Two pupils from Bona Comprehensive School in Orlando East, Soweto, have defied the odds by dramatically improving their mathematics and physical science results.
The duo moved from academic struggle to top performance after joining the MathU Society programme.
Thabani Khumalo, now an A-student in mathematics, recalls a time when he was far from excelling in the subject.
“In Grade 10, I was not a top student in my class, and I did not take my schoolwork seriously,” he said.
“Coming to the other side was not an easy journey because I come from a community where failure is common, and I also began to accept it.”
At one point, Khumalo’s mathematics mark dropped to as low as 15%.
His academic path changed in Grade 11 when he was introduced to MathU Society, a non-profit organisation supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in mathematics and physical science.
“After joining MathU, I pushed myself to work harder, and I started operating at levels 5 and 6. I moved from 15% to 86%, and once I experienced what it feels like to be a top achiever, I stayed there.”
Khumalo said MathU’s digital learning resources helped him understand concepts that previously seemed impossible.
“MathU provided us with devices that covered every topic we studied. I am a visual learner, so the videos helped me a lot. It was as though I had a teacher at home because on the app, they explain the theory clearly and show step by step how to solve problems.”
Another pupil from the same school, Olona Mcetywa, also saw remarkable improvement after using the programme.
Mcetywa achieved 97% in mathematics.
“Having access to learning resources from home and getting help while practising made a big difference. When the teachers were not around, I had the app. I wanted to push myself beyond what I thought I could do, and it worked.”
Mcetywa believes academic success begins with a change in mindset.
“Learners need to believe that it is possible. If you commit, stay disciplined and use tools like MathU, you can achieve your goals.”
Meanwhile, Arnold Griesl, operations leader at MathU Society, said the organisation was established to support pupils in under-resourced communities.
Through its MathU mobile application, pupils can ask questions, seek assistance, practise and get detailed explanations in multiple languages.
“If a learner does not understand a topic, they can pause the explanation and ask in a way that will make them better understand, in a language that they prefer. We cater for learners from Grade 7 to Grade 12,” he said.
He further stated that they have helped improve the mathematics, as only 34% of matric candidates enrolled for the subject in 2025.
“For almost a decade, MathU Society has focused on improving mathematics and physical science outcomes for disadvantaged learners.
“Among learners supported by MathU, 16.7% achieve mathematics distinctions, which is more than nine times the national average.”
However, Griesl noted that access to affordable data remains a challenge.
“Although 96% of South African households have access to a mobile phone, many learners still cannot afford data.
“An estimated 4.2-million learners in rural communities cannot regularly access mobile data, limiting their educational opportunities.
“This is where we need the telecommunications providers to assist by making MathU society an offline app for those who cannot afford data to access education,” he added.
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