Young innovators from Tembisa West excel in Samsung STEM competition

Tembisa West Secondary School made the community proud by reaching the top 10 of the 2025 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition.

The programme encourages learners to use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to solve real problems affecting schools and communities.

This year’s theme, Infrastructure and Safety, asked learners to develop ideas to make schools and communities safer and stronger.

Tembisa West focused on energy efficiency. Their project, called Green Jarvis, explores safe and eco-friendly means of producing electricity, particularly during load-shedding when learning is disrupted.

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The teachers leading the project, Mrs Maluleka, Mr Motaung, and Mr Maluleka, said entering the competition reflected the school’s commitment to preparing learners for the future by tackling real-life problems.

“Achieving a place among the top 10 schools is a significant milestone,” said Maluleka.

“It has boosted our learners’ confidence and positioned the school as a beacon of forward-thinking and academic excellence in the community.”

The learners are receiving mentorship from industry professionals and STEM specialists, including guidance from Khongelani.

“This support has been crucial in refining their project, improving their technical understanding and showing them how their ideas can be applied in real life,” Maluleka said.

She said the competition had transformed the school’s approach to STEM education.

“It has shown us the value of problem-based learning and how it can ignite curiosity and meaningful engagement,” she said.

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Looking ahead, Tembisa West Secondary plans to establish an innovation hub to give learners space and resources to continue their projects even after the competition ends.

“We want to foster a culture of continuous innovation and strengthen ties with local partners to support future learner development,” Maluleka added.

She believes the competition also raised the school’s profile in the community.

“Tembisa West Secondary is increasingly recognised as a centre of innovation and academic initiative, a place where learners are encouraged to think critically and contribute meaningfully to societal challenges,” she said.

The learners said they chose the energy efficiency project because it directly affected their education.

“Our school struggles with saving energy, especially during load-shedding, which disrupts our learning. We wanted a solution that would make energy use more sustainable and reliable,” the learners said.

They believe the project will benefit the school and the community.

“Our project does not use materials that harm the environment, and it introduces innovative resources that have never been applied in our community. This promotes sustainability while bringing eco-friendly technology to schools and households,” the learners said.

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The experience has also broadened the learners’ career perspectives.

“This competition has opened my eyes to new ways of producing electricity. I gained skills I never had before, and it showed me I could pursue careers in science and technology.

“While I still plan to follow my main career, I now know I can also innovate and contribute to solving problems in my community,” one learner said.

With support from teachers, mentorship from industry experts and their determination, Tembisa West Secondary learners are preparing to showcase their prototype in the national finals later this year.

The school said it is ready to make Thembisa proud again, carrying forward a spirit of innovation, responsibility and community-driven problem solving.