Page 16 - EngineerIT AugustSeptember Issue 2026

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

South Africa’s next engineer may

need less than R700 a month

to succeed

By Nicola Killops

Companies concerned about South Africa’s shortage of technical skills have
an opportunity to become involved much earlier. At LEAP Science and Maths
Schools, sponsorship can help carry a learner from Grade 8 to matric.
Career guidance, workplace exposure and post-school opportunities can help
connect that education to a future the learner can see.

outh Africa’s shortage of engineers, For less than R700 a month, a company or individual can help fund a
technicians, developers and other learner’s education. Around R45,000 can support that learner’s journey
Sskilled professionals is usually from Grade 8 through to matric.
discussed when companies are trying to
recruit them. By then, much of the pathway For a company, it is a relatively modest investment. For a learner, it can
has already been determined. mean five years in a school built around strong academics, extended
learning time and the personal support needed to make use of the
Long before a young person applies opportunity.
for a bursary, chooses a tertiary course
or attends a job interview, they need What sits behind the results
access to strong mathematics and I first visited LEAP 4 in Diepsloot in 2025. I expected the mathematics
science teaching. They also need enough and science focus. What stayed with me was everything the school had
information to understand where those deliberately built around it.
subjects could take them and support to
navigate the decisions between school The school day extends well beyond ordinary classroom hours. Learners
and work. receive meals. Life Orientation includes regular circles where learners
and teachers talk honestly about experiences, emotions, decisions
Many capable learners never reach that and relationships. Teachers know the learners and understand the
point. The issue is not always potential. circumstances in which they are growing up.
Sometimes, the pathway itself is difficult to
see or afford. Academic responsibility remains high, but learners are not expected to
carry it alone.
LEAP Science and Maths Schools work at
this earlier stage. Their network of low-fee In LEAP’s official 2023 results, 277 learners across its six matric-writing
independent high schools serves learners schools completed the National Senior Certificate. The network achieved a
in under-resourced communities, with 96.3% pass rate, with 94.9% of the cohort achieving access to tertiary study.
mathematics, physical science and English At LEAP 4, all 45 matric candidates passed and achieved tertiary access,
at the centre of the academic programme. with 42 receiving bachelor-level passes.

16 | EngineerIT August/September 2026