New schools
PEP Academy is thrilled to welcome our three new schools to what has been a packed 2025 calendar so far. Congratulations to these teams for coming on board with such a can-do spirit. Welcome to the team!
Learners at Yellowwod enacting a story; Mayibuye learners enjoying their new literacy books a visit to welcome Team Unity.
PEP Academy Empowered
Thanks to all our dynamos for attending our 2025 PEP Academy Empowered conferences across our regions.
It was a celebration of what we have achieved, and a reminder that we do this work to develop learners who are confident, independent with a positive attitude to learning. We aim to create academies where every person is empowered to help achieve this vision for each and every child:
Imagine the child who, rather than putting up her hand to ask for help, reflects first, reverts to a method she has been taught, and works out the answer for herself.
That’s what we mean by Empowered!
These learners are empowered to read at Dr BW Vilakazi; and these learners from Welwitschia to work with a number line.
At the conference we looked at the teachings of the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. You can read about the habits at this link. Using an analogy of the Big Rocks, the third habit is to “put first things first” and across the regions we worked in groups to determine the three Big Rocks of a PEP Academy classroom.
Principals and PEP dynamos turned up in yellow and blue for the Gauteng conference ; blue, white and fun with balloons was the name of the game at the Western Cape conference.
The Big Rocks of a PEP Academy Classroom
In summarising the common points across the groups, this would be the Big Rocks that we aspire to in any PEP Academy classroom:
- It’s starts with the positive attitude of the teacher who is well prepared and equipped with good subject knowledge, the ability to make the best use of available resources and with teaching tools and strategies that promote fluency in number and reading with understanding.
- The teacher creates a fun and interactive learning environment that learners look forward to attending and where every child has a chance to be be heard, to be seen and to lead. It’s a loving space that includes games and opportunities for both individual and collaborative learning.
- It’s a well-governed classroom, where rights, responsibilities and expectations are understood and respected and where learners accept responsibility for their own learning.
Let’s work together to make this a reality in each and every PEP Academy classroom!
KZN dynamos showed up in black and traditional style; denim and bright marked the occasion in Free State.
Loyalty Awards
Congratulations to our PEP Academy learners for excellent attendace in the first term. Their efforts were recognised at the recent loylaty awards. We have heard from learners who went to their nearest PEP to buy school skirts, shirts, trousers and socks as well as stationery and notebooks. These are well deserved!
PEP dynamos were invited to the celebration at Enkukwini; learners celebrate their vouchers at Inxiweni
While it is important for us to record excellent learner attendance, what is even more important is that academy managers are capturing accurate attendance. We can then support each academy based on a true picture and also allocate vouchers accurately.
18 years and counting for PEP Academy!
Members of the boards of PEP and PEP Foundation recently visited Zimasa to see a PEP Academy in action. The grade 4s were adding and subtracting along a number line, while the grade 5s were reading a story that will prepare them to vote one day. This was a research visit as the funder looks back at its long history with PEP Academy, while also planning for the future. We thank this team for their visit and for their belief in us over so many years. Thank you also to Team Zimasa: to principal Fezile Mguqulwa and Academy Manager Cindy Simelela for their gracious hosting of our guests, and to the team of 12 teachers and 1980 learners for the great energy that we witnessed in the classrooms.
Viva PEP Academy Viva!
The PEP team at Zimasa and PEP CEO Stefan Voges looks on as this child shows the ID card that she needs to vote.
Be a winner with the PEP Prep Course!
Congratulations go to Busisiwe Mnisi from Esithebeni and Mfanafuthi Mdletshe from Inxiweni who won the lucky draw for completing module 1 of the PEP Prep course, and to Mbuthu Buyisile from Thembeni and Bongumusa Hayward from Esithebeni who won the lucky draw for completing module 2 of the PEP Prep course. We hope you enjoyed your KFC!
We encourage all teachers to use the PEP Prep course to help you prepare for your maths sessions – it’s designed to help get you ready for your class efficiently and allow you to walk into the session confident! We’ve been seeing some fabulous lessons from teachers who use the course regularly. Plus we’ll have a KFC lucky draw for every module with the possibility of a grand prize of tablet at the end of the year!
A Message from Halala!
The PEP Academy teachers are committed to improving their learners’ English skills, particularly in reading and writing. They bring their own innovative and thoughtful ideas to the lessons whilst working hard to deliver the core literacy programme.
We find evidence of their efforts and the learners’ progress every time we visit the Academies, and we look forward to seeing this go from strength to strength as the year continues. Halala, teachers and Academy Managers, halala!
At PEP Academy, learners are encouraged to read for pleasure and for information. This is an important skill to develop in the intermediate phase. This year we learned about South Africa, as can be seen on this teacher’s board at Welwitschia. We also learned about careers. This PEP student at Zimasa wants to be a doctor.
