Mobile science laboratories improve scientific outcomes in South Africa

Ndlovu, like thousands of other South African schoolchildren, suffered from the shortage of science laboratories in most public schools in the country. This infrastructure gap explains why national examination pass rates have remained virtually unchanged over many years, despite the government making improving scientific results a priority.

Government priorities and slow progress

The South African Department of Basic Education has set a goal to improve national results in mathematics and natural sciences. The aim of this initiative is to address the shortage of technical and scientific personnel in the economy, but progress is slow. For example, the results of the 2025 natural science final exams only increased slightly, from 76% to 77%, even with an increase in the number of students enrolled in the subject. Meanwhile, results in mathematics, a key subject for admission to science and engineering fields, declined during the same period.

The impact of practical lessons on students

Ndlovu's classmate, Zamalubi Sepholoko, noted that practical work changed her view of the future. She said that science is perceived differently when one can observe reactions and use equipment oneself, which makes lessons more interesting and motivates her to become a laboratory technician.

Abenati Mkhize, a student from the Western Cape, also emphasized that practical lessons changed many students' approach to the subject. Instead of just memorizing theory, they can verify their knowledge, which contributes to improved understanding and results.

Infrastructure deficit in the country

According to the Department of Basic Education, there is a serious infrastructure gap: only about one in five public schools is equipped with a science laboratory, and approximately three-quarters of schools lack a library. The situation is particularly severe in poor provinces such as Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. Government estimates suggest that the cost to fix these infrastructure gaps nationwide amounts to tens of billions of rand.

Despite the increase in enrollment in natural sciences, the small national increase in natural science results occurred against a backdrop of rising enrollment. The Minister of Basic Education of South Africa, Sivive Govube, pointed out that the country is seeing an increase in students without a corresponding improvement in educational quality.

The role of teachers and mobile solutions

Teachers note that access to laboratory equipment has a significant impact. Velele Njobhe, a science teacher at Pine Ridge Combined School, believes that resources transform the learning process. She argues that practical work allows students to connect theory with real-life examples, leading to greater engagement, better questions, and increased self-confidence. Access to a laboratory gives them the opportunity to acquire skills necessary for studying the natural sciences.

The principal of Simanyene High School, Ms. Gxagxama, also observed a similar shift after the installation of a mobile laboratory in 2018. She recounted that after receiving a donated mobile laboratory, students were able to conduct practical lessons, and the school, which previously had a non-functional lab and expired chemicals, now receives chemicals annually from Kusile Labs, leading to a gradual improvement in the school's results.

At Simanyene High School, natural science results underwent significant changes: the pass rate increased from 37.5% in 2020 to 65.3% in 2021, then exceeded 95% in 2022, and reached 100% in 2025. Pine Ridge Combined School shows a similar trend, demonstrating stable growth in natural science performance since 2022.

How laboratories are deployed

The laboratories in both schools were created by Kusile Labs & Technology. This South African company develops modular and mobile units for schools that cannot afford or do not have space for traditional laboratories. According to co-founder Pamela Maseko, the company does not decide which schools benefit from the projects, as this decision is made by corporate sponsors providing the funding.

A school without space for construction receives a mobile laboratory that can be moved between classrooms. A school with available land can receive a modular unit assembled on-site from prefabricated parts. Maseko explained that this process takes only a few weeks compared to the approximately three years required to build a traditional laboratory. She added that the modular design does not always require all the regulatory frameworks that often take a long time to implement and comply with.

Kusile Labs also hires youth from local communities where the labs are being built, training them to work alongside their own staff during installation. This helps reduce unemployment in a country where, according to Statistics South Africa, unemployment among 15-24 year olds reached 60.9% in the first quarter of 2026.

A broader challenge

Simanyene and Pine Ridge Schools are just examples of a much wider problem. Five decades after the Soweto Uprising, access to quality science education remains unattainable for millions of South African students. However, for students like Ndlovu, Sepholoko, and Mkhize, the situation is beginning to change as they can now conduct experiments themselves instead of just reading about them.