Thungela has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Educational Psychology Department. As part of this collaboration, the Department will deploy master’s students to schools to offer psychosocial support to both educators and learners in the foundation and intermediate phases.
Thungela launched the education initiative in 2024, a five-year program aimed at improving the quality of education for Grade R to Grade Four learners in 45 no-fee schools in the Nkangala and Gert Sibande districts. The program focuses on school readiness, literacy, and numeracy outcomes.
Mpumi Sithole, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs at Thungela, said the MoA recognises that educational performance is shaped not only by resources but also by the psychological and emotional well-being of learners and educators. She said the partnership equips schools with professional support to respond to the realities they face and strengthens the impact of the Thungela Education Initiative.
The partnership is also mutually beneficial, giving master’s students practical experience as they conduct learner assessments and remedial interventions under the supervision of district educational psychologists. This will reduce the workload of district psychologists while helping students complete the practical components of their training.
Through this agreement, UP is supporting the Department of Basic Education’s screening, identification, assessment and support (SIAS) policy. Professor Mampane of UP said the partnership is an example of how academia, government, and the private sector can work together to make a meaningful difference. By bridging theory and practice, the initiative empowers students, supports learners, and fosters resilience and life skills.
Thungela will fund and manage the program, with oversight provided by a management committee to ensure stakeholder engagement and ethical governance. This initiative reflects Thungela’s purpose of responsibly creating value together for a shared future by investing in resilient communities through meaningful interventions.
