Rhodes vice-chancellor donates maths textbooks to Makhanda school
Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Sizwe Mabizela this week donated maths literacy textbooks to several Makhanda high schools as part of the university’s Mandela day activities.
One of the VC’S passions is mathematics, which he has lectured for many years.
The university provided mathematical literacy textbooks to pupils at Khutliso Daniels Secondary School, Nombulelo Secondary School, and Nyaluza Secondary School.
The donation is a small, symbolic part of the university’s bigger Makhanda integrated schools initiative which has seen the pass rate in the city’s public schools increase from 62% in 2015 to 85% in 2022. It has also contributed to the number of bachelor passes almost doubling over those years while the drop-out rate decreased from 43% in 2015 to 35% in 2022.
When he took the helm at the university almost a decade ago, Mabizela said he would position the university to play a determined, practical and effective role in transforming public schooling in the city.
He has done just that. Partnering with local organisations, including the city’s oldest education NGO, Gadra Education, the university has pioneered a suite of interventions for local schools.
One of its most successful programmes is the Ninetenths programme, which sees Rhodes students mentoring pupils from no-fee schools through the school year to improve their matric results.
Rhodes University Community Engagement director, Di Hornby said that of the 15 000 school pupils attending Makhanda’s 28 public schools, 12 000 were registered at 21 no-fee paying schools.
“The no-fee schools are the ones that have scarce resources and poorest educational outcomes,” she said.
Mabizela, said one of former president Nelson Mandela’s ideals was ensuring young people had access to quality and transformative education.
“We are therefore working with various schools to support their teaching and learning programmes.
“We are telling them, ‘You have a partner in Rhodes University; we will work with you to do well, and we want you to get a 100% pass rate, get good mathematics marks, and go to university.”
The donation of maths books was welcomed by Khutsilo Daniels principal Radio Mcube, president of the school’s representative council of learners Khanya Mdoko and her deputy Analo Jack, who accepted the books on the school’s behalf.
Jack and Mdoko indicated that the textbooks would mean much at their school where they struggled to share the few they had.
Mcube said they had received support from Rhodes over many years but the donation of the textbooks was special as it marked Mandela Day.