By bringing virtual reality and new ways of experiencing science directly to local classrooms, the University of Pretoria’s Sci-Enza team is showing young learners that bright futures in STEM belong to everyone – no matter their circumstances.
Pretoria, South Africa (26 August 2026) – No child should have to dream small because of where they come from or their family’s income bracket. In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven age, young people shouldn’t be left behind simply because of their background. The University of Pretoria (UP) is ensuring they aren’t.
Through its Sci-Enza Science Centre‘s latest outreach programme, UP is actively bringing immersive STEM experiences to schools in and around Pretoria, especially those with limited access to advanced science facilities and equipment.
A recent visit to TransOranje School for the Deaf saw solar power stations, wind turbines, and even sharks come to life as members from the Sci-Enza Science Centre used virtual reality (VR) to introduce learners to renewable energy and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts.
Manager of Sci-Enza, Puleng Tsie, emphasised that STEM was not something distant or reserved for other people, but rather something every young person should be able to participate in and build a future in.
Tsie said the centre introduced VR to make STEM more accessible and relevant to learners.
“Instead of simply reading about space, engineering or biology in a textbook, pupils can virtually step inside those environments and interact with them,” she said.
During the TransOranje visit, learners used VR headsets to explore solar energy, hydroelectricity and wind turbines. They also entered a virtual underwater environment featuring sharks, combining curriculum-related learning with an experience designed to capture their curiosity.
“They saw how energy is collected and converted into electricity, and how it then gets into our homes,” Tsie shared.
“The VR session gave them the opportunity to see a power plant and its different operations, which they might not get the opportunity to visit physically.”
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The goal of the programme was not just to teach STEM concepts but to spark curiosity and broaden pupils’ aspirations. And because most learners at TransOranje learn better with what they see, the experience went beyond the novelty of VR as the technology complemented the way in which many of the school’s learners engage with information.
For Thabo Magkabo, a learner at TransOranje School for the Deaf, the experience offered a new way of engaging with solar energy.
“It was like a game for me, where we have to see how energy works. And I was very shocked. Thank you so much for this experience. And thank you that we deaf kids are able to experience this. Thank you,” the inspired learner said.
The TransOranje visit is one of a number of school engagements planned through the programme. Sci-Enza is working with Natural Sciences and Technology District Coordinators from the Department of Basic Education’s Tshwane South District to reach schools in and around Pretoria.
Sources: University of Pretoria
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