Mamelodi Pre-University Academy

Nthabiseng Audrey Ogude,Kgadi Clarrie Mathabathe,Nosipho Mthethwa,Regina White

doi:10.18060/23807

Abstract

The University of Pretoria adopted an anchor institution strategy and designated the Mamelodi Campus as a Faculty with a focus on community engagement with the primary goal of broadening educational pathways to post-secondary school attainment. This paper provides an overview of how two strategic goals of the University namely, widening access and success and strengthening social responsiveness have manifested over a decade through designating STEM access programmes to a campus located in the impoverished township, Mamelodi. The anchor mission entails improvement of the access programmes through incorporating the student voice, as well the improvement of After-School Programmes (ASPs) by formalizing a Pre-University Academy (PUA). The PUA is a signature academic programme geared towards fostering articulation between the high school initiatives, access programmes and the mainstream programmes to ensure a seamless transition from secondary school to graduation. The paper provides lessons drawn from the provision of the programmes which resulted in “forward and backward” articulation to close the school-university gap while addressing systemic educational problems left by the legacy of apartheid. The paper further elaborates on the process followed to cement the anchor mission through the PUA as well as make recommendations to strengthen anchor institution strategy efforts in similar contexts.

Highlights

Introduction and BackgroundThe shift in South African higher education institutions from being academically exclusive to becoming engaged, inclusive, and diverse has been progressive since independence in 1994 (Birch, Perry & Taylor, 2013; Hendricks & Flaherty, 2018)
The Mamelodi Community of Learning Collaborative (MCLC) is a multi-stakeholder partnership between the University of Pretoria, Mamelodi Campus and the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE)’s Tshwane South District, Technical, and Vocational Education and Training Colleges, and non-government organizations involved in youth development and the business sector
The Extended Curriculum Programs (ECPs) and after-school programs (ASPs) offered on the Mamelodi Campus primarily focused on achieving the access and success strategic goal of the University of Pretoria (UP)

Summary

Introduction and Background

The shift in South African higher education institutions from being academically exclusive to becoming engaged, inclusive, and diverse has been progressive since independence in 1994 (Birch, Perry & Taylor, 2013; Hendricks & Flaherty, 2018). South African universities, under the apartheid regime, seemingly romanticized their roles as higher education institutions whereas the post-apartheid narrative of universities is critical and cognizant of the socio-political and economic landscape of the communities in which they are embedded (Strydom, 2016). The MC addresses five key areas: (a) broadening educational pathways for post-secondary school attainment; (b) leveraging the arts and culture; (c) science and the urban environment; (d) strong, safe and healthy neighborhoods; and (e) economic development and entrepreneurship. These key areas focus on bridging the poverty, crime, education, and unemployment gaps in the Mamelodi community through community and district partnerships and a data led approach. The paper elaborates on how the campus arrived at a more comprehensive approach to broadening pathways to STEM and closing the school-university gap through pre-university activities and access programs

Literature review

A Data-led Approach

Findings

Conclusion