Rhodes University drives education transformation in Makhanda schools

Rhodes University, along with NGOs like GADRA Education, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, and dedicated teachers, has come together to create targeted intervention programmes. These initiatives take a comprehensive approach to the education value chain—from ECD to secondary education—and forge pathways for local students to access the university.

When Professor Sizwe Mabizela stepped into the role of Vice-Chancellor at Rhodes University a decade ago, only a small group of 12 first-year students from local schools in rural Makhanda were accepted into the institution. Despite being South Africa's only research-intensive university located outside a major urban area, the potential of the surrounding community remained untapped.
Today, this picture has changed significantly, with over 200 first-year students from local schools joining the university. This achievement is a significant step towards meeting the targets set out in the university's Institutional Development Plan for 2023 - 2028.

A driving force behind this progress is the Vice Chancellor’s Education Initiative (VCI), a project Mabizela developed to support students from local schools, ensuring they have the opportunity to attend Rhodes University or other top institutions.

An important aspect of the VCI is that it is a committee made up of representatives of key education institutions, like GADRA, the Faculty of Education, the Centre for Social Development and Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE).
Mabizela's dedication to increasing access for students in Makhanda was highlighted in January when he offered a helping hand to 18-year-old Liyabukwa Dyantyi. Despite earning distinctions in Maths, Physical Science, and Life Orientation, Dyantyi faced financial barriers that threatened his dreams.

Determined to not let his educational dreams die Dyantyi tracked Mabizela down as he was driving onto campus.
Impressed by his marks, Mabizela threw him a life-line and allowed him to enrol for his first year without paying the R7 000 registration fee upfront and told him that the university would register him for the 2025 academic year and that while he was studying, they would see"if we can find funding for him".

“We can't allow young people with this incredible potential to have to waste a year not doing anything constructive. If I see a young person who is doing well academically, I find it so difficult to say to this person 'Sorry we have no place for you'," Mabizela told News24 in a previous article.

Building a Foundation

Since 2013, when Makhanda was named the 10th worst-performing education district in the nation, Rhodes University - alongside NGOs like GADRA Education, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, and dedicated teachers - have come together to create targeted intervention programmes. These initiatives take a comprehensive approach to the education value chain—from ECD to secondary education—and forge pathways for local students to access the university.

“When we say Makhanda must be an education city in this country, we mean investing in early childhood education and development, and foundation phase education because that’s where you lay a solid foundation. You don’t build a house by first erecting a roof; you build a house by first laying a solid foundation,” said Professor Mabizela.

Literacy plays a crucial role in early childhood development, laying solid ground that supports a child's progression to matric. Unfortunately, more than 80% of South Africa’s Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning.
This is not the case for Grade 4 learners in Makhanda where a comprehensive study by local NGO Gadra Education and the Rhodes University Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education found that a grade four child in Makhanda is twice as likely to read for meaning as a child in the rest of the country.
To help support the continued growth of literacy levels in Makhanda, RUCE contributes to the Makhanda Literacy Collective through three literacy interventions:

Project Read (Grade 1): This initiative helps new learners with the formal aspects of literacy, offering a structured programme for small groups of children weekly.
Reading Clubs (Grade 2 and 3): These clubs encourage children to read for enjoyment. Participants receive training through the Community Engagement Orientation to Reading Clubs (CERCO) short course, accredited by Rhodes University at NQF 5.
ECD Home Literacy Resources: This collection of resources, created during COVID-19 in 2020, provides parents and teachers with materials in English, isiXhosa, and Afrikaans for home use.

“We want to build further on that because the first five years of a child’s life are crucial in shaping their future,” Mabizela said.

Preparing for University

The Nine-Tenths Mentoring Programme is a collaborative initiative that equips Grade 12 students from local schools with the resources needed to complete their final year of high school and reach their full potential. A Rhodes University student volunteer mentors each matric student through nine guided sessions, providing personalised support and guidance.
This flagship programme, where mentors undergo comprehensive training via a Rhodes University-accredited short course, has achieved international recognition. It received the prestigious Tallories Network MacJannet Award for Global Citizenship in 2021, marking a significant milestone as Rhodes University is the first South African university to secure first place for this prize. The award is a testament to the institution's commitment to developing student leaders who are actively engaged with society, as it is part of a global association comprising 388 universities across 77 countries on six continents.

Future Commitment

During its 120-year celebrations, Rhodes University partnered with local educationalists and schools to convene delegates from the ECD, primary, and secondary school sectors at the Makhanda Education Summit. The summit aimed to build on the considerable successes in reshaping the city’s educational landscape.

The summit marked a significant step in enhancing education for Makhanda’s youth. Representatives from key sectors collaborated to tackle ongoing challenges through partnership-driven solutions.

“The summit exceeded my expectations. It was the most enriching, rewarding, and fulfilling experience. I was heartened by the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to sharing and building together,” Mabizela said.