It is no secret that South Africa is a country with widespread economic inequality between the rich and poor. This inequality has contributed to the unequal access to resources and opportunities amongst learners from the basic education sector. Learners from different socio-economic backgrounds often experience differences in terms of access to quality education and resources. This has hindered many learners across the country from realising their full potential and thriving in their studies. To bridge the gap caused by educational inequality, the University of Pretoria has combined all of its pre-university activities (which were conducted across different academic sectors in the past) into a singular, distinct programme called the University of Pretoria Pre-University Academy (UP-PUA).
UP-PUA is an academic programme directed at talented learners and students with great potential from different socio-economic classes. The aim of the programme is to empower these learners. It is the only programme of its kind being run by a tertiary institute in South Africa.
On 5 April, PDBY sat down with UP-PUA’s programme manager and senior researcher, Dr Moneoang Leshota, to find out more about the initiative.
Q: What is UP-PUA?
A: UP-PUA is a pre-university academy. It is an enrichment programme for Grade 8 through to Grade 12 in the STEM subjects. We look at science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as English.
Q: What is the purpose of UP-PUA?
A: It was started as part of the community engagement initiatives of UP. It was part of UP’s efforts to give back [to the community]. The pre-university programme started at [the] Mamelodi campus, which has been designated as an anchor strategy campus for [UP]. [The] Mamelodi campus actively works on community engagement initiatives, and there are many other facets of this anchor strategy; [among] them was educational empowerment of Grade 8 to Grade 10 learners.
Although the pre-university programme originated at Mamelodi [for Grades 8 to 10], it was later broadened to include Grade 11 to Grade 12. This broadening resulted in the establishment of the UP-PUA, a programme focused on empowering learners through education. In 2022, the Groenkloof programme started, where Grades 10 through to 12 were admitted into the pre-university programme.
We [were] interested in this group of learners for two main reasons. Firstly, we wanted learners to be able to [have] access [to] the university. Initially, UP’s pre-university programme was [put in place] to improve access to tertiary institutions for learners from the Mamelodi area. But because of the basic education system, we felt that learners, particularly those from quintiles 1 to 3 whose schools have limited resources, lacked considerable access to the university. We observed that UP didn’t have many learners from these lower quintile groups. To help and guarantee that these learners [could] gain access to the university and tertiary institutions, UP-PUA expanded the area of focus from Mamelodi to other areas in the City of Tshwane, such as Tshwane North and West. Additionally, the [accessibility change] is about ensuring that learners can transition from Grade 8 to Grade 12, and then [further] transition into their undergraduate studies.
[Secondly], the UP-PUA was established to increase the chances of success of learners from quintiles 1 to 3 and quintiles 4 to 5 once they commence their [tertiary] studies. The university administration highlighted that the number of learners, particularly in the STEM subjects, who fail to graduate or simply drop out mid-studies was just too high. To increase their chances of success during their studies, UP-PUA trains learners on how to succeed in university. We recognise that some learners may be admitted into UP or other tertiary institutions without our help, but those who are enrolled in the pre-university programme will be far more prepared to excel in university, as we equip them with tools and skills [needed] to succeed at university.
Q: What learners does the programme accommodate?
A: Learners from both the lower and upper quintiles write an admissions test and are admitted [into] the UP-PUA programme based on either their talent or potential. The reason for this approach is to maximise the talents of gifted learners and [to] unlock the potential of learners who show academic promise but lack the conceptual knowledge or resources to perform exceptionally.
Q: Why is the programme specifically STEM focused?
A: The decision to create a STEM-focused programme was informed by two factors. The first being that learners who had taken up STEM subjects in high school were performing poorly at matric level. [This was] particularly [evident in] female learners and learners categorised as being from lower quintile schools. Another factor [was] that the university was complaining [about] seeing less learners enrolling in STEM-based courses, especially female students. The university found that it was lacking learners, [specifically] female learners and learners from historically disadvantaged communities, within the STEM sector.
These two factors are what made us develop a STEM-focused pre-university programme to ensure [that] we see more female learners and learners from lower quintile schools taking up and pursuing STEM subjects and careers. We are happy to say that since UP-PUA was established, we have seen a rise in female learners pursuing STEM. UP-PUA has recorded a substantial increase of female learners enrolled in the programme. At Mamelodi campus, we recorded a 77% increase for Grades 8 to 10. At Groenkloof campus, we recorded an 80% increase for Grades 10 to 12. So, we are succeeding at getting [female students] to pursue the STEM subjects.
But it must be noted that while the programme is [primarily] STEM focused, we do devote some time towards the [studying] of other subjects, such as accounting.
Q: What are the unique aspects of the programme curriculum?
A: We thought that instead of just talking about mathematics and science, let’s talk about robotics, scientific literacy, and cyber bullying amongst others. Together with the university, we are also looking at what things we need to be talking about in science that can improve scientific literacy and how we [can] bring in the arts. So, presently, we offer a broadened philosophical approach to the study of mathematics and science, and we will later [on] include the arts to establish a STEAM programme (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).
Q: Does the programme accept volunteers, and how can someone get involved with UP-PUA?
A: Presently, we only work with experts or people with a Master’s degree upwards to teach STEM subjects. So, we only work with Master’s and PhD holders. If we were to work with someone with just an Honours degree, there must be a case for that, for example, their professional experience. But we really try to work with experts in the STEM field.
We also use university students from certain subjects to help as subject tutors. Presently, we work with students from faculties such as EBIT and NAS. For example, in the past we have worked with JCP students from the Department of Engineering who tutor and mentor learners from Grades 11 to 12.
When it is necessary, we do communicate with other faculties within the university, and they advertise tutoring vacancies [on] our behalf.
Q: What are some of the challenges UP-PUA faces?
A: Remember, we are competing for the learners’ time with their regular school programmes and extracurricular commitments. Because of these competing demands on the learners’ time, we don’t get that much time with [them], since we only operate every Saturday and during the school holidays. Though the programme’s curriculum is good, we often must rethink what parts of the programme we can bring in to help the learners pass their matric and enter tertiary institutions in the limited time we see them.
Q: How do learners and parents find out about the programme?
A: When we started, we would send out communications to schools in various districts within the City of Tshwane through the Department of Basic Education. But now, we advertise the programme and spaces available on social media platforms and the university’s website. Our applications normally open [at the] end of [the year], so around November.
Since its establishment, UP-PUA has made several efforts to shatter the glass ceiling by providing quality education to learners in the greater Tshwane area, regardless of their socio-economic background and gender. We have already seen some evidence of the programme’s success, and one can only hope that UP-PUA will grow in leaps and bounds as the years go by.
