In 2024, the University of Cape Town reaffirmed its strong commitment to educational outreach beyond the campus, working in partnership with schools, community organisations, and local development initiatives. Through a wide range of programmes led by academic departments, student societies, and dedicated outreach units, UCT engaged directly with communities to promote equitable access to education and nurture a culture of lifelong learning. These initiatives—guided by UCT’s Vision 2030 and its core values of social responsiveness and inclusivity—reflect the university’s ongoing effort to use knowledge, research, and volunteerism to address community needs and advance educational opportunity across South Africa.

UCT-in-Eden Schools Development Programme

UCT’s Schools Development Unit works with primary & secondary schools in the Southern Cape (initially in ~26 schools in Oudtshoorn, Knysna, George/Thembalethu; in 2024 focusing on 6 schools in Thembalethu). The programme includes professional development workshops for teachers (in Mathematics, Natural Sciences, English First Additional Language), additional tuition for selected learners, career guidance, and helping with tertiary application processes (such as preparing for National Benchmark Tests). Also runs off-campus iteration of the UCT Mathematics Competition.

UCT Schools Development Unit (SDU): Education for Sustainability

Over the past decade the Schools Development Unit (SDU) has been involved in various Education for Sustainability (EfS) initiatives on a national, regional and international level.

In line with the UNESCO Global Action Programme and in response to the Sustainable Development Goals, the main focus has been the integration of EfS into mainstream education.

This is achieved by the development of exciting new digital resources for schools and the concomitant teacher professional development programmes. Current interventions include the development of Moodle-based blended learning resources for Intermediate Phase (IP) in-service and pre-service teachers. These resources provide educators with the EfS tools and e-learning strategies to enhance their teaching and learning. Each interactive module has a strong focus on the development of transversal skills and transformative environmental learning. (See the SDU TSEEP project).

SDU is part of a collaborative multi-disciplinary EfS teacher education programme in South Africa through the Fundisa for Change programme. Collaborating with Fundisa, the SDU offers courses in the Social Sciences, Geography, Life Sciences and Natural Sciences throughout South Africa (see SDU Fundisa) .

At a regional level SDU has ties with the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) on Sustainability starts with teachers project which has been instrumental in supporting EfS change projects in Higher Education Institutes in South Africa.

SDU actively engages with educational researchers and has presented research at EEASA. 

SDU also partners with ESDInnovate, an international collaboration which fosters collaboration between and among teacher educators from different countries and their students/teachers. This programme’s goal is to establish an intellectual dialogue on the response of teacher education to the Sustainable Development Goals and, at the same time, sharing local and global experiences. In 2018 an eLearning conference was hosted by ESDInnovate in Collaboration with the International Network of Teacher Education Institutions and Kappa Delt Phi in Indianapolis.

SHAWCO (Students’ Health & Welfare Centres Organisation)

SHAWCO education & health clinics

Paediatric clinic in Hout Bay (May 2024) — SHAWCO Health ran a paediatric clinic using Sentinel Primary School as the base on 11 May 2024 (clinical services, health education to community children and caregivers).

Ongoing SHAWCO projects & weekday clinics (2024) — SHAWCO’s project pages describe regular community clinics, health promotion and education activities across Cape Flats communities (Khayelitsha, Hout Bay, Masiphumelele, Kensington, etc.). These clinics combine primary care with health education outreach.

TB/HIV workshop activity (2024) — SHAWCO Health social posts in 2024 show TB/HIV-focused workshops and preparation for TB workshops (e.g., Aug 2024 TB workshop posts). These reflect SHAWCO’s community health-education efforts on TB/HIV in 2024.

SHAWCO Education: School / Community-Partnership Programmes

SHAWCO Law (Law Literacy)

UCT Law students run this programme in high schools (grades 8 and 9) in under-resourced areas (Khayelitsha and Manenberg). They teach a weekly curriculum (free) about legal rights, the Constitution, responsibilities, civic engagement, etc. It is designed to empower learners by making legal concepts accessible. This is a direct school partnership with two schools in Khayelitsha and Manenberg.

Digital Literacy Programme

Provides digital literacy training to high school learners. Helps to bridge the “digital divide” for learners in under-resourced schools / communities. This programme is offered for free within high schools / community locations where learners come from underserved communities.

i-Matter Programme

An 8-week cognitive-behavioural, violence prevention programme run in high schools. It includes mentorship, psychosocial education, self-awareness etc.

Sisterhood Unite

A programme targeting female high school learners. It focuses on empowerment, risk mitigation, building internal protective resources, enhancing resilience etc

Violence Prevention & Mentorship Project

SHAWCO works with several schools (Bulumko High School, Itlanganiso Secondary in Khayelitsha, Kensington High School, Imkava Youth in Gugulethu) to deliver mentorship, mental health, violence prevention workshops and related support

Career Day (with learners SHAWCO has worked with)

Once per year, SHAWCO invites all learners with whom they have worked to UCT for a Career Day. Learners from the high schools they support are exposed to tertiary education, different career paths etc.

Reading Programme

This SHAWCO programme is designed to encourage reading among learners in places like Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay; making reading enjoyable and promoting literacy.

Mom and baby clinic

Held at Sentinel Primary School in March 2024, this mom & baby clinic includes SHAWCO’s involvement, showing active community engagement in primary health and education/opportunity for learners/children to participate in developmental and wellness programmes.