Maths is known as one of the more challenging school subjects, however, for a Thandulwazi programme student, Thabo Mbatha, the subject appears to be a piece of cake.
Thandulwazi is a programme for maths and science founded by the St Stithians Foundation and is based on the school premises in Bryanston.
The aim of the foundation is to empower underprivileged pupils with a better education.
At St Stithians’ Maths And Science Academy prize-giving ceremony held on 29 October, Mbatha was named as the winner of the Grade 12 Mathletics Challenge. Currently in matric, Mbatha has attended the Thandulwazi programme every Saturday for the past three years.
The Mathletics Challenge is an internet-based mathematics programme aligned with the South African curriculum and allows schoolchildren to work at their own pace and improve their understanding of maths concepts and skills.
Bev Johnson, the deputy head of advancement at the foundation said, “In order to encourage the Saturday [programme] students to make greater use of maths, Thandulwazi organises an annual competition, the Mathletics Challenge, and awards a prize to the Thandulwazi [student] who achieves the most points in his or her grade at the end of the year.”
Mbatha has a brilliant track record and is a natural when it comes to maths. He was the winner of the Grade 10 and 11 Mathletics Challenge in 2014 and last year respectively; and this year, he was awarded the prize as the top Grade 12 Mathletics pupil.
“In acknowledgement of his efforts, [Mbatha] was awarded a Thandulwazi certificate of excellence and a cash prize sponsored by 3PLearning Mathletics Africa [an online-based learning organisation].”
She explained that he is hardworking and committed, and is from a Diepsloot-based school, Itirele Zenzele Comprehensive. He has big and ambitious dreams for his future and hopes to attend flight school next year and achieve his dream of becoming a pilot.
“Following hot on [his] heels is a gifted young lady from Letsibogo High School for Girls in Soweto. Xolo Khubeka won the Mathletics Challenge last year in Grade 10 and repeated this feat this year when she was announced as the Grade 11 winner.”
Johnson said she is grateful to all of those who came forward and donated towards the prizes.
“Thanks to the generous support of our partners in education, over the last 11 years Thandulwazi has provided extra tuition and curriculum enrichment for more than 10 000 high school pupils from under-resourced schools across greater Gauteng.”
