Donate Apply for a scholarship
  Back to Meet our alumni
  • Profile
  • Alum
  • Scholar

Kgadi Mathabathe

  • Deputy Director: Academic Development, Department for Education Innovation, University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria
  • University of Pretoria, Science Education
 

Biography

​Kgadi grew up in a rural township in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, South Africa. Upon completing Grade 12 in an under-resourced high school she had to take an additional year to upgrade her mathematics and science subjects at a college in Pretoria where she excelled academically. Her experience as a Science learner taught her that with the right opportunities to quality education increased access to tertiary education can be achieved for students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and thus instilled in her a passion for science education. Kgadi is passionate about raising the aspirations of all students and ensuring that socio-economic background and race do not hinder opportunity. She studied a Master of Sciences (MSc) at the University of Pretoria and a PhD in Science Education also at the University of Pretoria, and now works as a Science Education lecturer at the University.

Greatest Achievement

Being chosen to be part of US President Barack Obama’s flagship programme, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, in 2016 and winning the Chemical Education Medal 2018, awarded by the South African Chemical Institute.

Professional Interests

Pre- and in-service science teacher training, science and chemical education research, professional development of science teachers.