Stellenbosch University launches online platform to help school pupils and teachers

Cape Town - Stellenbosch University (SU) recently launched the SU Advantage, an imaginative online learning and teaching solution.

The primary focus is to support high school pupils in Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 and teachers across the country and the SU Advantage will cover 11 subjects including English home language and English first additional language.

It also includes topic-based assessments and quizzes, memo-based reconciliation, in-depth live lessons, online workshops and past papers and many more, which is provided in English.

The director of the Stellenbosch University Centre for Pedagogy (SUNCEP), Benedict Khoboli, said most pupils in South Africa feel that they are not getting enough individual attention in classrooms, according to research.

“This is due to ever-growing pressure on teachers and the public education system as a whole. As such, our aim is to address this problem head-on by giving learners access to high-quality, effective additional tuition.

“The benefit for pupils is that they get access to additional resources they need to fully comprehend that which is taught in class. Ultimately, this translates into them having a better chance of increasing their academic performance. In turn this leads to pupils having an increased opportunity for upward economic mobility, seeing as their chances of getting accepted into tertiary institutions are higher.

“For teachers, the benefit is that SU Advantage is created to support that which is taught in class. As such, the pressure on teachers is alleviated. They can also incorporate SU Advantage into their teaching strategies, seeing as the learning content it boasts is in line with national teaching plans as well as the Caps curriculum,” he said.

Khoboli said SU, as a leading academic institution in South Africa, wanted to ensure the betterment of basic education in the country.

“SU Advantage is one of the ways in which SU wants to empower the youth of South Africa so that they cannot just succeed in school, but also in their further studies and future careers.

“SU Advantage is very much dynamic and ever-evolving. We are continuously adding new features to the platform to increase the value it brings to the learning process. Pupils can expect regular updates and new tools, all of which are geared towards helping them succeed,” he added.

The social justice chair at SU’s law faculty, Thuli Madonsela, said: “Many young pupils can now access education. SU Advantage is one of many building blocks in solving the economic educational inequalities.”

The SU Advantage can be accessed from any smart device. To subscribe, parents, teachers and pupils can visit: www.suadvantage.co.za

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