On 31 January 2025, an awards ceremony took place in Johannesburg. It may not have been a glitzy affair with A-list celebrities, but it held huge significance. A group of 11 young women were being recognised for their outstanding results in matric STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

The Girls in STEM programme, launched in 2021 by Melisizwe Computer Lab Project in partnership with digital transformation specialist e4, is designed to equip young women with the knowledge and confidence to excel in technology-driven fields. From Grade 9 to 11, students attend Saturday classes, which become virtual in matric.

Over the past four years, the programme – which includes a mentorship aspect – has created opportunities that would otherwise be unattainable, helping learners reach their true potential. That success was on full display at the ceremony, which celebrated the fact that 100% of the initiative’s matric cohort passed their exams, with many securing bursaries and university placements in STEM disciplines.

This achievement carries even more weight when you consider that the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report indicates that women make up only 35% of STEM graduates worldwide, while in the Global South, the percentage is only 30%. The report emphasises the need for targeted, gender-responsive STEM education and mentorship programmes. This is where companies such as e4, which are part of a growing number of corporates investing in programmes aimed at strengthening STEM education in SA, can make a meaningful difference.

While mathematics and science are considered gateway subjects that open the door for learners to careers in STEM/ICT, employment opportunities, interest and pass rates in these subjects have continuously been regarded as an area of concern. The matric class of 2025 may have achieved the highest pass rate in the history of the National Senior Certificate exams, at 88%, but mathematics performance declined. The maths pass rate dropped from 69% in 2024 to 64% in 2025 – a 5.1% decline – while physical science was up only slightly, from 76% to 77%.

When discussing the results, Parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education highlighted the need for a concerted effort to address the poor uptake and performance in STEM subjects. ‘The low uptake and throughput in STEM subjects continue to limit the country’s drive towards economic growth, technological development and global competitiveness,’ said portfolio committee chairperson Joy Maimela.

‘Fewer learners choose mathematics, and this costs South Africa dearly. It also has serious long-term consequences for economic growth,’ Professor Linda du Plessis, senior deputy vice-chancellor at North-West University, told IOL. She noted that in 2024, only 6.3% of the matric cohort achieved a quality pass in the subject. ‘This places the future of STEM careers under severe pressure.’

Du Plessis added that the decline couldbe attributed to weak foundation skills and limited support in overcrowded classrooms, and that by the time mathematics becomes optional, many learners abandon it because it feels safer. ‘In 2025, 464 public schools did not offer mathematics at all […]; the system continues to deprive learners of future opportunities,’ she said.

This is where the corporate sector has increasingly stepped in. According to the 2025 Trialogue Business Handbook, education was supported by 91% of companies and received 44% of average CSI expenditure.

Within the education category, maths and science received the largest share of funding. On average, companies allocated the highest percentage of their CSI education budgets (31%) to maths and science, up from 24% in 2024. They returned to being the most-funded subjects, consistent with survey results for more than a decade, except for 2023 when non-subject-specific funding topped the list.

Determined to play a role in helping the country overcome its education challenges – particularly in STEM subjects – Investec launched the Promaths programme in 2005 in partnership with the Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science and Technology and the Department of Basic Education. The initiative was designed to drive excellence in maths and science among high-potential students.

In the first year, Promaths achieved only three distinctions from 100 matric learners, when they were expecting 15. But rather than shutting up shop, it expanded. ‘The band-aid approach, starting so late in the academic life of learners, forced us to relook at our expectations,’ according to Investec’s CSI head, Setlogane Manchidi. The programme changed to a three-year model covering Grades 10–12.

While Investec still funds 10 centres, an additional nine centres are funded by partners, including the Free State Department of Education, financial services company Liberty and miner Harmony. Investec’s funding supports about 5 000 learners annually, while the broader network reaches around 8 000 students. Promaths learners consistently achieve 90% bachelor passes and the programme accounts for 7% of SA’s annual maths and 8% of science distinctions, a remarkable proportion given that Promaths participants make up less than 1% of the national cohort.

To date, 28 405 learners have passed through the programme. Ntando Zuma is one of those graduates – he joined Promaths in Grade 12 after struggling with maths and needing to excel in the subject to qualify for a university bursary as his family couldn’t afford the fees. He went on to earn a double major in economics and statistics, with an honours degree in economics, and now works at Investec in the UK savings team. ‘My story is not only for the top achievers,’ says Zuma, ‘I got as low as 3% on my maths in school. So even that person who gets 3% can get 90%. It takes a lot of hard work, but it’s possible. Wherever someone is – at one stage I was unemployed – you can find a way.’

The Girls in STEM programme also has many success stories to share, including the 2024 top achievers – Talitha Moosa, with 95% in physical sciences and 96% in maths; Mbali Shata, who earned distinctions in maths and physical science and secured a bursary to study medicine at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Limpopo; and Aisha Patel, who received offers from universities of Cape Town and Johannesburg for computer science.

Candice Kern-Thomas, CEO of Melisizwe, says the programme is about more than academic achievement. ‘These young women are not just excelling academically – they are breaking barriers in an industry where female representation is still lacking. Their success is proof that with the right support, talent and determination can thrive.’

Along with funding, e4 has provided mentorship, career exposure and guidance throughout the students’ high school careers. Phylla Jele, e4’s human resources and transformation executive, says the programme is not about charity, ‘it’s about building the future of the tech industry in South Africa. We believe that empowering young women in STEM is a corporate and a national responsibility. These young minds are the innovators, problem-solvers and leaders who will drive our economy forward’.

These programmes and initiatives are about so much more than simply helping learners pass subjects at school. By investing in maths and science education, companies are also contributing to SA’s long-term economic growth – ensuring that young women such as those who proudly displayed their certificates in Johannesburg are able to build futures filled with promise and success.

By Phillipa Byron
Image: iStock