BY: NOBUHLE LAGAMA ZOZO.
The National Science Week (NSW) 2025 was officially launched on 2 August by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria West Campus.
In collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF), the department introduced this year’s theme: “Science, Technology, and Innovation Are for Everyone.”
The 2025 National Science Week, the largest annual science engagement event in South Africa, successfully kicked off at TUT over the weekend with an exciting announcement of plans to transform and expand this flagship initiative. #NSW2025
Read more here: https://t.co/brTAHBBu4F pic.twitter.com/8DHqzlUfkd
— National Research Foundation of South Africa (@NRF_News) August 4, 2025
The theme encourages the members of the public to engage with science and technology, aiming to make the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields more accessible and inclusive. With support from the media, the department hopes to reach broader audiences, particularly the youth in remote and rural areas, in order to inform, educate, and empower them through exposure to science and innovation.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, urged high school learners to pursue Mathematics and Science, and to explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Innovation (STEMI). He emphasised that this is critical in addressing South Africa’s development and skills needs.
“The majority of young people must be able to access high-quality Mathematics and Science education at foundation level, regardless of which part of the country they are in,” said the Minister. He also highlighted that one of the aims of the National Science Week campaign is to expose and equip the youth with knowledge and skills relevant to the 21st-century workforce, which will also curb the unemployment rate in the country.
Some of the learners from various schools in attendance of the official launch of the 2025 National Science Week @Official_TUT Watch: https://t.co/op5kUpoQka #SAASTA #TUT #NationalScienceWeek #NSW2025 #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/UnKr9olIBo
— DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION (@dstigovza) August 2, 2025
The NSW campaign invites the public, including learners, educators, researchers, scientists, and community members, to continue to participate in a wide range of science-driven activities such as science exhibitions, hands-on demonstrations, and innovation-focused events held at schools, universities, science centres, and other public spaces across South Africa.
