Education – African Institute of Technology

We can improve Stem marks, simply by showing up

Lyle Liyabona — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:31:17 +0000

Daily Maverick – 27 January 2026

This month, more South Africans than ever celebrated the news that their children passed matric, with the country’s highest pass rate in history (88%). But if you look a little closer, the details tell a much more complex story.

Our marks are not improving, which may seem discordant when we see more and more top African scientists shining on the global stage.

South Africa’s 2025 maths pass rate fell from 69% to 64%, and physics plateaued around 77%, only rising by 1%.

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube also noted that in 2025, only 42% of kids aged four to five were developmentally on track with early numeracy. The latest global TIMSS data also shows a significant drop in our primary school maths marks – worse than half of all countries surveyed.

This poor performance doesn’t just affect individual young people’s lives. It hampers innovation and has a significant impact on the economy. It indicates that we haven’t come far enough since apartheid’s discriminatory maths exclusion laws. And it impacts on SA’s ability to “meet the challenges of the future, like AI, climate change, energy and sustainable development”, in the words of Vijay Reddy, author of the South African Public Relationship with Science Survey, undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council.

So, this International Day of Education, you’d be forgiven for wanting to jump right in to try to solve the blatant issues with South Africa’s education system – especially if you’re a scientist.

Scientists solve problems. That’s their thing.

But the solution is not only about improving resources and funding to schools (although this would certainly help). A far more pragmatic approach may be to inspire and foster the talent that already exists in our classrooms.

And that’s something that scientists and innovators can start doing, today.

Excellence is everywhere

Some of South Africa’s maths and science learners are excelling globally and raising the profile of African knowledge, despite a widespread lack of basic schooling resources across the nation. A familiar tale amid the devastating inequality experienced in our country.

In December, four young scientists won top honours at the World Innovative Science Project Olympiad (WISPO) in Bali, earning prestigious Grand Awards for their innovative projects.

In more established cohorts, UCT Professor Lynne Shannon was awarded the 2025 Prince Albert Grand Medal for Ocean Science, the first researcher in the entire Global South to win the distinguished accolade.

We are not lacking in talent. We just need to help foster it.

If talent is not bolstered by exposure and belief at all levels of schooling, there is little chance of inherent aptitude being brought to its full potential, even with ideal resources in place … kind of like a loaf of bread being left to rise in a dank, dark environment where it simply cannot expand, no matter how perfect its ingredients.

Scientists can play a huge role in inspiring and proving to students that it is for them, and that they’re capable of overcoming the challenges they will encounter along the way. This can happen simply by showing up and putting out exciting science where young people can engage with it, in their own language, and on their own terms.

Three ways for scientists to make a difference

My research is focused on the role of scientists in schools, not primarily as educators, but as role models. What I’ve found is that simply by facilitating conversations with young people about science as a tool for creating alternative futures, we can tangibly change education outcomes. Here are some ideas to help scientists do this:

1. Diverse visibility

Research by Marina Joubert from the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (Crest) in 2017 found that while “only 8% of South Africans are white, 78% of the group of ‘visible’ scientists were white, and 63% of the visible scientists were men. Only 17 black women were identified as publicly visible scientists.”

In any career, you cannot be what you cannot see. Early visibility of scientists of every race, gender and class is vital to help young people to see themselves in the field, and not just the image of a wealthy, white, lab-coated male. This will go a long way to developing the next generation of African investigators and problem solvers.

2. Presence

Unfortunately, seeing scientists at all is often more of a hurdle. So, scientists should take every opportunity to place themselves in the media, especially into spaces in which young people can engage.For many young people in under-resourced schools or regions, exposure to any working scientists or their stories is rare.

Many children have little or no knowledge of how their unique talents and passions could lead them into highly fulfilling careers and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and valuably to the sector, and to society at large. Each of us can think back to a childhood encounter that inspired us or motivated us in a particular direction.

The presence of scientists and their stories in the lives of young people is a practical, proven, high-level way that we can contribute to South Africa’s long-term improvement in education.

3. Storytelling

Science is, contrary to popular belief, not all about numbers and chemical symbols. It’s about stories: of how people have solved the world’s biggest problems or changed their own lives through innovation, and ancient or alternative ways of thinking. When you frame concepts like this – real people doing amazing things – it’s suddenly much more compelling or easy to engage with new ideas as a young person.

Our national Science Spaza programme has been a great example for me of the efficacy of this “visibility, presence, storytelling” thinking in action.

Through Science Spaza, we distribute real stories of African scientists and innovators in engaging formats (such as comics, videos or interactive worksheets) to curious young minds aged 12-18. We’ve seen time and time again how this human, story-based, fun approach makes science more relevant, relatable and exciting.

Over the past 11 years, learners across our 120+ science clubs have seen their marks improve, career pathways open up and general passion for increase – simply by seeing scientists like them reflected back to them, and learning about the powerful ways that science and maths are being used in the world to transform lives for the better.

One high school student, Goratileone Oepeng, began a science club and registered it with Science Spaza to receive newspapers and activity worksheets. Years later, he won the FameLab heat at the University of Pretoria, where he was a master’s student in entomology. I recently bumped into him at the Oppenheimer Research Conference, where he was giving a young researcher spotlight talk, a champion for bees and biodiversity.

Make a difference

By getting scientists and their stories into schools, we’re not just filling a resource gap; we’re also showing kids that science is theirs for the taking. It’s about identity, not just ideas.

If you’re a scientist, you have the power to make a difference – it’s just not where you might expect it.

Sure, we need funding and teachers and classrooms. But my research has shown that so often, we make the mistake of thinking we can jump in and solve systemic issues all at once, without focusing on tangible ways to foster the talent that already exists in schools, and ensure it reaches the global stage. We need scientists to inspire young people to follow in their footsteps, which will, in turn, encourage them to dedicate themselves to learning.

No matter what field your research is in, there are probably more ways you could be sharing your work with local schools or supporting the next generation to become involved – by showing up in person, embracing the media to tell your stories of science, or by contributing to resources that students can engage with to learn not just about your research, but about YOU.

Maybe you look like them.

Maybe you’ve had an inspiring journey to get to where you are.

Or maybe you’re simply the first scientist they’ve ever seen.

Whatever your story, it’s worth sharing.

Not just for you, or for students and their learning outcomes, but for South Africa’s future and African knowledge as a whole

Why SA’s tech talent pipeline is failing to deliver outcomes

Lyle Liyabona — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:27:11 +0000

Daily Maverick – 28 January 2026

“South Africa doesn’t have an ambition problem when it comes to tech talent, it has an outcomes problem.” That is how HyperionDev founding CEO Riaz Moola, the coding bootcamp specialist you probably heard about in a year-end marketing campaign that ran across Primedia radio stations, opened a conversation about the AI skills crisis in Mzansi.

He then went on to frame the company operations as a “finishing school” for Computer Science graduates, because our tertiary institutions aren’t teaching work-ready skills.

To be fair to Moola, his suggestions that the likes of UCT, Wits and Stellenbosch University (that have been churning out world-class minds for decades) are obsolete, and that the fix is a privately run, venture-backed bootcamp, is at least accompanied by partnerships with the universities (Maties, currently).

A journey of reformation

HyperionDev (which is a subsidiary of CoGrammar) hasn’t always helped its own case. Search the dev boards on Reddit and the company’s history reveals a trail of operational controversies, most notably some conflict with the UK Department for Education regarding funding claims, and persistent user reviews describing earlier iterations of its courseware as a “dropbox full of PDFs” rather than a high-tech learning experience.

The experiences seen on the internet fly in the face of the ed-tech saviour narrative. But as Moola unpacked the mechanics of the “finishing school” model, he sounded like a man who had learned some hard lessons.

“We live in a country that has the highest inequality in the world and yet you have a subject [Computer Science] that can unlock the highest earnings,” he said. “In South Africa, software developers, I think, earn the highest relative to living costs in the world, only behind America.”

Mind the multibillion-rand skills gap

Before we get to the solution, we have to look at the sheer scale of the problem. A sector analysis by Synesys suggests that the AI skills shortage alone could cost the South African economy up to R124-billion by 2027. Perplexingly, local youth unemployment sits at over 60%, but there are 45,000 unfilled positions in AI and data science right now.

The 2024 JCSE-IITPSA ICT Skills Survey backs this up, calling it a “chronic skills shortage” that is forcing local companies to outsource jobs to international markets; exporting capital when we should be importing wages.

Moola argues that this gap exists because universities and the industry are speaking different languages.

“The pathway to it is very convoluted and complex if you’re going to do a three-year or four-year computer science degree,” he says. “And it totally fails to teach the skills to actually get a job as a junior developer or data scientist.”

Toolmakers, not mere users

This is where the finishing school concept gains clicks. The argument is that universities teach the grammar of computing – the deep theoretical proofs and algorithms – but fail to teach the dialects spoken in modern offices, like deploying code via GitHub or setting up an AWS cloud instance.

Professor Hussein Suleman, Dean of Science at UCT, agreed with the premise, if not the conclusion. He has famously argued that “Computer Science is not programming” and that universities are there to produce “tool builders”, not just “tool users”.

The problem is, South African corporates are desperate for tool users. They need people who can ship code on day one, not just prove the mathematical efficiency of a sorting algorithm on a whiteboard.

Moola admits that early versions of HyperionDev got it wrong.

“We realised the courses were too hard,” he said, acknowledging that as a Cambridge and UKZN grad, he had overestimated the baseline. “We had to keep not making them easier per se, but more accessible.”

The pivot has been a move toward what he calls “human-led code review”. It’s an attempt to mimic the mentorship you’d get from a senior dev in a real agile team.

“Mentorship is not a ‘nice to have’ in technical education, it’s a performance lever.”

What this means for you

If you are a student or graduate:

The hard truth is that your degree is probably just the entry ticket, not the job guarantee. If your GitHub profile is empty, you are invisible to recruiters. Whether you pay for a bootcamp or grind through free resources, you need to prove you can build tools, not just pass exams. Treat your portfolio like your actual CV.

If you are a parent:

You might need to adjust your financial planning. The three-year degree model is fading. If your child is studying Computer Science, prepare for the possibility of a finishing school year.

If you are hiring talent:

Stop hunting for unicorns. That senior dev with five years of AI experience you are looking for is probably working for a US company earning dollars while sitting in Cape Town. If you want talent, you will have to manufacture it. The R124-billion cost to the economy is an aggregate of companies refusing to train the youth they have.

The business of bridging the gap

HyperionDev isn’t the only player trying to close this skills gap, and frankly, some of the competitors offer a model that makes a lot more sense for a cash-strapped South African student.

Take WeThinkCode, which operates on a tuition-free model sponsored by corporates, where entry is based purely on aptitude. Newly appointed CEO Ashmita Singh describes the company as “a critical bridge between talent and opportunity in an increasingly AI-driven economy.”

“Our focus is on shifting South Africa from being a consumer of technology to a creator of it by building strong coding and emerging AI capabilities that translate into real employment and economic mobility.”

Then there is Umuzi, which actually pays students a stipend to learn, treating the education process like a job simulation.

In contrast, HyperionDev is a premium product. Courses can cost anywhere from R25,000 to over R80,000. While they offer income-share agreements (where you pay back once you’re hired), the financial burden ultimately sits with the learner.

But by white labelling their bootcamps for partner universities, they have effectively become the outsourced vocational wing of the ivory tower Moola was throwing stones at. It gives the university a revenue stream and the student a certificate that doesn’t look like it came from a fly-by-night internet college.

No simple solutions

With WeThinkCode raking in grants and signing partnerships with Google and Meta in recent months, it seems like Big Tech is all in on developing those crucial missing skills in this gateway to Africa market.

But is outsourcing the silver bullet? Also no. The virtual emigration trend, where 40% of our local developers are working remotely for foreign companies, suggests that even if we fix the supply side, retaining that talent is a whole other economic battle.

What Moola and the government have correctly identified is that the university degree is no longer the finish line. Singh says that the company “signed a letter of intent with the Department of Higher Education and Training to further expand impact on a national level by bringing together public, private and civil bodies to create a necessary ecosystem”.

The underutilisation of potential ICT talent in South Africa has an estimated lifetime opportunity cost of R11.5-trillion. In a market losing billions of rand to a skills vacuum, we probably need to pay the premium for the polish

28 Student-Centered Instructional Strategies

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:15:00 +0000

Shifting the Focus to the Learner

The modern college classroom—whether online or in-person—is moving beyond the passive lecture model. Student-centered learning flips the script, positioning the instructor as a facilitator and students as active architects of their knowledge. This approach increases engagement, deepens understanding, and builds critical skills like collaboration and metacognition. It’s particularly powerful in hybrid environments, as many strategies seamlessly bridge the physical and digital worlds. The core idea is simple: when students are doing, discussing, and teaching, they are learning more effectively. The following strategies are practical, adaptable tools for professors seeking to energize their courses. They range from quick in-class activities to overarching course designs, all aimed at putting the student at the center of the educational experience.

28 Student-Centered Instructional Strategies

Portfolio Assessment: Students curate a collection of their work over time, accompanied by reflections that demonstrate growth and mastery.

Think-Pair-Share: A classic for a reason. Students first reflect individually, then discuss with a partner, finally sharing with the larger group.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL): Students learn through the sustained, collaborative investigation of complex, real-world problems.

Jigsaw Method: Students become “experts” on one segment of a topic, then teach it to their peers in reassembled groups.

Socratic Seminar: A structured, student-led discussion where participants interrogate a text or concept through open-ended questions.

Case Studies: Analysis of real or detailed scenarios to apply theoretical knowledge and develop analytical skills.

Peer Instruction: Students answer a conceptual question individually, convince a neighbor of their answer, and then re-vote, followed by instructor explanation.

Role-Playing/Simulations: Immersive activities where students assume roles to explore perspectives (e.g., historical debates, client meetings).

Learning Journals/Reflection Blogs: Regular written reflection connects course material to personal experience and tracks intellectual growth.

Choice Boards/Menus: Students select from a variety of activities or assessment options to demonstrate mastery, fostering autonomy.

Project-Based Learning: A long-term endeavor where students investigate and respond to an authentic challenge, producing a tangible product.

Fishbowl Discussion: A small group discusses in an inner circle while an outer circle observes, taking notes before debriefing.

Concept Mapping: Students create visual diagrams that represent relationships between concepts and ideas.

Debates: Structured arguments on course topics, requiring research, critical thinking, and persuasive communication.

Gallery Walk: Student work (posters, models, infographics) is displayed; peers rotate around the room providing feedback via sticky notes or digital tools (like Padlet).

Flipped Classroom: Students review lecture materials (videos, readings) before class, freeing in-person time for active problem-solving and discussion.

Peer Review Workshops: Structured sessions where students use rubrics to give formative feedback on each other’s drafts.

Student-Led Lectures/Tutorials: Individuals or small groups research and present a specific topic to the class, developing teaching skills.

Brainstorming/Crowdsourcing: Using tools like shared documents or whiteboards to generate and categorize ideas collectively.

Self-Assessment: Students evaluate their own work against set criteria, fostering metacognition and ownership of learning.

Inquiry-Based Learning: Learning is driven by students’ own questions, research, and investigations, with the instructor guiding the process.

Stations or Rotations: In class or online modules, small groups rotate through different activities, discussions, or analysis stations.

Game-Based Learning: Using educational games or gamified elements (points, badges, leaderboards) to motivate and reinforce learning.

One-Minute Papers: A quick, end-of-session reflection on the most important point learned or a lingering question.

Design Thinking Challenges: Using a human-centered, iterative process (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) to solve creative problems.

Collaborative Document Creation: Using platforms like Google Docs or Wikis for groups to co-author notes, research, or projects in real-time.

Muddiest Point: A simple feedback mechanism where students identify the concept they found most confusing for targeted follow-up.

Panel Discussions: Student panels, potentially with assigned viewpoints, discuss a topic before fielding questions from the “audience” (their peers).

Four major elements that we offer:

Scientific skills for getting a better result
Communication skills to getting in touch
A career overview opportunity available
A good work environment for work

Overview: The Shift Toward Student-Centered Excellence

In the modern academic landscape, the traditional “sage on the stage” model is rapidly giving way to a

more dynamic, student-centered approach. Whether students are attending a lecture in a physical hall or logging into a virtual portal from across the globe, the core of effective education remains the same: active engagement. Student-centered learning (SCL) is not merely a trend; it is a fundamental shift that prioritizes the learner’s unique needs, interests, and agency. By placing students at the heart of the educational process, we empower them to move from passive consumers of information to active creators of knowledge.

Why These Strategies Matter

For brick-and-mortar campuses, these strategies breathe life into physical spaces, turning quiet classrooms into collaborative hubs where peer-to-peer interaction thrives. For online learners, these methods bridge the digital divide, fostering a sense of community and accountability that can often feel missing in remote settings. This pedagogical shift encourages critical thinking, enhances long-term retention, and prepares students for a professional world that demands self-direction and problem-solving. As educators and institutions, adopting these strategies allows us to meet students exactly where they are—acknowledging their diverse backgrounds and learning styles.

4 Steps to Quality Training in Times of Urgency

admin — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 05:14:00 +0000

In periods of urgency such as organizational change, crisis response, rapid scaling, or compliance deadlines training is often expected to happen faster than ever before. Unfortunately, speed is frequently mistaken for effectiveness, leading to rushed sessions, overwhelmed learners, and poor results.

However, urgency does not have to compromise quality. With a clear framework and intentional design, training can be both fast and effective. Below are four expanded, practical steps to help organizations deliver high-quality training even when time is limited.

1⃣ Clarify the Critical Objective

Train for impact, not information

The foundation of quality training—especially under pressure—is absolute clarity of purpose. When urgency exists, the temptation is to teach everything at once. This often leads to confusion rather than competence.

Instead, focus on the critical objective: the one outcome learners must achieve immediately.

Key Points:

Identify the most urgent performance gap
Define one or two measurable outcomes
Align the training objective with real-world application

Guiding Questions:

What problem must this training solve right now?
What action should learners perform differently after training?

Key Insight:
Training succeeds when it prioritizes what learners must do, not just what they must know.

2⃣ Design for Speed and Simplicity

Cut complexity, not value

Urgent training requires intentional design. Simplicity ensures learners can absorb and apply information quickly without feeling overwhelmed.

This step is about streamlining content while maintaining instructional integrity.

Key Points:

Break content into short, focused learning units
Use plain language and avoid unnecessary theory
Structure content logically: problem → solution → action

Learning Principle:
People retain more when content is concise, relevant, and immediately useful.

3⃣ Engage Through Active Learning

Urgent learning must still be interactive

Engagement is often sacrificed during rushed training—but it is actually more critical during urgent situations. Passive learning leads to errors, rework, and poor retention.

Active learning helps learners practice decisions and behaviour’s in a safe, guided environment.

Key Points:

Include short scenarios or real-life examples
Use quick polls, reflections, or problem-solving tasks
Encourage collaboration and peer learning

Examples of Active Learning:

“What would you do?” scenarios
Rapid role-plays or simulations
Case-based discussions

Why It Matters:

Engaged learners understand faster and apply skills more accurately saving time after training.

4⃣ Reinforce and Measure Quickly

Training is only valuable if it sticks

Urgent training must extend beyond the session itself. Reinforcement ensures learning translates into action, while measurement confirms effectiveness.

Key Points:

Provide quick-reference tools (checklists, FAQs, job aids)
Offer follow-up reminders or refreshers
Measure success using performance-based indicators

Effective Reinforcement Tools:

Digital cheat sheets
Short follow-up quizzes
On-the-job coaching

Measure What Matters:

Track changes in behaviour, efficiency, accuracy, or compliance not just attendance or completion rates.

Best Practices for Urgent Training

Additional tips to enhance success

Involve subject-matter experts early
Leverage existing materials where possible
Communicate expectations clearly to learners
Respect learner time focus on relevance

Remember:

Well-designed urgent training reduces long-term costs by preventing mistakes and re-training.

Urgent situations test an organization’s ability to learn quickly and adapt effectively. While speed is essential, quality remains non-negotiable.

By following these four steps:
Clarifying critical objectives
Designing for speed and simplicity
Engaging learners actively
Reinforcing and measuring outcomes

Organizations can deliver training that is fast, focused, and effective.

Quality training in times of urgency is not about doing everything quickly it’s about doing the right things well.

When urgency is met with intention and clarity, training becomes a powerful driver of confidence, performance, and resilience.

Instructional Design and Adult Learners

admin — Tue, 06 May 2025 08:23:00 +0000

Understanding the Adult Learning Context

Adult learners bring a unique set of experiences, expectations, and motivations into any learning environment. Unlike traditional learners, adults are typically goal-oriented, self-directed, and driven by immediate application. They want learning to be relevant, practical, and respectful of their time. Effective instructional design recognizes these characteristics and positions adults as active participants rather than passive recipients. When learning aligns with real-life challenges and professional goals, engagement and retention increase significantly.

The Role of Instructional Design in Adult Learning

Purpose-driven and learner-centered

Instructional design provides the framework needed to transform information into meaningful, applicable learning experiences. For adult learners, design must prioritize clarity, relevance, and outcomes. Rather than overwhelming learners with content, effective instructional design focuses on helping adults solve real problems and improve performance. A learner-centered approach allows adults to take ownership of their learning while ensuring objectives remain aligned with organizational or personal goals.

Principles That Guide Adult Learning Design

Applying andragogical principles

Adult learning theory emphasizes that adults learn differently than children. They need to understand why learning is necessary, how it benefits them, and how it applies to real situations. Their experiences strongly influence how new knowledge is interpreted and applied. Instructional design that incorporates problem-based learning, reflection, and self-direction helps adults connect new concepts to existing knowledge and internal motivation.

Engagement Through Active and Experiential Learning

Learning by doing, reflecting, and applying

Adults learn most effectively when they are actively involved in the learning process. Instructional design should include opportunities for practice, discussion, and decision-making. Experiential learning methods such as case studies, simulations, and collaborative activities mirror real-world challenges and encourage deeper understanding. These approaches not only improve retention but also build confidence in applying new skills.

Flexibility and Accessibility in Adult Learning

Respecting time, responsibilities, and learning preferences

Adult learners often balance learning with work, family, and other commitments. Instructional design must therefore be flexible and accessible. Modular content, self-paced learning options, and clear navigation allow adults to engage with training on their own terms. Accessible design reduces barriers to learning and demonstrates respect for the learner’s time and responsibilities, increasing overall satisfaction and completion rates.

Measuring Success in Adult Learning Programs

From completion to performance

The effectiveness of adult learning programs should be measured by outcomes rather than attendance alone. Instructional design should include evaluation strategies that assess skill application, behavior change, and performance improvement. Practical assessments, real-world tasks, and learner feedback provide valuable insights into whether learning objectives have been achieved and where improvements can be made.

Main Points for Effective Instructional Design for Adults

Key considerations to guide design decisions

Align learning objectives with real workplace or life challenges to ensure relevance
Design content that solves problems, not just delivers information
Allow learners to control pace, path, and depth of learning to support autonomy
Ensure learning activities connect directly to practical application
Measure success through performance and behaviour change, not just completion

Relevance, respect, and results

Instructional design for adult learners requires a thoughtful, learner-centered approach that values experience, autonomy, and real-world application. By aligning learning objectives with meaningful outcomes, providing flexibility, and focusing on performance-based evaluation, instructional designers can create impactful learning experiences. When adults clearly see the value of learning and are empowered to apply it, instructional design becomes a powerful tool for growth, engagement, and long-term success.