By Edwin Naidu

With small businesses struggling in South Africa, the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) offers hope that could change the narrative.

THENSA has embarked on an ambitious project with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and several other Universities in South Africa and Namibia.

This higher education consortium has been awarded a grant to establish a Southern African Entrepreneurship Venture Builder (EVB). The EVB will initially be hosted by the Centre for Business Innovation and Incubation. Through its bespoke mentor-in-residence programme, it aims to identify and address the barriers to entrepreneurship development. The project went live last week.

Its founders have called for a broader, urgent conversation on why South Africa faces such low start-up success rates. THENSA Project Manager Dr Sershen Naidoo stressed that the establishment of the EVB must be seen as an opportunity for South Africans to start asking themselves some tough questions — why is South Africa lagging both global and African levels of entrepreneurial activity and how effective is our support for entrepreneurial ecosystem development?

According to the 2023/2024 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) South Africa Report, South Africa’s overall entrepreneurial environment is declining. In 2023, it was the third lowest of the 49 GEM participating economies.

To change the narrative, Naidoo said the EVB was launched by THENSA and its partners to birth and sustain a regional entrepreneurship ecosystem that will accelerate the journey of promising startups from Minimum Viable Products to market-ready successes.

Naidoo believes the government should examine the regulations that make opening a business such a minefield.

“These regulations require compliance adherence that only keeps lawyers and tax consultants happy. The government should also be concerned about the many small businesses that fail. This hinders the economy and affects job creation.”

According to recent data from Statistics South Africa, over 1300 businesses in South Africa were liquidated in 2024, highlighting a significant increase in small business failures. October 2024 saw a particularly sharp rise in liquidations compared to the previous year. This data indicates a concerning trend for small businesses in the country. 

What makes it unique is that the programme will have a:

Bespoke Mentor-in-Residence Programme – Nurturing entrepreneurs through hands-on mentorship from university and industry experts.

Focus on Historically Marginalised Sectors – With a commitment to empowering those traditionally excluded from entrepreneurial opportunities.

Scalable Impact – Initially hosted by CPUT’s Business Innovation and Incubation Centre, it later expanded to a decentralised model, amplifying its reach across multiple universities and geographies.   

Naidoo said the EVB would target investors and innovators, ensuring that they have early access to high-potential startups.  They would be the first to identify and invest in the next generation of unicorns and help shape the future of Southern African entrepreneurship.

He said that the EVB would ensure investor attractiveness, confidence and return on investment by putting the entrepreneurs through a rigorous mentor-in-residence programme.

Such an approach becomes critical when compared to the Stats SA 2024 data, which shows that more than 1300 businesses had been liquidated in South Africa, with October 2024 recording a significant rise (44.1%) in liquidations compared to October 2023.

This data indicates a trend of increasing small business failures in South Africa throughout 2024, possibly due to a combination of factors, including:

Difficulty in securing loans or capital to operate

Pressure from established businesses in the market

Elevated expenses related to running a business

Difficulty in reaching a wide customer base

Challenges in finding qualified employees

Complex legal and administrative requirements 

“Through this initiative, we hope to identify the reasons why entrepreneurs are failing and seek innovative solutions to shift the dial on entrepreneurship,” concluded Naidoo.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The University of Cape Town has welcomed the launch of the second phase of the University Technology Fund (UTF) investment designed to accelerate the commercialisation of research from South African universities and assist in the development of the country.

Marketing Specialist at UCT’s Research Contracts and Innovations (RCI), Kekeletso Takang, praised the initiative as building on the success of the first phase and reinforcing the university’s leadership in translating research into transformative technologies and businesses.

“Since its partnership with UTF in January 2020, the first fund of its kind in Africa, UCT has significantly expanded its innovation funding environment, playing a critical role in incubating early-stage research and technology and creating pathways for nascent innovations to reach market readiness,” Takang said.

She said the university’s investment in the fund ensured that UCT alumni, alongside current researchers, could now access this funding, widening the scope of impact for university-driven innovations.

Takang highlighted how the UTF complemented UCT’s existing Evergreen Fund (launched in 2017) and Pre-Seed Fund, creating a comprehensive suite of financial instruments to support technology transfer and commercialisation efforts; collectively helping early-stage innovations achieve market readiness by bridging critical funding gaps.

In 2024, UCT further strengthened its commitment to innovation by investing R100 million in the (SME Fund that has helped establish 16 new venture capital funds, including UTF.

Takang maintained that through this strategic investment, UCT was positioning itself as a key player in fostering a sustainable innovation ecosystem in South Africa.

She said that UTF had played a pivotal role in propelling UCT spin-off companies to commercial viability, with the fund investing in nine UCT-affiliated companies, facilitating their growth from pre-seed to Series A funding stages.

In 2023 alone, UTF injected R9.75 million into UCT spin-offs, with an additional R3 million contributed through UCT’s Evergreen Fund.

She described these investments as instrumental in advancing UCT’s technology transfer initiatives and ensuring that cutting-edge research reached the market.

Key successes from UTF I include Hyrax Biosciences, a leader in bioinformatics known for its role in Covid-19 variant detection, and CubeSpace, a South African satellite control technology firm trusted by NASA.

Takang said these successes underscored the fund’s ability to nurture world-class innovations that have both local and global impact.

The launch of UTF II signifies a new era for university-driven innovation in South Africa.

With a targeted fund size of R400 million, Takang stressed the second phase aimed to invest in 15 to 20 companies, focusing on saleable university-originated technologies.

This expansion not only strengthens UCT’s commitment to fostering innovation, but also extends opportunities to alumni-led startups, creating a broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“The launch of UTF II marks an exciting new chapter for UCT and its continued commitment to driving innovation across a range of sectors,” she said.

Anchor investors in UTF II include the SA SME Fund and the Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies Africa, as well as other universities such as the University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch and Wits.

Takang said the collaborative investment strategy was designed to unlock the high-value intellectual property emerging from South Africa’s leading research institutions and attract both local and international investors.

RCI acting director Andrew Bailey highlighted the university’s commitment to innovation and economic development.

“Through our participation in the UTF and our partnership with the SA SME Fund, UCT is proud to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of South Africa’s innovation landscape. Universities can play an important role in developing the local economy,” Bailey said.

UTF II represents a crucial step towards replicating Silicon Valley’s university-driven innovation model in South Africa.

He said by leveraging institutional support, skilled talent and cross-disciplinary expertise, South African universities could become major players in the global technology commercialisation space.

Bailey praised the fund’s expansion to include alumni-led startups as strengthening the country’s innovation landscape, fostering long-term economic growth and positioning South Africa’s universities as essential drivers of technological progress.

By bridging the gap between research and commercial success, he said UTF II has the potential to reshape the future of innovation in the country and beyond.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johannes Steizinger

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots has become rampant among students in higher education.

While some might be ambivalent about the impact of generative AI on higher education, many instructors in the humanities scramble to adapt their classes to the new reality and have declared a crisis of their teaching model.

Professors and students alike argue that unrestricted use of generative AI threatens the purpose of an education in disciplines like philosophy, history or literature. They say that, as a society, we should care about this loss of intellectual competencies.

But why is it important that traditional learning not become obsolete — as some predict?

Today, when corrupt leaders promote AI development, AI reflects repressive political biases. There are serious concerns about AI disinformation, so it’s critical to consider the original purpose of modern universities.

I consider this question as a historian of philosophy who has examined how modern ideas have intersected with democratic and fascist societies.

Ideas informing the modern university

The idea of the modern university emerged amid the European Enlightenment. Inspired by a new ideal of humanity focused on an individual’s independence from authorities and traditions, philosophers such as Wilhelm von Humboldt, Friedrich Schleiermacher and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel introduced education as the proper path to self-development.

The German term Bildung captures this broad understanding of the educational process, denoting the activity of shaping yourself according to your inner purpose.

For the philosophers of Bildung, self-development couldn’t take place in isolation but required a community of equals where mutual recognition and critical engagement with each other unlocked everyone’s potential.

They envisioned the university as a community of learners where teachers facilitate the self-development of students by supporting their critical faculties instead of adapting them to fulfil predetermined roles for society. They believed education should prepare for lifelong learning about the self and world.

Concern about concentration of power

It was Humboldt who turned these lofty ideals into concrete reforms, laying the groundwork for the modern university and its research-led teaching model. For Humboldt, the realm of Bildung had political significance.

Living under Prussian absolutism, he feared the paternalism of the state that turned its citizens into loyal subjects under the pretence of furthering their spiritual and material welfare.

He was critical of the attempt of Frederick the Great, the Prussian king, to regulate economic life and to control private consumption. Humboldt saw such a concentration of power as a despotic tendency that all forms of government could succumb to, including oligarchy and democracy. He therefore insisted on spaces for individual expression and free association. Literary salons were the initial community space for Bildung, and were a model for the modern idea of universities.

Women, Black philosophers shape ideals

Yet, as critical thinkers such as Germaine de Staël have noted from early on, the Enlightenment betrayed the universal aspiration of its ideals by restricting their application mostly to a certain class of white and male Europeans.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen from 1789 restricted active citizenship to male property owners and did not abolish slavery. Advocacy for applying equal rights to all was soon taken up by members of oppressed groups to justify their emancipatory pursuits.

Early feminists in late 19th-century Germany, such as the philosopher and writer Hedwig Dohm, demanded access to educational institutions so that women could also “become who they are.”

We find a similar battle cry in the United States, where writer and educator Anna Julia Cooper regarded the higher education of Black women as a key step to social change.

Both point to thinkers outside the European canon of male authors that helped shape the idea of Bildung. Its emancipatory appeal should not surprise us, since a plausible definition of the main harm of oppression is that it deprives individuals of the capacity to self-develop and to express shared experiences collectively. The opportunity to develop one’s capacities in accordance with one’s true values is a key characteristic of a just society.

Understanding as a collaborative process

I believe that the idea of Bildung still captures the value of humanities education. In-depth engagement with the complex manifestation of human cultures seen in philosophical ideas, forms of knowledge or literary texts fosters important skills necessary for self-development.

Students learn critical thinking, enabling them to question authorities and discern their own convictions from received values. They experience thinking as a process which takes time and demands the exploration of different points of view — similar to democratic decision-making.

Methods to understand others are therefore an important subject of the humanities. The humanities nurture the ability to connect and to develop solidarity with each other.

The classroom itself is a space where students experience understanding as a collaborative process by discussing with their peers and the instructor.

Instructors must actualize high-level pedagogical goals by creating concrete exercises through which intellectual skills can be learned and practised.

Assessing claims, justifying evaluations

Writing an essay has been the pinnacle of traditional humanities education, since it demands employing the full set of interpretative tools such as identifying sources, analyzing arguments, assessing claims and justifying evaluations independently. It also demands expressing oneself intellectually.

Basic analytic skills such as formulating an argument or giving an objection can be taught in class. But in-class assignments cannot replace pondering an issue over some time and expressing one’s interpretation of it.

The important exercise of individual study is deprived of its value when students use technological shortcuts to complete writing tasks. AI-driven chatbots undermine a key part of the learning process through which students improve their critical thinking. This happens through sustained engagement with complex issues, through which students grow by overcoming challenges and practising habits of thinking.

Dangers of ‘cognitive offloading’

Empirical studies show the negative impact of delegating cognitive tasks to external aids, also called cognitive offloading, on critical thinking skills. Cognitive offloading can have dire political consequences. While we do not live under absolutism anymore, the ugly head of despotism raises its head again.

In the U.S., as seen recently in Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, the economic elite dominates the political system. Tech oligarchs have found a president who is using his vast powers to further their interests and is prepared to do so without checks and balances.

More than ever, we need citizens who have learned to think for themselves and developed capacities for paying attention to and caring about complex challenges in our ever-changing world.

At their best, the humanities are a laboratory to cultivate essential skills for critically assessing the status quo and imagining better alternatives in both political and economic life.

Steizinger is Associate Professor of Philosophy, McMaster University.

The Conversation

By Akani Nkuna

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the country’s first Black nuclear scientist, Senamile Masango, who died suddenly over the weekend.

He recognised her ground-breaking contributions to the field and her role in advancing nuclear science and inspiring future generations in South Africa and beyond.

This comes after reports confirming the passing of Masango, who was a member of the Human Resource Development Council.

“Ms Masango was a beacon of hope for many young people, especially women. Her passion for developing critical skills among the population and women in science in particular, will be sorely missed,” Mashatile said in a statement on Monday.

Masango was a globally acclaimed nuclear scientist, distinguished energy leader and pioneering entrepreneur. Renowned for her trailblazing contributions to nuclear science, she earned widespread respect for her prestigious research, including work at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN.

Masango gained global recognition as the first African woman to conduct experiments at CERN. Her brilliance was honoured with the prestigious Women in Science Award in 2022.

Beyond her scientific achievements, she was a visionary entrepreneur and founder of Mphathisithele Consulting, an energy consulting firm. She also served on a number of public sector science bodies, including the SA Nuclear Energy Corporation.

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation said that Masango’s passing leaves a void in the pursuit of science education and empowerment, especially for women and underprivileged groups.

“Masango’s tireless efforts to promote science education and empowerment, particularly among women and disadvantaged communities, will be deeply missed.

“Her founding of Women in Science and Engineering and her advocacy for increased representation and opportunities for women in STEM fields have had a lasting impact,” said the department said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

South Africa’s education system faces critical challenges as learning outcomes stagnate and budgets decline, according to a recent World Bank report. 

Speaking at the launch of the 15th South Africa Economic Update this week, the programme leader for human development at the World Bank, Elizabeth Ninan, highlighted the urgent need for foundational learning reforms and improved resource allocation.

“There are overdue reforms in the education space, particularly related to foundational learning,” Ninan stated.

“At the same time, we are facing a tight fiscal environment where budgets in real terms are going down, while the number of children entering the system is growing.”

The report underscores SA’s struggle with early-grade reading proficiency, a fundamental building block for learning. 

Despite progress made in the early 2000s, reading levels have plateaued. Alarmingly, 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read a simple text with comprehension.

Luis Crouch, co-author of the report, emphasised the scientific basis of reading education. 

“Reading has to be explicitly taught until it becomes as automatic as speaking. There are proven interventions that have worked in countries like Brazil, Kenya and India,” he explained. 

“These interventions revolve around the five T’s’- teaching, text, time, testing and targeted instruction.”

While SA has successfully piloted interventions to improve learning outcomes, Crouch emphasised the need for nationwide implementation. 

“South Africa is ready to take these interventions to scale. It requires coordinated effort from the Department of Basic Education down to schools in a ‘zippered-up’ way,” he said. 

“Other countries have done it, and South Africa can too. If implemented effectively, improvements in reading can be seen within a few years.”

Ninan echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of integrating learning interventions. 

“It’s not just about workbooks or teacher training in isolation; these elements need to come together in the classroom, supported by strong school leadership,” she said.

“Scaling up these efforts is what we call the overdue reform.”

The report also examines the implications of a declining education budget. In real terms, South Africa’s basic education budget has decreased from R338 billion in 2019-2020 to a projected R323 billion in 2024-2025. 

This decline comes despite the country prioritising education, spending about 4% of GDP, comparable to other upper-middle-income countries such as Brazil and Botswana.

With 75% of the budget allocated to teacher wages, Ninan emphasised the need for better accountability and resource distribution. 

“There needs to be a balance between teacher support, motivation and accountability,” she noted. “Currently, the system lacks strong consequences for underperformance, which needs to be addressed.”

The report also raises concerns over inequitable spending among schools. Public funding per learner should favour low-income students, yet disparities remain. 

“In one province we analysed, per-learner spending for teachers was roughly equal across all school quintiles in primary education, but significantly higher in wealthier schools at the secondary level,” Ninan explained. 

“More needs to be done to ensure that the best resources are allocated to the schools serving the most disadvantaged students.”

The World Bank suggests leveraging private sector involvement through models such as collaboration schools, where NGOs support public schools with teacher coaching and assessments. 

In the Western Cape, such partnerships have yielded promising results, with language scores improving by 8-12 percentage points over three years.

“There’s potential to explore other models, such as charter schools or hybrid approaches, to bring innovation to the system,” Ninan suggested. “The key is to identify what works and scale it up effectively.”

The report concludes with three priority actions: focusing on the five T’s to improve foundational learning, establishing clear learning benchmarks and strengthening early childhood development programmes.

“These benchmarks developed in all official South African languages provide clear targets for teachers, parents and school leaders,” Ninan said.

“For example, a Grade 1 child in Nguni languages should be able to sound out 40 letters correctly. These are simple, concrete targets that can drive progress.”

With the right interventions and systemic improvements, the report argues, South Africa can significantly improve learning outcomes and ensure that its education system is both equitable and effective.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Xolisa Phillip

INSETA is pushing the envelope of what SETAs can do because of the fast-changing insurance landscape brought on by digital innovation.

The National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) directs SETAs to develop the public higher education system by working with universities, universities of technology, TVET colleges and, increasingly, Community Education and Training (CET) colleges.

“Insurance is one of those sectors where technology has moved ahead,” says Leslie Kwapeng, INSETA’s executive manager of operations.

The education and training authority is establishing a DigiHub at the Coastal TVET College in Durban to keep in step with the rapid Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)-related developments affecting the sector.

Kwapeng explains: “We thought we should have some kind of centre of excellence, where all those in the digital space who want to be incubated in these new technologies can have access to cutting-edge technology, covering the areas of drone piloting, robotics, generative AI, programming and data analysis.”

The DigiHub “has us all excited”, Kwapeng enthuses.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) strongly encourages SETAs to collaborate with TVET colleges and CETs.

“We are heeding that call,” he says. 

As INSETA prepares to usher in the 2025-30 strategic term, it has placed greater priority on 4IR skills.

This is informed by data coming from the insurance sector, showing a shift in demand from information communication technology (ICT) to 4IR skills.

A major employer in the insurance sector is planning to introduce an Insurtech business and requires 4IR skills. The company approached INSETA for assistance to develop such skills

“They said to us that some of the functions [in the Insurtech] were so specialised they had to hire people from Norway, the US and India because those skillsets were not available in South Africa,” Kwapeng notes.

“We have to look into having those skills here. Our responsibility is to close that gap.”

That is why the entire envelope of 4IR skills is enjoying prominence at INSETA.

“We have realised that is where the world is moving – that is also where the world of insurance in South Africa is moving. Ours is to ensure we are responsive to providing those skillsets,” Kwapeng says.

There are 10 emerging occupations in the insurance industry; of those 10, about six involve ICT or 4IR skills.

“Data analytics is a big issue, especially when you look at the kind of support it has to offer the insurance industry,” Kwapeng states.

Data analytics assist the underwriting side of insurance while robotics and drones are useful when assessing damage claims.

When Bree Street in Johannesburg experienced an underground explosion 18 months ago, drones were deployed to ascertain the extent of the damage. This is increasingly becoming the case, especially in the context of climate change-induced damage and other disasters that make it difficult to access some sites and locations. 

Together with the Durban University of Technology (DUT), “we have done work exploring some of these areas [in 4IR], especially drone technology,” says Kwapeng.

DUT is INSETA’s research chair for 4IR. The partnership has produced research called Job Shift, looking at how occupations are evolving in the insurance sector.

“They have done work on AI and how the use of 4IR is affecting small businesses, as well as other research output within the 4IR space,” Kwapeng says.

This all forms part of the NSPD and DHET directive that SETAs be proactive in post-school education and training. In addition to DUT, INSETA has partnered with other institutions.

The University of Cape Town has produced two papers for INSETA on the insurance industry and the University of the Witwatersrand is working on a 10-volume document that focuses on the insurance sector called Body of Knowledge.

INSETA is also collaborating with the University of KwaZulu-Natal on developing insurance sector-specific qualifications, including a post-graduate diploma in insurance risk management.

INSETA has long-standing partnerships with 24 TVETs, which offer a good blend of learning and practical skills through work-integrated learning, says Kwapeng.

“We are looking to increase that number.” 

“TVET colleges offer the practical element, which we pay for as a SETA. We link up learners coming from TVET colleges, most of whom are from townships and rural areas, with insurers. Many get absorbed at the end of their work integrated learning,” Kwapeng states.

INSETA is looking to expand its partnership with TVET colleges with a particular focus on reaching rural areas. The SETA recently opened an office in Kroonstad, a rural town in the Free State; and in Rustenburg.

Kwapeng adds: “We often run career development or career exhibitions in partnership with the TVET colleges … [and] invite employers.”

Kwapeng says INSETA is particularly proud of the Insurance Sector Student Fund (ISSF), a co-funding bursary fund funded by the SETA and 14 employers.

“So far we are the only SETA that has done this.” 

INSETA has funded 400 individuals through the ISSF. About 60% are unemployed youth and around 40% are employees of the sector who not only come from the 14 co-funders, but also other employers in insurance.

INSETA recently entered a partnership with the National Skills Fund, which will result in an additional R400 million being pumped into the ISSF over the next three years. It normally run the fund on R30 million per annum.

Kwapeng emphasises further that a SETA has three core functions. The first is education quality assurance.

“It deals with the accreditation of assessors and moderators; and the accreditation of courses and occupational qualifications. It includes certification and the like.”

The second is learning programmes. INSETA funds learnerships and internships. Through this channel, the SETA engages with employers, assists small businesses and labour unions, and provides bursaries.

The third is skills planning and research. Learnerships are useful and popular.

“At the end of a learnership, you get a certificate,” Kwapeng explains. “The three popular courses in which we offer learnerships are short-term insurance, long-term insurance and wealth management, which leads to the career path of being a financial adviser.”

INSETA’s Learnership for Youth Programme is the single biggest expenditure item. Insurers, including Discovery and OUTsurance, absorb a substantial number of learners who undertake the programme, according to Kwapeng. 

For internships and learnerships, the SETA makes special provisions to accommodate the needs of participants with disabilities and those who live in rural areas. A typical stipend is R6500. INSETA provides a 5% top-up for disabled participants and those in rural areas.

The socioeconomic impact of the work-integrated programme has exceeded INSETA’s expectations, says Kwapeng.

He recalls having recently attended a graduation at Maluti TVET College, where the class representative of the cohort relayed how the stipend from the SETA had a transformative effect on the households of participants.

The learner said the stipend not only helped the beneficiaries,0 but some participants used some of the funds to educate their siblings, who went on to matriculate and landed their own learnership opportunities.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) called upon private accommodation providers this week to desist from demanding deposits or “top-up” payments from students.

NSFAS spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said that following reports of landlords requiring students to pay additional fees before being allowed access to the accommodation was unacceptable in terms of the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement between them and the scheme.

“The Lessor may not require or permit the Lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or any other forms of payment to the Lessor or any other person in connection with this agreement, including payment of rent while awaiting payment from NSFAS,” Mnisi said.

He clarified certain situations in which the student may be liable.

Mnisi said that any students who were defunded by NSFAS incorrectly, were not liable up until the date of being defunded.

However, where a defunded student chose to continue occupying the leased premises notwithstanding being defunded, they would be liable for the payment of rent.

Where a student was defunded due to a misrepresentation by either the student or their guardian, they must vacate the property immediately and would be financially liable.

If a student moved accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, the scheme may refuse to pay any rental to the new landlord.

There is an ongoing dispute between NSFAS and landlords, with the Private Student Housing Association (PSHA) engaging the scheme for payment owed from last year.

PSHA CEO KagisHo Mamabolo confirmed last month that a debt of R44 million remained outstanding, and gave the scheme two weeks to finalise repayment or evictions would begin.

Mnisi has, however, reiterated that no lessor shall have recourse against the student for any default in the payment of rent by NSFAS.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Real Madrid Foundation has officially announced the establishment of its first South African football academy, marking a historic milestone in the club’s global expansion.

The academy, created in partnership with Generation Schools, will bring world-class football training to young athletes in Cape Town and Johannesburg, seamlessly integrating elite coaching with academic excellence and personal development.

The first Real Madrid Foundation Academy will open at Generation Schools Imhoff campus in the Kommetjie area of Cape Town.

A second academy is scheduled to launch in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, in the second quarter of the year.

This expansion will further extend Real Madrid’s esteemed training philosophy across South Africa, providing more young footballers with access to top-tier coaching.

The academy will cater to children aged six to 17, offering a structured development programme built on three key pillars –  the player, the game and the mindset.

These pillars encompass six critical training areas, namely physical, technical, tactical, mental, competition,# and Real Madrid Foundation values, ensuring a holistic approach to player development.

With a curriculum designed to maintain continuity in training, the academy will integrate technical-tactical routines that define Real Madrid’s signature playing style.

To further enhance development, the academy will field three elite teams to compete in the 2025 local football association season, alongside additional developmental teams to accommodate players at various skill levels.

Real Madrid Foundation Technical Director in South Africa and Head Coach, Alberto Giménez is expected to lead the academy.

Supporting him in this mission, the Rising Stars Centre of Excellence Sporting Director Richard Mcenery said his vision was to cultivate a hub of excellence that fosters teamwork, leadership and respect, which were values synonymous with Real Madrid’s rich history.

Football legend Roberto Carlos has similarly thrown his support behind the initiative, highlighting its significance beyond sport.

“We are delighted to bring the Real Madrid Foundation’s values and training philosophy to South Africa. This initiative is about more than just football; it’s about using sport as a tool to foster education, integration, and social development,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule has emphasised the crucial role that investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education play in the country’s economy, calling for more to be done in preparing South African learners for the digital future.

Addressing learners, educators and stakeholders, Deputy Minister Mhaule officially launched two new robotic labs at Cingani High and Soqhayisa Secondary School in Motherwell, Gqeberha.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Shoprite Foundation, Future Nation College and the department, is set to provide learners with critical skills in robotics, coding, and digital literacy.

“If we fail to equip our young people with relevant, future-fit skills, we risk turning what should be our greatest asset into a burden. This represents a crucial step towards ensuring that South African learners are not left behind in the technical revolution,” Mhaule said.

The launch also included the unveiling of a Consumer Studies kitchen at Cingani, providing learners with practical culinary and business skills, further broadening their career prospects.

Africa is the youngest continent, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25, and that by 2060, projections indicate that Africa will have the largest working-age population globally.

Mhaule cautioned that while this demographic advantage has great potential, it must be matched with a robust education system to ensure that the youth were equipped with the skills necessary to drive innovation and economic growth.

She said the world was rapidly evolving with artificial intelligence, big data, automation and digital transformation, which was reshaping industries.

The labs aim to provide learners with hands-on experience in these technologies, positioning them for future career opportunities in data science, engineering and robotics.

Mhaule lauded Shoprite for its investment in education, emphasising the importance of public-private partnerships in driving sustainable development.

She referenced the Embedded Systems Theory, which highlighted the interdependence between businesses and the communities in which they operate.

“Businesses do not operate in isolation. They are embedded within the communities they operate in, and the success of companies such as Shoprite is directly tied to the well-being of the societies in which they operate. A thriving community creates a thriving economy, which in turn creates a stronger consumer base and workforce for businesses,” Mhaule said.

The deputy minister highlighted the reality that the government alone could not address the vast educational needs of the country.

Collaborations with the private sector, civil society and academia were necessary to transform the education system effectively.

The launch serves as a model of what can be achieved when different sectors work together to equip learners with essential skills.

Mhaule directed a passionate appeal to the learners benefiting from the new labs, urging them to take full advantage of the resources provided.

She said the launch marked a significant milestone in integrating robotics and coding into the South African school curriculum; and with technology-driven education gaining momentum, initiatives like the Shoprite Robotics Centre would be instrumental in ensuring that learners were adequately prepared for the digital age.

Shoprite Foundation Managing Trustee Maude Modise reiterated the company’s commitment to investing in education as a means of fostering economic growth and social development.

Modise stated that Shoprite recognised the importance of equipping young people with skills that would make them employable in a technology-driven world.

“Technology has the ability to transform lives. By investing in technology education, the Shoprite Foundation is supporting a future where young people have the necessary skills and opportunities to succeed in a world where demand continues to grow for roles such as artificial intelligence and machine learning specialists, as well as robotics engineers,” she said.

The deputy minister said that the opening of the labs in Motherwell sets a precedent for future collaborations between government and private enterprises in addressing educational challenges.

She said the initiative aligned with South Africa’s broader strategy of integrating digital skills into the curriculum and ensuring that learners were well prepared for the demands of the 21st-century job market.

Mhaule expressed her gratitude to Shoprite for their visionary leadership and investment in education, emphasising that such initiatives played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s future.

She said the launch followed the successful roll-out of two robotics labs in KwaZulu-Natal in January last year, and were expected to serve as a model for future educational investments, ensuring that South African learners remained competitive in an increasingly digital world.

INSIDE EDUCATION