The programmes are facilitated by the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and are currently running in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education’s District of Tshwane South.

The After School Maths and Science programme is a community engagement initiative which focuses on the secondary school learners within the community of Mamelodi and its surrounding areas. It is aimed at helping and enhancing the learners’ skills with regard to the Maths and Science subjects at school. The programme also helps in improving the learners’ chances of being admitted to the scarce skills programmes at higher education institutions, particularly in the engineering field. The Teacher Mentorship programme offers assistance to Maths and Science teachers who attend workshops at the University’s Mamelodi Campus.

The programmes were previously conducted without the involvement of the Gauteng Department of Education, and this led to a poor turnout of attendance by the learners and teachers. Therefore, the University of Pretoria saw the need to formalise this partnership with the Department of Education.

When addressing the leaners and teachers at the function, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria Prof Cheryl de la Rey commended the two programmes, especially the Maths and Science programme as many of the scarce skills university programmes require a good pass in those two subjects. She also expressed her appreciation towards the teachers who play a key role in ensuring the success of the learners.

“The University of Pretoria saw an urgent need to ensure that the learners are well prepared for the future and are able to succeed in making a critical difference in the field of Maths and Science”, said Prof de la Rey.

UP’s Senior Vice-Principal Prof Chris de Beer, also outlined the official position of the University’s Mamelodi Campus, describing it as the hub of the UP’s community engagement activities. Prof De Beer said that, in response to the national skills development imperatives, the University of Pretoria decided to develop a science and mathematics focus for Mamelodi Campus.

He also mentioned that, to further strengthen the Maths and Science focus on the Mamelodi Campus, the University of Pretoria is planning a Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, aimed uniting its different activities that relate to science education.

“The Teacher Mentorship Programme and the After-School Programme will be closely aligned with the envisaged centre, and the synergy that will be created will not only add significant value to the learners and teachers who participate in these programmes, but will also expose them to real life application of their studies and many opportunities for practice oriented research”, said Prof De Beer.

The Tshwane South District of the Gauteng Department of Education also hailed its formal partnership with UP and urged both the teachers and the learners to embrace and support the programmes wholeheartedly, and make the best use of them.

Prof De la Rey interacting with some of the learners.


Two Grade 12 learners from Stanza Bopape Secondary schools Koketso Nzuzo and Bonakele Mdaka, who have benefitted from the maths and science programme.

The dignitaries attending the launch. Prof Chris de Beer, Prof Cheryl de la Rey, Ms Prudence Oliphant, Prof Johan Engelbrecht, Prof Sibusiso Vil-Nkomo and Prof Anton Ströh.