Joanne-Lee Marshall, Head of Marketing at Schroders in South Africa

Only 60% of learners who start school in South Africa pass their final exam. Of those who finish school, about 82% pass but often lack a strong academic foundation. Additionally, 75% of 10-year-old learners cannot read for meaning in any language. Contributing factors to these educational challenges include teacher shortages and limited resources.

“Overcrowded classrooms in township schools, often 30 to 40 learners per class, hinder individual attention and support,” says Joanne-Lee Marshall, Head of Marketing at Schroders in South Africa.  

Against this backdrop, Pridwin Academy has attracted international recognition as the winner of the Schroders Investment Management Global Charity Competition. The Academy was started four years ago and aims to empower young people from under-resourced communities through a holistic education that incorporates technology, innovation, and critical thinking. The pioneering curriculum provides students with vital skills needed for success in the modern workforce.  

The Pridwin Academy after-school initiative operates three times a weekⁱ and currently hosts 31 grade 5 and 6 boys. There are plans to increase capacity in 2026 by adding a class.  Boys with strong academic potential are chosen from several primary schools in the area to attend the after-school programme, where they receive a holistic mixture of learning opportunities from English, math, and technology support to cultural and sporting activities.  

“Pridwin Academy stands as a beacon of possibility, nurturing talent, instilling dignity and unlocking excellence in young boys from Alexandra. Rooted in equity and hope, our mission is more than academic. It's transformational,” says Kerry Stassen, Head of Pridwin Academy.  

Due to its humanitarian cause, and the potential to transform lives, the Pridwin Academy stood out as a top choice for the Schroders’ Global Charity Committee judges who awarded the programme the winning accolade as well as a GBP50 000 donation (approximately R1 131 000). The Schroders Global Charity Competition is now in its seventh year and allows Schroders’ approximately 6 000 employees, across 38 regions, to nominate their favorite charity.  

“Recognition such as this proves that the Pridwin Academy goes beyond academics. It's also about nurturing the talent of boys from disadvantaged backgrounds by exposing them to life skills and experiences that they might not otherwise have had,” says Marshall.  

According to Boikanyo Nhlapo, Pridwin Academy Student, the impact of the programme support is evident in academic grades. “I've improved in mathematics. Because of Pridwin I am excelling to get 100% now.”

According to Marshall, there are significant inequalities that exist in our country with regards to access and resourcing between well-equipped schools and those that are less so. “Through this programme, Pridwin is working hard to narrow this gap by equipping these young boys with the skills and the tools to be able to navigate this world.

“The academy is a powerful reminder to all of us that education is not a privilege to be hoarded, but a gift to be shared,” concludes Stassen.