developing. Policy-makers and tech leaders across sectors have an opportunity to define AI’s use and value from a people-centred perspective.

What needs to be done about this?

To bridge the knowledge gaps and address uneven access to information, AI literacy needs to be established on a common understanding. For example in India, the Indian Institute of Technology has launched a free online training course on all aspects of AI for teachers, so that they can pass knowledge on to their students.

AI literacy efforts should be built on shared language and rooted in daily concerns and aspirations, allowing people to relate AI to their personal experiences.

Companies must invest and build AI in collaboration with local communities. Civil society organisations and researchers have a vital role to play in raising awareness, tracking harms and ringing alarm bells when accountability in AI use is sidestepped.

Public projects can help educate and inform South Africans about AI. For example, the University of the Western Cape partnered with a theatre company and a high school to create The Final Spring, a play about a robot. Storytelling can help translate complex ideas about technology into accessible, culturally resonant forms of AI literacy.

As South Africa moves towards a national AI strategy following the publication of a National AI Policy Framework, the focus must be on broadening access to reliable information on AI, not just through schools, but also for older generations and others who feel left out of the discourse.

The Conversation

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And it is gaining more traction. Ministries of Education, embassies, universities, and global partners like Google, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Endeavour Foundation are investing in this grassroots momentum, recognizing that the future education – and innovation – might just look like a table full of buzzing wires and bright ideas.

More than a Tech Competition
Each year, WRO invites students from around the world to imagine, build, and compete, all through the power of robotics. It starts in classrooms: robotics workshops and bootcamps unfold across schools, where students form teams and begin designing robots that respond to the year’s theme – this time, “The Future of Robots.” In some countries, regional events pave the way to national finals. Then, the top teams earn the chance to represent their country on the global stage in Singapore in November, alongside young peers from over 90 nations.

In Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, WRO Bootcamps have reached schools across the country, introducing coding, AI, and engineering principles through play and challenge-based learning to hundreds of students – including those from underserved and special needs communities.

“Every robotics bootcamp is a window into what’s possible when learning becomes active, inclusive, and tech-driven,” says Valentine Masicha, WRO Country Coordinator for Uganda with Mindset Coders. “In these sessions, students aren’t just tinkering with robots; they’re building confidence, learning to collaborate, and solving real-world problems with code and creativity.” For many, it’s their first time seeing how STEM can be relevant to their lives and community.

Mentorship in Motion
In each participating country, the excitement is just as palpable among the coaches who are at the heart of the WRO experience.

“Gone are the days when teachers simply delivered content”, says Victoria Nxumalo, WRO Country Coordinator for Zimbabwe and founder of Girls in STEM Trust. “WRO is revealing what relevant, future-facing education looks like in real-time: a shift from instructors to co-creators — mentors guiding discovery with courage.”

Google mentor, software engineer, and WRO lead mentor Andrew Muriithi couldn’t agree more. His thing? Train WRO coaches to accompany students from their first brainstorming session all the way to proudly representing their country at the WRO International Final. “Mentorship isn’t about having all the answers. It is about walking the journey with someone. You grow just as much as the mentee does,” says Andrew.

He continues: “Start messy, learn fast. A mentee once asked me, ‘When do I know I’m ready to build real projects?’ My answer: You don’t. You just start. And remember that every expert you admire started with broken apps and endless errors.”

This evolution mirrors global shifts in education. The World Economic Forum’s 2023 “Education 4.0” agenda singles out mentorship, creativity, and adaptable problem-solving as foundational skills in an AI-first world. Meanwhile, UNESCO’s 2024 AI Competency Framework outlines 12 essential AI competencies for students – ranging from ethical reasoning to system design – with the goal of preparing learners to become responsible, human-centered co-creators of AI.

By introducing robotics, coding, and AI as tools for collaboration and creativity, WRO is creating safe spaces for experimentation and failure – and that’s where real learning happens.

“WRO is the perfect launchpad for hands-on, trial-and-error learning,” Andrew explains. “In a world shaped by AI, it’s not just about getting it right. It’s about learning how to rethink, rebuild, and keep going. The problem-solving mindset these young people develop is exactly what the future needs.”

Meet the Makers: A Winning Team Up Close
In Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, one WRO team captured the attention of judges, diplomats, and tech leaders alike.

Team FutureSight, winners of Zimbabwe’s National Championship in the Senior category, developed an AI-powered voice assistant for the blind. This smart, voice-controlled tool helps visually impaired users with daily tasks like reading, object recognition, and navigation. But what makes it truly special is its localisation: the team is adapting it to support local languages, ensuring accessibility for users who are often left behind in global tech developments.

“We wanted to build something that mattered,” said one team member. “Something that could make life better for people around us, not just win a trophy.”

This truth echoes in research, too: African youth often innovate with their community in mind, not a market. They consistently prioritize social impact over profit, seeking to solve real-world challenges like food access, clean energy, or equity in education (HSRC, 2024). This African mindset of ‘profit for purpose’ aligns powerfully with the spirit of WRO, where every robot tells the story that true innovation is transformational, not just transactional.”

With Africa’s workforce and innovation agenda at stake, Google and UNECA teamed up in 2024 to accelerate WRO’s spread across the continent, as Bahta Mamo Bekele, UNECA Program Coordinator and National Coordinator for WRO in Ethiopia, explains: “The WRO’s approach is fundamentally about building a vibrant African innovation ecosystem from the ground up. It empowers young people to tackle their communities’ most pressing challenges with their own hands and minds, giving them a voice that resonates far beyond their schools and cities. At the UNECA, we are witnessing this digital upskilling in action. It is inspiring a new generation of problem-solvers who are ready to own their narrative and shape the continent’s future.”

A New Era of Hands-on Learning
A growing body of educational research (e.g., OECD Future of Education 2030, Harvard Project Zero) confirms that interdisciplinary, collaborative, and values-based learning better prepares students for AI-rich futures than traditional subject silos.

More than a robotics competition, WRO is the new blackboard, the new lab coat, the new field trip. It becomes a testing ground for the kind of thinking machines can’t do: empathy, ethics, adaptability, and purpose. Yes, kids learn to code. But more importantly, they learn to connect ideas, people, and technology in meaningful ways.

“This is where education truly meets innovation in its truest form, robotics challenges becoming the new interdisciplinary classrooms, where math, science, and language meet creativity, cross-cultural teamwork, design thinking, and resilience. The skills forged here aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re essential in an AI-powered world,” says Karen Bebelaar, WRO Program Manager.

And WRO Africa isn’t just nurturing future engineers, although it does that too. It is cultivating a generation of ethical innovators, systems thinkers, and global citizens who can lead with both skill and conscience.

Inclusion as a Power Engine
The smiles beaming from the Jangwani and Benjamin Mkapa schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania are spreading more good news backed by peer-reviewed evidence: educational robotics is a power mix of fun that significantly supports cognitive, social, and emotional development among learners with special needs.

A 2025 scoping review of 33 peer-reviewed studies confirmed significant gains in cognitive, emotional, and social development among learners with special needs engaged in robotics-based learning. One 2023 ERIC-reviewed study even showed that just eight weeks of robotics lessons led to improved mental planning and group interaction for children with Down syndrome.

But robotics isn’t just bridging gaps, it is opening new frontiers. Students with special needs actually help redefine what innovation looks like, their lived experiences bringing essential perspectives often missing from mainstream tech design.

“When children with disabilities build, code, and compete, they bring new ways of thinking to the table. Their contributions go beyond inclusion: they challenge design norms, foster empathy among peers, and drive user-centered innovation,” says Eva Shana, WRO Country Coordinator for Tanzania at the University of Dar es Salaam. Recent studies in inclusive tech design even highlight that co-creating with learners who have disabilities leads to more accessible, socially attuned technologies for all (GSSRR, 2023).

What’s in a WRO?
Far more than they imagined back in 2004, for sure.

What started as a robotics contest has evolved into a launchpad for equity, creativity, and human-centered innovation. In 2020, only 5 of the 90 participating countries were African. Last year, thanks to the unwavering support of partners like Google, UNECA, Irish Aid, Endeavour Foundation, Camden.education, and a growing network of local changemakers, 9,000 young people across 14 African countries took part in WRO activities – and with momentum building, even more are expected in 2025.

In Nigeria, strategic partnerships with state ministries and institutions are mainstreaming robotics across schools nationwide. The impact? Over 2,000 teachers trained and more than 20,000 young people from all walks of life engaged in WRO 2025.

“With WRO, students, coaches, and experts alike are being prepared today for the challenges of tomorrow. More than a competition, WRO is a launchpad raising solution-driven young people who can think differently, innovate locally, and function globally,” says Abisola Obasanya, WRO Nigeria National Organiser.

Some 4,000 miles further south, the sentiment is shared by WRO South Africa National Organiser Danie Heymans, who has just wrapped up 13 Provincial WRO events with Township Robotics, bringing key 21st-century skills to schools in historically underserved areas.

“In a world racing to automate, quantify, and scale, these fearless, ready-to-learn youth with their purpose-driven mindset remind us what real innovation looks like. And it looks a lot like Ubuntu*,” concludes Heymans.

*Ubuntu is an ancient African word rooted in humanist African philosophy and can be roughly translated as “humanity to others”, or “I am because we are”. It comes from the Zulu proverb “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, meaning “a person is a person through other people”.

The story was first published by World Robot Olympiad (WRO)

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The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Solar Car Project Team has been awarded the prestigious International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) Communication Prize for 2025. 

TUT was announced as the winner on 10 September 2025 at the annual CAETS Conference underway in Brisbane, Australia, for the submission that captured innovation and excellence in TUT’s Solar Car Project, dubbed SunChaser.

 TUT’s entry titled “Sustainable Automotive Technologies: a TUT Case Study” stole the hearts of the judging panel to scoop the US$5 000 prize, beating finalists from China, India, the US, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, Poland, Mexico and Uruguay.

The inspirational five-minute video is not only a spectacle of engineering and technological feats used in SunChaser models including the latest model, SunChaser 4, but also highlights the role of science and technology in solving societal challenges. It is also a masterclass in building student capacity while engaging communities and inspiring future engineers and technologists. 

Produced by Dr Christian Oosthuizen, Senior Mechatronics Engineering Lecturer and Prof Ben van Wyk, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching, Learning and Technology, it won by a unanimous decision of the judging panel comprising CAETS members from Australia, China, India, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Uruguay. 

According to Prof Van Wyk, the Solar Car Project is a story of resilience, innovation and engineering excellence. “It is a call to the next generation to push boundaries, embrace sustainable technology and reimagine the future of mobility,” he said.

The winning video features Prof Van Wyk; Dr Oosthuizen, who is also Co-Manager of the Solar Car Project; Cleo-Ann Manamela, third-year mechanical engineering student and Solar Car Project member; Johannes De Vries, Electrical Engineering Technologist and Co-Manager of the Solar Car Project; and Andile Dlamini, Solar Car driver and third-year mechanical engineering student. 

“It is a proud moment for TUT and a demonstration of the power of science, technology and engineering to inspire,” said Prof Mxolisi Shongwe, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.  

Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said the TUT Solar Car is testimony to the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability. 

“Four models and several national as well as international accolades later, we can say, without any fear of contradiction, that the TUT Solar Car model is an engineering masterpiece. And the accolades do not come bigger and better than the International Council of Academics of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) Communication Prize,” he said.

“My chest swells with pride when I consider that for a decade at least, TUT engineers and their students have been meticulously constructing and improving the SunChaser. Congratulations to the team of staff and students!” said Prof Maluleke.

The CAETS Communication Prize is awarded to “the most outstanding audio-visual communication of excellence and innovation in engineering and technological science”. Entries for the prize are accepted through member country academies. TUT’s entry was submitted by the South African Academy of Engineering. 

Explaining the role of the award, CAETS said it aims to encourage technological scientists and engineers worldwide to communicate in a simple and engaging way with general audiences, particularly young people and students. 

“This is done through a competitive selection of short videos, each under five minutes, explaining the societal significance of technological advances and engineering achievements. Such videos have the dual aim of inspiring students to follow careers in engineering and technological sciences, and educating the general public on the impact that engineering and technological sciences have on their lives and future,” said the Council in the entry criteria. 

Tshwane University of Technology

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The morning session of the University of Pretoria’s 7th Women in Science Event ignited a lively debate, frequently punctuated by roaring laughter from the audience in the Future Africa auditorium on 8 August 2025.

During the Q&A segment following the panel discussion themed ‘Closing the Gender Gap in STEM’, an individual in the audience posed a question to Dr Phethiwe Matutu, CEO of Universities South Africa.

Question: When it comes to diversity in STEM disciplines, it is vital to see people who look like us—women we can look up to, especially black women if we, ourselves, are black. If we want more women to pursue science, we must encourage girls to be themselves in the field, rather than model themselves after the males who dominate it. So, how do we create spaces for women to be authentic and still succeed at the same rate? And how do we take intersectionality further?

Dr Matutu: That’s an important question, which one could explore at great length. I’ve heard young black women engineers say they started drinking beer and watching rugby—(laughter), just to have something in common to discuss with their peers. I thought the beer was a bit much [laughter] until I found myself drinking wine while teaching at Stellenbosch University [located in the heart of South Africa’s winelands] many years ago, for six years. Everyone frowned upon my not drinking wine. It wasn’t a negative influence but a genuine attempt by my colleagues to embrace me and assimilate me into their culture.

In another personal example, my daughter recently completed her degree in mechatronics and is now pursuing her master’s. She has started saying things like, ‘I’m sweating my balls off’—[laughter]—and I thought, ‘What balls is she talking about?’ That’s what happens when a woman is immersed in a male-dominated environment. It’s a reflection of how dominant male culture can influence the behaviour of a lone woman in their midst.

Speaking of women feeling the need to emulate men in male-dominated environments—I’m a mathematician by profession. I was the first woman from a South African university to earn a PhD in pure mathematics [wide applause].

Throughout university, I never had a female mathematics lecturer. I was taught exclusively by men until I obtained my PhD. So, I did not quite have mentors like me to emulate. Recently, at Rhodes University, a 23-year-old female Master’s student was being celebrated for earning a distinction at the master’s level in mathematics. Everyone assumed she was the first—until I pointed out that I had achieved the same 33 years ago. It’s just that no one knew.

In the STEM disciplines, it is easy to be perceived as a rarity—because women mathematicians are few and far between.

On a lighter note, however, I’ve never felt compelled to look like a man [applause], despite that I still proudly sport my natural hair — much against some of my close associates’ nudges to switch to weaves, supposedly to look more “feminine.”

Ms Thato Semono, Head Girl at Tuks Sports High School: “For me, being authentic is about girls understanding their roots—recognising the sacrifices others have made to help them reach their goals. We need more campaigns to ensure information is accessible to everyone. Girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, in particular, often lack exposure to existing opportunities. It’s equally important to instil in them a sense of contentment with who they are.”

Ms Susan Byakika, Coordinator of the Women in Hydrogen programme at the German Development Agency (GIZ) in South Africa, also directed a question to Dr Matutu.

Question: After engaging with several university researchers and lecturers, I’ve noticed a recurring challenge: many conduct research in isolation, with little to no industry exposure. Yet they’re expected to publish academic papers to progress in their careers. The absence of industry partners who could otherwise enhance the relevance of their research often hinders their advancement. What opportunities exist within USAf to bridge these gaps and address the challenges holding researchers back? If entities like the GIZ, where I work, support academia-industry platforms, how can we connect with them, particularly through USAf?”

Dr Matutu: Applied research is important. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation previously ran a programme focused on linking universities to industry. This was later transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry to foster university–private sector collaboration. The facility is called the Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP). That might well be your solution.

Otherwise, individual universities do seek, develop and maintain bilateral partnerships with industry for research and many other purposes.

Dr Leno Seboka, Medical Physicist at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Lecturer at UP, channelled her question, on the PregiDose Mobile App, to Dr Essop: I agree that therapists often forget their dosimeters. I also acknowledge that radiography remains a male-dominated field, and many women feel hesitant to approach us for dosimeters. I’m curious: does your application cater to physicians as well? We once had an intern who became pregnant but withheld the information, fearing it would delay her graduation. If your app is accessible to medical physicists, it could be a valuable resource for women in our field.”

Dr Essop: I’m venturing into uncharted territory now. I’m in the process of commercialising my product and have applied to the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), whose process is quite rigorous—they want a clear understanding of the target market. What’s fascinating is that radiation exposure isn’t confined to X-ray departments; it’s present in theatres, orthopaedic theatres, and diagnostic procedures for kidney and gallstones—we’re everywhere.

The app is not just for radiographers; it’s relevant to orthopaedic surgeons, medical physicists, and anyone involved in therapeutic or diagnostic radiography. So yes, it has broader applicability. If we secure funding, we intend to expand access to the wider market that needs it.

At my last count, there were around 6,000 female radiographers in the field. Realistically speaking, only 6% are likely to be pregnant at any given time, so this underscores the need to broaden the app’s reach.

The audience’s other questions – based on the morning’s presentations, were directed at the UP Director of Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships, Dr Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Priesch (middle, above), who had welcomed the guests to the event; the keynote speaker for the day, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina (right); and the Vice Principal: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education, Professor Sunil Maharaj (left), who stood in for the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Francis Petersen.

We share edited versions of some of those questions below.

A Medical Biological Scientist and an aspiring doctoral candidate, Ms Mmapulane Setumo, inquired about alternative funding instruments suitable for women above the age of 35, beyond which they no longer qualify for funding by the National Research Foundation.

Question: What funding opportunities are there for women in employment to pursue doctoral studies, to augment what one is likely to get from their department, which is usually inadequate, and in addition to what one might have saved for PhD study purposes?

Dr Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Prieschl: At UP, funds are available for part-time assistants through the University’s Department of Research and Innovation. Even within your department, you can inquire about other opportunities from your Dean.  Another prospect is the Department of Higher Education and Training, which funds universities’ doctoral programmes through the Universities’ Capacity Development Programme grants.

“We therefore want to collaborate with UP to encourage our researchers and innovators, and to reinforce the notion that there is life in science, and that science is cool.”

So, Ms Anele Msomi, from the GIZ, asked: Deputy Minister, is that invitation open to other institutions, like ourselves? We’re currently working on a technology programme that we want to filter down to the grassroots to ensure we help everybody.  How can we tap into this opportunity?

Deputy Minister: This opportunity is not limited to UP.  All universities and civil society organisations may submit proposals to our Grassroots Innovators through the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), our seed funding instrument. Go to their website for details

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina (left): Don’t rule out industry role players – I know a few PhD scholars who have accessed private companies’ research funds. Private companies fund doctoral research, incentivised by the tax rebates they get in return.

As part of her keynote address earlier, Deputy Minister Gina had congratulated the University of Pretoria for their Sci-Enza programme that teaches science to school learners of all ages in a fun way and, in the process, also instils teachers’ interest in the subject.

She had also mentioned Grassroot Innovators, a facility of her department, which works closely with higher education institutions, schools and communities to promote innovation.  “We protect your intellectual property; ensure that your innovation ideas come to fruition, through funding, and we also help you scale up your idea.

Reducing maths teaching to maths literacy is a major problem

Question by an audience member from UP’s Department of Health Sciences to Deputy Minister and Professor Maharaj: Most of us have identified the issue of STEM in high school, with many schools opting to offer mathematics literacy over pure maths. Even the quality of maths lit is not that great. Have you discussed this with DBE? We tend to celebrate a mediocre 100% pass rate.  As universities, we assume, when we receive school leavers with 7 As, that they are the best students we could attract.  Yet we see such learners struggling a lot. Basic education is seriously lacking. We seem to be going backwards – not as women, but as a country in STEM education.

Deputy Minister: We just started a tripartite alliance of three departments: DSTI, DHET and DBE. What you are raising is one of our joint focus areas, addressing STEM subjects in the context of teacher training and education. We are not yet there, but through the pipeline of teachers we’re trying to produce, we should begin to see better results, over time.  This also touches on the curriculum – what are universities teaching student teachers?

Professor Sunil Maharaj, Vice-Principal: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education at UP (right): This is a perennial problem. It is regrettable that 30 years into our democracy, we still see maths performance declining. If you look at Grade 12 results, the number of maths and science students has not increased – in fact, it has gone down. Whether they are male or female is immaterial – it is the culture of mediocrity that we must learn to curtail.  The day we change the 30% pass rate is the day we will begin to move forward. Because of that 30% pass requirement, schools are attaining a 100 % pass rate, which looks very nice in newspapers. The ‘high performers’ go on a stage at the end of every year, attracting corporate awards. But if South Africa is to build a strong economy and become globally competitive, we need scientists, and good mathematics is important in their development.  I look forward to the day the government decides ‘we don’t offer maths lit anymore’ — a difficult political decision it will be to make.

This is a national problem

“But we, as collective universities, cannot see this as a sole Basic Education problem,” Professor Maharaj continued.  “We must work together.  We inherited many of these issues and need to play our role. As part of our corporate social investment (CSI) programmes, universities must put more interventions in place to support students through the use of tutors and the many bridging programmes. That must be the solution until such time as the system changes.

“On a positive note, it’s interesting to see the extent to which the students who did not come in with impressive high school results go on to excel, downstream, when given appropriate support. Many had no access to good maths teachers, or got a good teacher for only three out of the 10 months of schooling in a year.  So, they come in with low marks, not because they are not bright, but because they were not given a firm maths foundation. We must continue to support such learners.”

Dr Matutu: Should we be concerned by the absence of diversity in our STEM fields? If 60% of graduates from our undergraduate degrees are women,  should we be concerned by the under-representation of men, and about what kind of society are we creating? If women are more represented in Human, Social and Life Sciences, should we not be promoting inclusion across disciplines such as Engineering, Physics and Mathematics for a more equitable society?

Professor Maharaj: I agree — 60% of our graduates are women, and yes, we are concerned about what happens to men. At UP, a fair number of women in engineering are in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering. We must also undertake a granular assessment of all our programmes to see what is happening. Male numbers at the postgraduate level are concerning, even though the numbers differ between programmes. It is incumbent upon us to put interventions in place to address these issues on a departmental or programmatic level.

Dr Ramoutar-Prieschl (left): Gender dominance in specific disciplines is an issue for the gender equal future we are trying to create. We cannot disenfranchise one gender in favour of the other.

Deputy Minister: You are pointing to social disorders in our society. We solve one problem and create another – and need to strike a good balance in our programmes. The focus on the girl child tends to lead to an unintended consequence of disadvantaging the male child. We need to address that challenge by examining practices at our institutions, in civil society and in our youth. Unless we address it, it will create a major problem for our country.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

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The winners of the 2025 #Coding4Mandela National Championships have been crowned, following a record-breaking season that saw more than 50,000 learners participate in July’s regional tournaments.

Tangible Africa, an initiative of Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the Leva Foundation, develops offline-friendly coding games such as Rangers and Juicy Gems to promote 21st-century skills through play.

“Our vision is to make the #Coding4Mandela movement an annual, national event in South Africa, preparing teachers and learners for the roll-out of the gazetted Coding and Robotics curricula,” said Andre Greyling, Head of Computing Sciences at NMU.

Leva Foundation CEO Ryan le Roux highlighted the global reach of the programme:

“Tournaments are one of three main components of Tangible Africa’s activities. The World Cup has now caught the attention of major role players. It is always amazing to see how excited educators on other continents are about an application developed in Gqeberha.”

Global Engagement Manager Jackson Tshabalala emphasised the growing interconnectedness among young people:

“From looking at social media posts by participating teams over the past week, it is clear that the digital connection among learners from diverse backgrounds brought about by the nationals has great added value. At the world champs, where part of the event involves teams interacting via Zoom before the tournament, this takes on an exciting global scale.”

The virtual finals, held late last month, brought together 147 winning teams across three age categories, competing through the new Tangible Tournament app. Each team coded from their own school, with their solutions transmitted to Tangible Africa’s headquarters in Gqeberha for evaluation.

After a day of intense competition, the national champions emerged:

• Stanger Manor Primary School (KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal) in the primary category.

• Southlands Secondary School (Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal), which clinched victories in both the Grades 8–9 and Grades 10–12 divisions.

Building on this success, a squad of 48 South African teams was announced to represent the country at the Tangible World Cup on 30 September. The global event will feature hundreds of teams from more than 25 countries, with Tangible Africa and the Leva Foundation leading South Africa’s preparations.

For learners, the impact extends beyond competition. Some schools have launched coding clubs, while others report participants securing bursaries and career opportunities in technology.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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A-level results in 2025 show the increasing popularity of Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) among students. For students taking three A-levels – the majority – the most popular combination of subjects was biology, chemistry and maths.

The subject with the greatest rise in entries from 2024 is further maths, followed by economics, maths, physics and chemistry. Maths remains the most popular subject, with entries making up 12.7% of all A-level entries.

Conversely, subjects such as French, drama, history and English literature are falling in exam entry numbers.

There is considerable incentive for young people who may be looking beyond school and university to the job market to study Stem. Research has found that Stem undergraduate degrees bring higher financial benefits to people and to the public purse than non-Stem subjects.

Many of the world’s fastest-growing jobs need Stem skills. These include data analysts, AI specialists, renewable energy engineers, app developers, cybersecurity experts and financial technology experts.

Within Stem itself, science alone is a broad church that spans astronomy to zoology and all letters of the alphabet between. Add to this the many variations of technology, engineering and maths and the range of subjects and specialisms is enormous.

It might come as no surprise, then, that young people have considerable scope in the possible careers and employment they might follow in life. From accountancy to the environment, medical engineering to computer technology, etymology to vulcanology, the possibilities are vast. There is little doubt that this very broad arena is attractive as possible employment.

What’s more, maths, engineering and the sciences are now vital parts of careers that might have once seemed unrelated. It was once the case that the division between arts and science was seen as unbridgeable: you were firmly on one side or the other. Today this is far less evident.

Artists, in their many manifestations, are almost by default material scientists. Architects, photographers, musicians, video-makers, sound and lighting technicians are (arguably) technical engineers. Landscape gardeners are environmentalists, chefs are food scientists.

Everyday Stem

Stem affects everyday life at all levels. Wearing a smart watch to track our health and fitness, as so many of us do, requires analysis of data, averages and percentages. We need maths skills to navigate our personal finances. Following directions means programming a Satnav.

Young people take their attitudes, advice and directions from a multitude of sources. 

Concern about the environment may lead teens to consider careers in areas such as ecology or environmental engineering. The ubiquity of social media apps and the tech companies that run them raises awareness of the use of computer science or tech skills.

And leaving aside Instagram, TikTok and other social media, Sir David Attenborough’s TV series Blue Planet prompted a surge of interest in marine ecology and plastic pollution.

Nor are young people immune to social influences more broadly. In more diffuse ways, peers and parents are also influential in shaping career choices, as are science centres, museums, botanical gardens, planetariums, aquariums, environmental centres, city farms and such like.

Then there are teachers and schools. Positive experiences in school Stem prompt further study. There is increasing evidence that individual project work, industrial placements, role-model scientists, school outreach and class visits all play an important part in promoting career intentions and aspirations.

One important factor here is imbuing students with a positive Stem identity. When young people think they are good at Stem subjects and are able to be successful, they are much more likely to choose a Stem career.

The upshot here is that, as the world changes, and changes quickly, so does the realisation that Stem is an essential and invaluable dimension of life and that career prospects are varied and available at many, many levels. It seems little wonder that students have to come to see this and are enrolling in study and employment in greater numbers than before.

THE CONVERSATION

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Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Consumer Studies and Technology Education, North-West University.

Starting and running your own business takes hard work and a can-do attitude. Typically, entrepreneurs are the kinds of people who can identify and solve problems innovatively, are willing to take risks and learn from mistakes.

But many entrepreneurs also have a set of skills that anyone can learn, and use in work and life. Examples include adaptability, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, creative thinking, innovation and resilience.

South Africa’s Department of Basic Education sees these skills as an important part of the school curriculum, especially since about 60% of South Africans aged 16-24 don’t have work. The department’s 2016 Entrepreneurship in Schools Sector Plan is being implemented by the organisation E3 (E-cubed) to help all learners develop these skills. A department workshop reported that by the end of 2023, 13,215 (or 53%) of South African schools had put parts of this plan in place.

Can more be done?

As education researchers, we carried out a study to see how entrepreneurship education could be expanded in South Africa’s Technology curriculum at secondary school level. The subject of Technology is an ideal vehicle for integrating
entrepreneurship education because it is problem-based and combines practical knowledge and skills.

Previous studies have explored how Technology education can promote entrepreneurship. But they have largely overlooked the perspectives of teachers who put the curriculum into practice. This was our new study’s focus.

We sought the views of 30 senior phase (grades 7-9) Technology teachers. Almost all said they thought it was possible to include entrepreneurship in the Technology curriculum. They mostly showed a positive attitude to the idea and saw it as having value for the learners. They suggested some practical ways of combining the subjects.

Teachers play a pivotal role in turning curriculum ideas into practical learning experiences for learners. Taking their views on board could make a difference to the success of the plan in preparing learners for life and employment in South Africa.

Teachers’ points of view

The teachers who were part of our study had at least three years’ experience of teaching the subject, and 19 of them had more than 10 years’ experience.

The majority of these teachers believed it was feasible to integrate entrepreneurship into the current Technology curriculum without much difficulty.

One suggested that including entrepreneurship might increase learner interest in Technology education. This aligns with our belief that when learners perceive the subject as relevant to their lives – for instance, by showing them how to generate income – their motivation and engagement in the subject will increase.

Most teachers also said it would be good to introduce entrepreneurship education before grade 9 (when learners are around 15 years old). Many learners (up to 40%) leave school at that point. They saw this as enabling school leavers to create their own work opportunities.

One teacher noted: Learners need to develop the skills and mindset to create their own job opportunities, and if entrepreneurship skills are developed, they will be able to be self-sustainable.

There were also concerns, however.

The teachers pointed out that the Technology curriculum was already full of content. Adding new entrepreneurship-related material would be impractical. Instead, they suggested identifying existing Technology curriculum content that could be linked to entrepreneurship. For instance, the products learners already design and make as part of the curriculum could be tied to entrepreneurial thinking by exploring their potential as marketable goods.

Teachers proposed connecting entrepreneurship education to specific topics, such as cellphone towers, the jaws-of-life (emergency rescue equipment) and electromagnets. Learners could design innovative, problem-solving products with
real-world applications.

They said additional topics in the curriculum could be adapted to develop learners’ entrepreneurship skills. For instance, topics like “emergency shelters for disaster victims” are less prescriptive and allow learners to be creative and original – qualities essential for entrepreneurship.

Teachers also suggested new content for future curriculum updates. Learners could create functional products that combine technical skills with entrepreneurial ideas and are relevant to real life. Examples included doormats, toys, steam engine cars, carpentry products and household tools. Some teachers proposed merging product development with services like baking, cooking and running mobile tuckshops. All could be linked to existing Technology content.

Understanding the value of entrepreneurship

Our study participants’ suggestions show that they tend to think of entrepreneurship as mostly being about making a living. This is certainly important in South Africa, but we believe that to unlock the full potential of entrepreneurship education within Technology, teachers need to be trained to understand and appreciate the full value of entrepreneurship.

The knowledge and skills associated with entrepreneurship can also create social value when applied to solve problems in communities, not necessarily for profit.

Teachers who appreciate this will be able to explain it better to their learners. This could open up more opportunities for learners to apply what they learn in Technology education to solve real-life problems.

In conclusion, we argue that incorporating entrepreneurship education into the Technology curriculum holds great potential for addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. To do this successfully, existing curriculum content should be linked to entrepreneurial thinking, and teachers should receive the necessary training to guide learners in applying these ideas to their daily lives and future careers.

Master’s student Faren McCarthy-Kettledas carried out the study this article is based on, supervised by Prof Deon van Tonder.

This story was first published in The Conversation

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Two weeks ago, five young and talented debaters — Khumo Molefakgotla, Lesego Serobatse, Neesa Ajoodha, Osiame Radebe and Khumo Kumalo — quietly departed for Belgrade, Serbia, to represent South Africa at the prestigious World School Debating Championship.

While it’s disappointing that their participation went largely unnoticed, it allows us to reflect on how South Africa can revive and popularise this art of reasoned discourse.

Studies have shown that debating is a vital co-curricular activity with many social and personal benefits. For learners, it has the potential to cultivate crucial skills such as strategic thinking, leadership, problem-solving, persistence, curiosity, general
knowledge and persuasive communication.

In addition to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), these life- changing skills have been identified as essential for the 21st century. Initially recognised by the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, they have now been adopted globally, including by the World Economic Forum and the United Nations. Closer to home, the African Union is urging its member countries to focus on education and has adopted “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century” as its theme for 2024.

Although waning in popularity, many private and some former model schools still offer debate as an extracurricular activity. The same, regrettably, cannot be said about the majority of rural and township schools. Ironically, this is where not much is being done to cultivate the 21 st century skills they need to thrive and succeed, both academically and beyond. In this way, they stand a much better chance of breaking the cycle of multi-generational poverty.

Some may argue that it is easier said than done. For instance, it is well known that the inability to master the English language is a barrier for most learners who take it as a second language. These debates are conducted in English so they won’t cope, and it may destroy whatever little confidence and self-belief they may have had. But it is not impossible. Here is why.

In 2020, the Safer South Africa Foundation introduced debating as an extension to its experiential learning crime prevention, leadership and financial literacy initiative among Grade 8 to Grade 11 learners. The schools these learners attend are in areas struggling with poverty, unemployment and crime, including gang activities, drugs and alcohol abuse. These communities include Khayelitsha in Cape Town, the Buffalo Flats and Amalinda in East London, Jouberton in Klerksdorp, Diepkloof in Soweto and Welkom in the Free State.

So far, more than 600 learners have gone through the programme with fascinating results. Learners who were battling to introduce themselves emerged more confident in voicing their opinions, tackling challenging tasks and ended up doing very well academically because they applied themselves. Armed with these new tools, they emerge at the end of a nearly three-month exercise motivated, feeling that not much can impede their progress.

Although not on the same scale, their achievements bring to mind the inspiring 2007 film The Great Debaters starring Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. This Oprah Winfrey production depicts the true-life story of Melvin B. Tolson, an African- American poet and a professor at Wiley College in Texas, United States. In 1935, Tolson achieved what was once deemed impossible. He coached Wiley, a traditionally black college, to challenge and triumph over debate teams from white
colleges. The winning streak included the national champions from the incumbent University of Southern California.

Similar to Tolson’s team, which became known as The Little Debate Team That Could, learners from poor schools can rise above their challenges. They can become the best academically and professionally due to the transformative impact that
debate has. As we learn from Tolson’s story, debating encourages students to think critically about the world around them, question assumptions and engage constructively with differing viewpoints.

The success stories from across the country illustrate the potential of debating in changing lives. Learners participating in debating programmes often speak of newfound confidence, improved academic performance and a greater sense of empowerment. These benefits extend beyond the individual to the wider community, as these young people become role models and agents of change.

There is a need for a concerted effort from the government, civil society and the private sector to implement debating programmes in rural and township schools. Funding and resources are crucial, but so is the training of teachers and volunteers who can coach and mentor learners.

Currently, over 200 high school learners from 24 schools in eight provinces have kicked off their intensive seven-week training. They are gearing up for the 2024 Youth4SaferSouthAfricaDebate Championship. Please join us as we rally behind these bright minds and cheer them on while they prepare to shine on the national stage.

By prioritising debating as an integral part of the education system, we can contribute towards levelling the playing field and giving all learners the tools they need to succeed. It is time to recognise the profound impact that debating can have and to take action to ensure that every learner has the opportunity to benefit from this invaluable experience.

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Pillay told Inside Education that since the first centre opened in Saldanha Bay in October 2022, more than 10,000 youth in rural parts of the country have visited these centres to access free data services or print their CVs to apply for jobs.
“We want 20,000 youth to access the Smart Skills Centres that we have opened throughout the country by the end of the year,” Pillay adds.

As an “innovating” CHIETA, Pillay says the goal is to take the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to rural communities to ensure no one is left behind.

Smart Skills Centres have opened in the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape. The latest is the R5 million Brits Smart Skills Centre in North West, which promises to catalyse innovation and opportunity.

Spearheaded by CHIETA in collaboration with Orbit TVET College, this groundbreaking initiative aims to accelerate the development of basic digital skills for a future-fit workplace.

Next up is the launch of the Emalahleni Smart Skills Centre at the Highveld Industrial Park, Elandsfontein in Emalahleni,
Mpumalanga, which has three virtual reality pods, 12 workstations, and a smart boardroom and meeting rooms.

On 19 July, CHIETA will launch the Modjadjiskloof Smart Skills Centre at the Letaba TVET College’s Modjadji Campus in Ga-Kgapane, Modjadjiskloof. The centre will focus on enterprises, individuals, and schools, and specifically on rural youth.

The opening of the centres is part of their plan to ensure that rural communities throughout South Africa can engage with the latest on the 4IR and robotics, mainly to ensure their inclusion in the digital age.

Since October 2022, CHIETA has established a chain of Smart Skills Centres (SSCs) in four South African provinces,
including the one in the North West. The other SSCs are in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape, at the Mthashana Skills Centre in Babanango, a small rural town in Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal, and at the Iqhayiya Campus of Port TVET College in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

Thousands of learners have already engaged with the technology at Melmoth and Saldanha Bay centres as part of CHIETA’s plans to build an “intelligent centre” in every province in the country.

This will ensure that people in rural areas can access free services, training courses, and data access for job seekers, small and medium enterprises, and business start-ups.

The SSCs are fully automated and have equipment that meets the requirements of 4IR training – AI and robotics. With a particular focus on rural learners, the centres aim to bridge the digital divide by offering access to data and a wide range of training courses.

“Whether you’re a job seeker, a budding entrepreneur, or a small business owner looking to expand, our services are designed to empower you on your journey to success,” says Pillay.

“The Smart Skills Centres usher in a new era of skills development and training that would be located within rural communities and able to offer digitised training programmes for rural masses.”

Innovating for Impact
Calling the idea of starting Smart Skills Centres “Innovating for Impact,” Pillay said every community should have an SSC in every corner of the country working with big business, where the “focus is on execution”, while lobbying the government and big business to join in.

CHIETA Chairperson Wezi Khoza highlights the importance of reaching all age groups.

She says CHIETA’s Smart Skills Centres provide training and support services to the youth and older people, who must learn digital language to keep up with technological advancements.

“We have many grandmothers on TikTok. So they, too, can learn digital skills like holding Skype meetings online,” says Khoza.

Zukile Nomvalo, the Deputy Director-General of Higher Education and Training, hailed the opening of the SSC as a significant milestone in ushering in a new era of skills development and training aimed explicitly at rural communities.

“It paves the way for digitised training programmes for rural masses, ensuring they are not left behind and are equipped for the future,” says Nomvalo.

“CHIETA’s groundbreaking initiative to develop digital skills in Brits and its surrounding regions has been spearheaded by CHIETA in collaboration with Orbit TVET College; this centre promises to catalyse innovation and opportunity in the community.

Nomvalo says the opening of Smart Skills Centres countrywide follows a call from the former Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, who wanted them established in all parts of the country.

“Indeed, this is a critical step in the context of the demand and opportunities presented by the 4IR. Launching the CHIETA Brits Smart Skills Centre in the North West is particularly important in our quest to ensure nobody gets left behind in this revolution,” he adds.

“In the future, when we talk about digital transformation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and workers of the future, thanks to this initiative, Brits is a part of the exciting journey ahead.

“Brits is the type of place at risk of falling further behind the digital skills divide, with its youth at risk of being excluded from meaningfully participating in the new digital era that is upon us. In this context, I cannot overstate the importance of this Smart Skills Centre being located there.

“As a Department, I must say that this is part of our ongoing efforts to bridge the digital skills divide and accelerate the
development of basic digital skills among rural communities across the country.”

Nomvalo says the department noted that CHIETA has recognised the need to prepare youth and small business sectors by developing digital readiness through tech-enabled learning programmes, such as virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and the Internet of Things.

He stresses that the Smart Skills Centres do not exclude those over 35, although the emphasis is on the 15 to 24 cohorts, more than three million of whom are unemployed, and whose unemployment rate is close to 60%.

“There is an unemployment crisis in our country. We are multiplying skills centres so young people can venture into these terrains to learn about mobile repairs, data capture and data analysis skills.

“We talk about all gadgets, and millions of people use them. If we train our young, we can exploit these areas,” Nomvalo says.

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There Is A Lot Of Stereotyping In The Way Sciences Are Taught To Girls, says Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the world-renowned biodiversity scientist and former first female President of Mauritius. 

Mom of two, Gurib Fakim, says increasingly on the continent, women and girls are not being encouraged to do the sciences, and this is for many reasons.

“For example, if you look at the [teaching] textbooks, there is a lot of stereotyping in the way that the sciences are being taught to girls. If you look at the infrastructures in schools, they don’t really cater for girls to stay. 

“These issues need to be looked into. We need more mentoring, more advocacy. We need to take the girls by the hand and make them believe that they can do anything. By building their confidence from a very young age, telling them that the sky’s the limit, it will lead to more in the sciences.”

When it comes to women in leadership, she said: “I have been advocating that we need to have better representation and there is a need to fix what we are all talking about – the ‘leaky pipe syndrome’ – which loses a lot of women in the pipeline, instead of bringing them along into systems and institutions. 

“But the onus is also on all Africans. People have to start asking the right questions. Politicians, leaders, policymakers in normal democracies, are all accountable to the people. But, and I am sorry for saying this brutally, we get the government that we deserve. The one we vote in. It’s your vote.”

Gurib Fakim said we all need to push gender be it in medicine, food, education, agriculture – in everything that we do in all sectors. “We cannot compromise on quality. This is the message that we need to spread across our continent. And to get to the required degree of excellence and quality, we need to empower our youth, more so our girls, with the right tools and education that will take them to the highest levels of excellency.”

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The ten finalist schools in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition are in a race against time to complete their solutions in the third phase of the nationwide challenge.

The current phase involves creating prototypes to solve the various societal challenges the learners identified in their respective communities. This leg of the competition is running until the end of September 2023.

The learners were prepared for this phase through purposeful Design Thinking workshops held in their regions in May 2023. At these workshops, they were taught invaluable skills on how to approach best and get the most out of their work, think critically, speak and act like designers, and a cognitive and structured process for human-centred, creative problem-solving. They were also encouraged to focus on building strong teams and training on conducting research that could help transform their ideas from mere concepts to workable solutions that would address the identified issues within their communities.

The finalist schools, who hail from the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, now have just over a month until the end of September to work on and complete their prototypes. They will then present to a panel of judges on the 3^rd of October as they vie for the top prize.

The different groups of learners are coming up with exciting and varied solutions for their communities that include an ambitious plan for better roads using sustainable materials, basic needs during load-shedding, alternative solutions for water and electricity, and clean water, to name a few.

Grade 11 learner from Mbilwi Secondary School in Venda, Limpopo, Igoline Coelho, shared how her team is determined to blow the opponents out of the water. “Our team has been ready from the get-go to put in the hours and hard work needed to get us over the finish line. Ours is a very simple solution but with the potential for a high impact. The problem affects everyone and we are happy to make a contribution with our solution. We hope it can catch on and be used by many other communities. We are a very competitive team and are determined to win the competition.”

The finalist team from Acornhoek in Mpumalanga, Maphuthaditshaba Secondary School, believes they will be delivering the best solution that will help their community. “Our solution will help households and small enterprises, so it will also have an impact on the local economy. We are going to do our best to win, especially because we are the only representative of our province in the competition,” said team member Keabetswe Malaza (Grade 10). 

Amahle Skhosana (Grade 11) from Adams College in Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu-Natal, said they’ve worked hard as a unit up to this point in the competition and discovered that they work well together. “Using science, technology, engineering and maths to solve our community’s problem has excited the entire team because of all the learning opportunities it presents. We are going to do our best to win to make everyone proud, but more importantly, to solve the problem.”

Sbongile Zulu, a Grade 10 learner from Buhlebemfundo Secondary School in Tsakane (Gauteng) said her team feels ready to conquer after all the great insights and useful tips they learned from the Samsung mentors allocated to each school. 

“We are determined to do well in this competition because if we win, the prize is double – we get to solve a problem in our community and also get an awesome prize for our school. There is more than enough motivation.”

The Solve for Tomorrow competition officially launched in South Africa in January this year, and is Samsung’s Contribution to youth empowerment and skills development in the information communication technology sector to help advance the country’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) agenda. It was designed to increase interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) among grade 10 and 11 learners from underserved communities.

“As the learners enter this critical stage of the competition, we are getting excited and looking forward to seeing all the solutions they come up with. This bodes well for the future of our country as the youngsters are killing the proverbial two birds with one stone by learning and also improving or solving problems in their communities,” said Hlubi Shivanda, Director for Business Operations, Innovation and Corporate Affairs at Samsung.

The winning school will get a prize of R100 000 worth of STEM equipment for their school, while second and third positions will get R50 000 and R30 000 worth of STEM equipment for their schools respectively. In addition to the main prizes, each of the learners in the top three teams will be rewarded with a Samsung device.

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Equipping South Africans with skills, assets, and opportunities to participate in industries of the future is a critical imperative of the ‘Just Transition Framework’ that seeks to decarbonise the country’s energy mix, according to Minister of Higher Education, Science Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande. 

A just energy transition (JET) to a low-carbon economy in South Africa is expected to lose about 300,000 jobs. Still, the creation of approximately 815,000 new jobs by 2050, said the Minister. 

Speaking at the Tokyo GX Week Ministerial Plenary Session on Monday (25 September), Nzimande said in response to the need to decarbonise its energy mix, South Africa has established several national strategies to expand renewable energy and deviate from a fossil fuel-dominated economy. 

Through the ‘Just Transition Framework’, the South African government will oversee and facilitate a Just Transition to a low-emissions and climate-resilient economy focusing on financing renewable energy and technological advancements.  

Nzimande said equipping South Africans with skills, assets, and opportunities to participate in future industries, with particular attention on impacted groups, people experiencing poverty, women, people with disabilities and the youth, was a must. 

He added that implementing transformative national economic and social policies that consider how benefits and burdens will be distributed (this includes clear indication of where jobs are gained, where jobs are lost, and the quality and longevity of future employment). 

Increasing provincial and local capacity (both resources and skills) to promote local economic development and ensuring corporate responsibility to support a green and inclusive economy were also part of the priorities. 

“The jobs expected to be lost will be in the high-emissions industries of coal and petroleum, but there is expected to be a net gain in mining-related employment as demand for energy minerals and metals rise, which will be needed to produce cleaner energy sources,” he said. 

The carbon intensity of the South African economy remains high, which presents opportunities for decarbonisation. 

Fossil fuels comprise approximately 92% of South Africa’s energy mix, with the majority consisting of coal, increasing the carbon intensity of locally made goods. For example, the carbon intensity of steel production amounted to 2,295.1 kgCO2/tonne product in 2016, exceeding the world average of 1,900 kgCO2/tonne. 

Through the ‘Just Transition Framework’, the South African government will oversee and facilitate a Just Transition to a low-emissions and climate-resilient economy focusing on financing renewable energy and technological advancements. 

“Therefore, we need to scale our collaboration, investment and innovation to transform our commitments into actionable interventions, ultimately contributing to establishing an equitable and just net zero carbon emission scenario by 2050.”

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