​As education has become a vital focus point in especially educationally disadvantaged communities, there has been increased efforts to reach affected communities to attract potential and promising students. Especially faculties like Science, Physics and Mathematics has had to look at innovative new ways to reach potential students. Research done in the Basic Education sector has concluded that a mere 14 learners from a pool of 100 that enter Grade Two, will eventually obtain entry into a higher learning institution. This leaves higher education institutions and universities with the great responsibility of reaching these learners and truly impacting their lives in order to ensure that education is accessible to promising learners.

International training specialist, Brian Tracey said the following with regards to growth: "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable, when you try something new." Students from Masiyile Senior Secondary School in Khayelitsha was put to the test on this, when they were recently invited to visit Stellenbosch University and move out of their normal day to day comfort zone.

The Centre for Student Recruitment (CSR) in partnership with the Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics Department created an interactive experience for the learners. Learners were treated like first year students and this experience included attending a Mathematics lecture, a guided tour of the Laser Research Institute and hands-on experiments with chemical compounds in Chemistry. 

It was amazing to see the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the learners and their eagerness to learn was truly remarkable. They just took every experience in their stride and partook in all the activities with the same level of intense enthusiasm and focus. This experience just emphasized that students flourish when being placed in environments that challenge and interest them. The environment that the different departments sketched, caused students to dream, explore and most importantly, experiment. Although we cannot afford this opportunity to every school throughout the country, we can use technology and powerful social media platforms to create awareness of different career options and qualifications.  

The feedback received from learners and teachers was positive and each student and teacher agreed that they had learned something through the interactive displays and experiments. One of the enthusiastic learners said the following: "I learned that I should stop second-guessing myself. I have potential locked inside."  Students were amazed by the resources available in the chemistry laboratories and fascinated by the scope of experiments done.

Ms Kholiswa Dyonashe (Teacher: Physical Science) said the following: "It was a wonderful experience for the learners and for me. I was moved as I saw the learners busy and excited while experimenting in the laboratory. Conducting the experiments with the chemical compounds was great. It is always fulfilling to see the learners engaging on different levels and participating by asking questions."

Through the initiatives of the Centre for Student Recruitment and Career Advice, Stellenbosch University is forging valuable partnerships within the various local communities. It is our aim to assist prospective learners to make informed decisions with regards to their studies by means of exposure to what higher education can offer. Although we cannot afford this opportunity to every school throughout the country, we can use technology and powerful social media platforms to create awareness of different career options and qualifications. 

We would like to extend a special word of thanks to Dr.Rehana Malgas Enus from the Chemistry Department, Professor Erich Rohwer from the Physics Department and Doctor Gareth Boxall from the Mathematics Department for interacting with these learners and allowing them to experiment and experience the world of science. We would also like to extend a word of thanks to Professor Ingrid Rewitzky (Vice Dean: Department of Science) for sharing her valuable insights on education with these learners.

We are looking forward to investing more in these community partnerships and seeing the youth in our communities rise up to ensure a better future.