Trialogue, a responsible business consultancy, has conferred its annual Strategic CSI Award on Investec, for its support of Promaths. The programme provides extra maths and science tuition for black learners in grades 10 to 12 at under-resourced schools who show potential to produce results that will enable them to gain entry into scarce skills studies and careers, access funding for tertiary studies and, ultimately, become active economic participants.
Founded in 2005, Promaths is a partnership between Investec, Kutlwanong Maths, Science and Technology Centre, and the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Kutlwanong runs 16 Promaths centres in townships and rural communities in six provinces and is responsible for the recruitment of maths and science teachers and learners who show potential in these subjects; teacher development, including workshops and weekly subject meetings for more than 2 000 teachers; monitoring and evaluation; and assisting learners with career planning. The DBE recommends feeder schools in each of the districts where the programme operates.
Investec’s support of the programme helped the company receive the full five points for socio-economic development on the BBBEE Scorecard, contributing to its Level 1 BBBEE rating in 2019. Research shows that the type of employees that the company wants to attract are drawn to businesses that give back to the communities in which they operate, and Investec believes that its commitment to the success of Promaths helps to demonstrate its commitment to the progress of our society. By investing in the success of scarce skills learners, Investec is also ensuring a pipeline of potential employees and clients.
“Investec funds nine Promaths centres in six provinces and, since the programme’s inception, the company has funded around 7 500 participating learners,” said CSI consultant, Mahlatse Nicolas Mmako, who accepted the award at an event held at Constitution Hill on 27 November.
In 2018 alone, Investec funded 3 960 Promaths learners from 379 schools, 1 176 of whom wrote matric maths and 1 173 of whom wrote matric science exams. Matric results showed substantial improvements among learners compared to when they first joined the programme in grade 10, in 2016. The Promaths matric cohort’s pass rate in both maths and science in 2018 was 99% – up from 77% in maths and 83% in science in 2016. Promaths learners, including those from non-Investec-funded centres, contributed approximately 7% of the country’s matric distinctions in maths and science.
