An open letter published on International Day of Education urges South African scientists to actively engage with students to improve stagnant STEM marks, despite a record-high matric pass rate of 88%. The piece highlights declining maths and physics performance and calls for visibility and storytelling to inspire future innovators.
South Africa's education system marked a milestone with an 88% matric pass rate in 2025, the highest in history. However, STEM subjects tell a different story: maths pass rates dropped from 69% to 64%, while physics hovered around 77%, up just 1%. Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube pointed out that only 42% of four- to five-year-olds were on track with early numeracy. Global TIMSS data revealed a sharp decline in primary school maths scores, placing the country below half of surveyed nations. These trends, as noted in the open letter by Robert Inglis, co-founder of the Science Spaza initiative, hinder innovation and economic growth, echoing apartheid-era barriers to maths education. Vijay Reddy, from the Human Sciences Research Council, emphasized that such shortcomings affect South Africa's readiness for challenges like AI, climate change, energy, and sustainable development. The letter, timed for International Day of Education, argues that beyond funding and resources, scientists must inspire students through presence and relatable stories. It cites successes like four young South Africans winning Grand Awards at the December World Innovative Science Project Olympiad in Bali, and UCT's Professor Lynne Shannon becoming the first Global South recipient of the 2025 Prince Albert Grand Medal for Ocean Science. The Science Spaza programme, active for 11 years across over 120 clubs, distributes engaging materials on African scientists to ages 12-18, leading to improved marks and career opportunities. One participant, Goratileone Oepeng, started a club, later won a FameLab heat, and now pursues a master's in entomology while advocating for bees at the Oppenheimer Research Conference. Inglis encourages scientists to share their journeys in schools or media, fostering identity and passion in STEM to nurture African talent.
