UCT recently held its annual Saturday Summer School series of lectures for high school learners in the 100UP program. Since its inception in 2011 UCT’s 100UP program, run through the Schools Development Unit, has seen 619 learners from Khayelitsha, Philippi and Mitchells Plain graduate.  The 100UP program came into being to address the relatively few black students from disadvantaged areas enrolling at UCT.  On a recent visit to UCT’s international development officers witnessed the success of this program.  As explained by a 100UP graduate, now a postgraduate student, “… there is no glory to be found in the townships … 100UP became our saviour, exposed us to a wider world and its possibilities.  Before 100UP we couldn’t visualise our future.”

100UP is a Schools Improvement Initiative within the Schools Development Unit, part of UCT’s key strategic priorities to develop strong university-community-school initiatives for the purpose of whole-school improvement.

Read more about the successes of the Schools Improvement Initiative, and the 100UP program by clicking through the links. These programs rely heavily on donor support, and we acknowledge Canadian alumni support with sincere thanks.

Read more about The Big Bang and mind-blowing phenomena introduced at the Saturday Summer School.

Photo credit to Lerato Maduna, UCT