2026's new STEM support programmes for SA high schoolers

A handful of real, currently-running initiatives are trying to catch struggling Maths and Science learners earlier, before Grade 12. Here's what's actually happening.

Published 14 August 2026

Alongside the concerning Maths pass-rate trend, several real programmes launched or expanded in 2026 specifically to intervene earlier, in Grade 10 and 11, rather than waiting until the final matric push. None of these are ExamAce initiatives; they're independent, and worth knowing about regardless of what a learner uses day to day.

The Primestars eduCate Maths & Science Revision Programme

Supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), this programme officially expanded its reach in 2026 to include Grade 10 and Grade 11 learners, not just Grade 12. The stated goal is to catch learners before they disengage from Mathematics and Physical Sciences, rather than only intervening once matric is already underway.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa's R6 million Promaths partnership

Mercedes-Benz South Africa partnered with the Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science & Technology to expand the Promaths Programme in KuGompo, Eastern Cape, investing R6 million to benefit selected Grade 10 and 11 learners across 18 feeder schools.

STEM Africa 2.0

Junior Achievement Africa and the ExxonMobil Foundation launched STEM Africa 2.0, which integrates AI-assisted learning pathways and aims to reach 4,000 additional students aged 14 to 17 across the continent with digital-economy-relevant STEM skills.

What this means if you're not in one of these programmes

These initiatives are genuinely valuable, but they reach a limited number of schools and learners by design, funding and capacity constraints mean that. If a learner isn't at a participating school, the same early-intervention principle, catching a struggling topic in Grade 10 or 11 rather than waiting for matric, still applies, and doesn't require being selected into a programme.