WATCH | Robotics lab sparks new hope for rural Mpumalanga pupils

In the quiet rural town of Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, where homes are scattered across dusty roads and school grounds remain largely unpaved, learners at Siyifunile Secondary School are being introduced to a world many never imagined they would access — robotics, coding and digital technology.

The Shoprite Foundation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) officially launched their first jointly funded robotics laboratory at the school on Thursday.

The lab aims to provide pupils with hands-on experience in robotics and digital literacy while supporting future-ready learning in underserved communities.

For years, the community surrounding the school has struggled with poverty, limited resources and few opportunities for young people. But educators believe a newly introduced robotics and coding programme could help change the trajectory of many learners’ lives, and even improve the school’s matric results in the coming years.

Principal Lynette Mongwe said the programme is particularly important for pupils who may not excel in traditional academic subjects but show strong technical ability.

“In schools we usually focus on the nine academic subjects, which mainly benefit learners who are academically gifted,” Mongwe explained. “But there are many learners who are technically-gifted. Robotics and coding give them an opportunity to use their talents and become excited about coming to school.”

She believes the initiative could help reduce dropouts and open new career paths for pupils who previously saw limited options for their futures.

Mongwe said that the robotics programme at the school was first introduced in 2021 with support from mining company Exxaro, but the sponsorship later stopped.

The project was revived last year, this time with support from the Shoprite Foundation and the DBSA, which helped establish a fully equipped robotics and coding lab at the school.

For Mongwe, the return of the programme feels like a long-awaited dream realised. “When it came back last year it felt like a dream come true,” she said. “We are living in the fourth industrial revolution and the world is becoming digital. This programme is going to open opportunities for our learners and allow them to explore new things.”

The principal says the programme will initially focus on grades 8 and 9 pupils, ensuring that younger pupils develop digital skills early in their schooling.

Many pupils are already showing enthusiasm for the subject.

Grade 9 pupil Thamsanqa Mahlangu says the programme has inspired him to dream of becoming a scientist who can help his community. “I want to bring change to my community using chemicals, robotics and instruments,” he said. “I’ve only been doing this for five days, but I’m already excited because I believe it will change my life and my future.”

Grade 12 learner Paballo Montjane says the robotics programme has also helped pupils think critically about problems affecting their community.

As part of a school project, learners were asked to identify challenges in their area. “In our community we have a problem with air pollution because many households use coal stoves,” Montjane explained. “We also don’t have proper dumping sites, which causes land pollution.”

Inspired by the rivers surrounding the town, the pupils proposed an innovative solution. “We thought about using hydropower,” she said. “Instead of relying on coal, we came up with the idea of generating electricity using turbines in the rivers.”

The project, she says, shows how technology and scientific thinking can be used to solve real-life problems in rural communities.

The robotics initiative forms part of a broader programme aimed at expanding access to digital education in underserved communities.

According to the Shoprite Foundation, the robotics lab forms part of a broader education and skills development strategy aimed at building digital capability within South Africa’s schooling system.

“Expanding our robotics programme into Mpumalanga strengthens our focus on building digital capability within the schooling system,” said Shoprite Foundation director Maude Modise.

“We are intentional about creating interventions that support progression through high school rather than isolated exposure.”

The programme has already been rolled out in schools in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, with further expansions planned in other provinces.

DBSA representative Zeph Nhleko said initiatives like the robotics lab are part of the bank’s broader mission to drive development and create opportunities for young people. “The AI space is shaping the future of global economies,” Nhleko said. “We want our children not only to consume technology but to actively participate in creating it.”

He added that such programmes could also help address SA’s high unemployment levels by equipping pupils with skills needed in emerging industries.

For pupils at Siyifunile Secondary School, the robotics lab represents more than just new equipment, it represents possibility.

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