South Africa: Youth Month - Student's Tutoring Programme Helps Learners Excel At Life Sciences

"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity; it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that generation. Let your greatness blossom." - Nelson Mandela

Nkanyiso Dlamini, a third-year medical student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), believes that his generation is destined for greatness, and education can help them achieve it. And he's playing his part in ensuring that it becomes a reality. The guru in life sciences set up a programme to support high school learners, especially those living in resource-constrained settings. His objective is to help them wrap their heads around the complex subject, excel at it and gain entry into university to build a better life for themselves and their families.

As the university observes the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising and reflects on the sacrifices of the youth of 1976, UCT News is using Youth Month to shine a spotlight on how people in our community (staff and students) are doing their bit to effect social change, especially among the youth.

"Coming from an under-resourced school, I understand how difficult it can be to succeed when opportunities and resources are limited."

"Coming from an under-resourced school, I understand how difficult it can be to succeed when opportunities and resources are limited. I also know that guidance and mentorship can be extremely transformative, especially for the young folk," Dlamini said. "There are many learners out there who possess the ability and determination to succeed, but they lack access to those support structures that could help them unlock their full potential. I desperately wanted to change this for them."

Where it started

Since high school, Dlamini shared educational content and study resources on social media. As a learner tutor in life sciences, there were plenty of resources to go around. And he was passionate about sharing the information with his peers.

After all, Dlamini had always been fascinated with the subject, and he developed a genuine understanding of biological systems and human health early on in his high school career. He used his knowledge to his advantage and worked closely with his teachers to support his peers. When a life sciences teacher left the school, their departure created an opportunity for him to become more involved with tutoring.

"I noticed that while subjects like mathematics and physical sciences are often regarded as the most difficult subjects, many learners also struggled with life sciences. However, there were few support structures for the subject," he said.

Dlamini was determined to create a unique platform that helped learners understand the subject better. As a tutor, he witnessed firsthand how his peers' confidence levels increased once they fully understood the concepts that they once found intimidating.

When an idea becomes a reality

When he matriculated in 2023 (news of his results were announced early in 2024) and he was named the second top-performing learner in the uMgungundlovu District in Pietermaritzburg, he documented it on social media too. In 2024 he started his first-year as an MBChB student at UCT, and he also used his social media accounts to share campus and course highs and lows with his followers.

"Seeing someone from a school like that gain entry into university and study medicine resonated with many learners out there."

"I come from an under-resourced school in KwaZulu-Natal and seeing someone from a school like that gain entry into university and study medicine resonated with many learners out there. They felt like their own goals were achievable. I was [a] testament [to] this," he said.

After documenting his matric results, Dlamini said he received an overwhelming response from his online community. This inspired him to get the tutoring ball rolling formally. In December 2024, he facilitated his first few classes to help a group of Grade 11 learners prepare for their matric year. In no time, his social media platforms became a space where high school learners could receive the support they needed in life sciences, including access to notes, academic advice and mentorship.

How it works

To become a member, learners are required to pay a once-off, annual membership fee. This, he explained, gives them access to all academic material, including structured online and past recorded lessons, revision sessions and study notes.

"When I first started out, I partnered with an organisation that required learners to pay a monthly fee to access tutoring and academic support. But I received so many messages from learners who really wanted to access the material but could not afford the monthly fee. That got me thinking," Dlamini said.

Because he is passionate about education and equal access to learning, he created a model that reflected this philosophy. The online model took off among youth across the country. In the past 12 months, his initiative has grown by leaps and bounds. Currently, it supports 650 high school learners across the country. And while they join the programme for various reasons, Dlamini said the bulk of his participants are motivated by his story.

"They are motivated to learn from someone who has navigated the same learning journey as they have."

"They are motivated to learn from someone who has navigated the same learning journey as they have; someone who comes from the same background and who has experienced the same struggles. I believe this resonates with the learners," he said.

Tracking progress

And the concept works. Dlamini said analyses over time indicate that learners have benefited from his initiative and he's been keeping a close eye on their progress. On enrolment, learners are required to present their academic results, which allows him to track their performance over time. A recent survey conducted on 118 learners revealed that the pass rate increased from 94.9% to 98.3% and the average mark improved from 55.3% to 67.6%. He said the number of learners who achieved Level 7 distinctions also increased from seven to 32.

"These results are encouraging and demonstrate meaningful improvement over time. I'm proud of the learners for their commitment to improving their marks and for working this hard," he said.

"Beyond marks, I also measure success through learner engagement, confidence and personal growth. The programme has reinforced my belief that learners are not failing because they are incapable, but because they lack adequate support, which is what I am trying to change with this initiative."

Long-term goal

At this stage, Dlamini said, the programme operates solely online. His goal is to expand it to offer in-person sessions to learners who attend under-resourced schools, starting in Cape Town. The plan is to start with a group of matric learners - offering free, structured in-person classes to help them prepare for their exams.

Long-term, he said, he aims to support learners from Grade 10 to 12 and wants his sessions to cater for both the National Senior Certificate and Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curricular. Further, Dlamini said, collaborating with fellow students at other universities who share his passion is high on his list. In this way, he added, the programme is guaranteed to reach students in all nine provinces.

"We can be the generation that changes their circumstances and achieves great things."

"Nothing gives me more joy than seeing my students do well. This year, two of my former students are studying medicine at UCT. Watching learners gain admission to universities they once thought were beyond their reach is one of the most rewarding aspects of this initiative," Dlamini said.

Ultimately, he hopes to build a pipeline of qualified, successful alumni who come from marginalised communities and who can serve as an inspiration to current learners from resource-constrained schools on what is possible with hard work.

"As a youth, it just resonates with you when someone successful looks like you and shares your background. It motivates you to put in the effort and you actually start realising that the reward will be a far better life - not just for you but for your family and for the family you will build one day. We can be the generation that changes their circumstances and achieves great things."

This article originally appeared on UCT.