Empowerment Projects

In partnership with our implementation partners, One On One Community Based Programmes was able to host NASA Astronauts in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal Provinces – with Limpopo Province listed for the same intents and purpose for the first time in 2026.

All the astronauts hosted have been to space, with their role being to make sense of STEM to pre-tertiary learners, as well as encourage them to study Gateway Subjects instead of migrating to less challenging subjects which do not only contribute to high levels of unemployment but rather increase unemployability percentages which as less commentated on in education circles.

Scheduled to visit South Africa during the month of July 2026 which has been dedicated as Science Month in South Africa is NASA Astronaut NASA Astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger who walks in the footsteps of Astronauts Dr. Don Thomas and Nicole Stott

Problem Areas

Maths and science are subjects selectively categorized and approved by the cabinet as gateway subjects. This notion should also be borne by learners who would like to further their studies in these subjects with a view to either work or realize their careers in the engineering, actuarial; natural sciences, information technology and medical fields. Passing these subjects convincingly is therefore a requirement for acceptance by institutions of higher learning in these fields.

We also know fully well that the state of education in South Africa has over time been a contentious issue, but we simultaneously know very well that talk is cheap – especially where remedial action is either missing or non-existent from social referees. It is for this reason that the primary aim of One On One Community Based Programmes is to add value to the South African society through all meaningful interventions in the educational sector, and has to this point focused its intervention endeavours on STEM subjects

As “Gateway” subjects are categorized as such by cabinet, mathematics and science are pivotal to the pursuit of professions that require these subjects for qualification purposes. Social referees have over the years amplified the problem without any suggestions regarding solutions, which is why a holistic intervention is needed to address these challenges head-on.

Science and Chemistry

Research results from the work done by Prof. Corrie du Toit (University of the North West) in 2011, a year before the publication published in the Volksblad newspaper dated 15 March 2012 (page 7);confirmed that only 3772 of the 24000 public schools in South Africa had laboratories the year before the publication – a gap that may not be closed overnight but which requires appropriate action to offset the perpetual downside.

This further explains the error of judgment in making learners focus only on the theoretical aspects of learning without any practical input for completion purposes and holistic outcomes. We at One On One Community Based Programmes have indeed observed over time that learners do not do well in science and chemistry in instances where they are not given the opportunity “TO DO SCIENCE” through experiments in the classroom, but are instead made to focus on only the theoretical aspects. That is in part what going to schools is for, but there is more that can be done to convert problems like these into programs.

The laying on of a good foundation enables learners to follow those streams requiring physical sciences and mathematics; without which alternative but undesirable options are adopted for all the wrong reasons (for example Maths Literacy instead of high-grade Mathematics pass required for STEM streams at tertiary levels).

Our Solution

One On One Community Based Programmes would be first to acknowledge the fact that improvement of the status quo is always envisaged and expected, and that solutions presented will be in response to current challenges experienced by learners and practitioners alike as they evolve over time.

Our solutions are also geared to reduce or at bare minimum to reverse the drop-out rates which are never used as headline news as the absence of accountability would actually cause more challenges as this would have occurred across various & different administration tenures.

Below please find an old but appropriate demonstration of actual statistics which speaks volumes without taking into consideration the quality of subjects taught in SA at pre-tertiary level:

Numbers and % of Matric Cohort of 2018 passing
Numbers and % of Matric Cohort of 2018 passing

Numbers and % of Matric Cohort of 2018 passing