Paul de Wet’s 30-year dedication to teaching mathematics wasn’t just a career. It was a calling. His passion ignited the creation of the Shaya Izibalo Maths Institute (SIMI), a beacon of hope for students in disadvantaged communities.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (06 February 2025) – After dedicating 30 years of his career to teaching mathematics, Paul de Wet felt a strong urge to make a greater impact. He wanted to reach and improve the lives of more learners in disadvantaged communities who needed the kind of skills and education he had provided in better-funded schools throughout the years.
With the belief that a decent mathematics education should be a right for all, Paul -an exceptional mathematics teacher and national examiner- developed Shaya Izibalo Maths Institute (SIMI).
SIMI has created write-in workbooks for Grades 8 and 12 this year, with the other grades to follow. These have proved to be valuable resources in the teaching of mathematics in schools where students need it the most.
The lessons are accompanied by online educational and interactive video tutorials based on every single page of the workbook, thereby offering virtual lessons. These videos go a long way in supporting disadvantaged schools that don’t have a maths teacher for each grade.
These workbooks have been supplied to the learners and various KZN schools free of charge, thanks to the generous donors and sponsorships received from businesses and people who want to see our country succeed.
“At SIMI we believe that maths makes sense. One of our audacious goals is to reduce poverty in South Africa by creating greater opportunities for our youth and the way in which we are trying to tackle that particular problem is by equipping them with decent mathematical skills,” explains a passionate Paul.
For post-high school graduate Thandeka Mdlalose, the SIMI learning materials proved transformative. It deepened her understanding of mathematical concepts and honed her time management skills, leading to significantly improved academic results compared to her earlier grades. Starting in Grade 10, she benefited from the SIMI program through matric in 2024. Now, with a strong foundation in mathematics, she’s setting her sights even higher, pursuing her dream of becoming a pilot.
Paul hopes to expand SIMI’s reach to more grades and schools in the province and beyond, allowing more young people to reap the great benefits that mathematics education has to offer.
To learn more about SIMI, visit www.simi.education
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I have worked with Paul de Wet. His teaching is outstanding because he teaches for UNDERSTANDING. and not just performance. Far too many of our learners are taught mathematics in a parrot like “follow the rules” method. The result is that many learners hate maths and do not take it for Grade 12. Paul is to be congratulated for his incredible initiative.