STEM learners recognised with awards day
The learners from the class of 2025 had a spotlight shone on them at a special STEM awards day with Illovo Sugar South Africa.
ILLOVO Sugar South Africa shone a spotlight on the top performing matric learners in KZN who excelled through the company’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Schools Programme recently. The celebration forms part of the company’s initiative to support young people and invest in the communities they operate, including Merebank.
Also read: KZN Sanase recognises special schools and top learners
Aligned with its aims to improve the community, the company chose five schools near its facilities, encouraging learners to study science-related subjects and seek technical careers within the company.
The combined schools achieved an overall pass rate of 92.3% in the 2025 National Senior Certificate exams. The event featured a speech by Andiswa Ngcobo, an Illovo scholarship recipient from 2022, who is completing her third year of a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at UKZN.
“I’m grateful to Illovo Sugar for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams. When I complete my studies, I hope to find gainful employment within the company,” shared Andiswa.
Illovo Sugar South Africa added that five graduating seniors from its adopted schools have received scholarships to study STEM-related subjects at the university level.
Lindiwe Khuzwayo, head of corporate affairs at Illovo, said that education is still a key focus for the company.
“As a business, we truly value education since many of the roles within the company require technical know-how. Thus, we have a vested interest in culturing a solid academic foundation for the youth, cementing a launchpad for future success. Once the learners complete their studies, we hope that our bursary beneficiaries will come back to us to pursue their careers,” said Khuzwayo.
Through a STEM Schools Programme like this, it shows the importance of collaboration between businesses and the community.
For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
