UCT Chemistry Joins Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School’s Enrichment Programme

On Wednesday, 25 June 2025, the UCT Chemistry Department was invited to take part in the Grade 5 Enrichment Programme at Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School.

The session was planned by Ms. Laa-iqa Rylands in consultation with Mrs. Claire Lawrence-Naidoo, and delivered by Ms. Rylands alongside enthusiastic postgraduate students, Justin Powell and Tara Davids. The team was warmly welcomed by Mrs Gill Gildenhuys and the Grade 5 teachers as well as the learners, who brought great energy and curiosity to the session.

While UCT Chemistry’s outreach efforts typically focus on under-resourced schools, opportunities like this allow the department to engage a broader audience and share the excitement of science with young learners from all backgrounds. The Rustenburg team’s generous support of our Outreach Fund also helps extend the reach of our work into communities where resources are limited.

In their feedback, the school’s Grade 5 Enrichment Team wrote:

“The girls were so thrilled to have the experience and loved seeing the Science ‘Magic’. All your thorough preparation was so evident and the sessions flowed so smoothly. It is wonderful to have people share their passion with our learners, and I am sure that this will be the start of future scientists.”

We thank the Rustenburg Girls Junior School staff and learners for their engagement, and look forward to future collaborations that continue to inspire curiosity and a love for science.