PRESS RELEASE
South Africa’s first pilot Astronomy Olympiad brings together young astronomy talent from all nine provinces
Cape Town, 2 October 2026
Thirty young astronomy enthusiasts from all nine provinces of South Africa have completed the country’s inaugural pilot Astronomy Olympiad Camp, an intensive national programme designed to identify, develop and inspire the next generation of astronomers and STEM professionals.
The pilot programme, coordinated by the National Research Foundation’s South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO), the programme was delivered in collaboration with a broad network of national and international partners, including the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of South Africa (UNISA), BRICS Astronomy, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRF-SARAO), the African Astronomical Society (AfAS), Rhodes Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques & Technologies (RATT), the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Cape Town Science Centre and Iziko Museums of South Africa, brought together learners and teachers from across the country for a week of astronomy education, practical learning, teacher development, science communication, career exposure and scientific and cultural experiences.
The pilot forms part of an effort to broaden access to astronomy and create opportunities for young South Africans to engage with science beyond the classroom. Following a national qualifying test written by approximately 2700 learners in August 2026, 30 learners in Grades 8 – 10 were selected to participate in the inaugural camp, which took place from 24 – 30 September 2026.
Of the 30 learners selected, seven (23.3%) attended Q1 schools, two (6.7%) attended Q2 schools, ten (33.3%) attended Q3 schools, five (16.7%) attended Q4 schools and six (20%) attended Q5 schools. The diversity in the cohort ensured representation from schools serving communities across different socioeconomic contexts.
The learners came from communities ranging from Carnarvon, Sutherland, Volksrust, Bochum and Diphagane village to Cape Town, Durban, East London, Empangeni, Mbombela, Bloemfontein and Vereeniging, among others. This national reach was central to the pilot’s objective of widening access to astronomy opportunities beyond traditional centres of scientific activity, rather than the typical olympiad structure of elevating only elite learners.
From a national qualifying test to a week of astronomy
The Astronomy Olympiad Camp took place from 24 – 30 September 2026, with participants arriving in Cape Town on 24 September. The programme combined an intensive academic curriculum with practical astronomy, science fair activities, teacher training, institutional visits, career exposure and opportunities to interact directly with scientists and astronomy professionals.
The formal programme opened at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) on 25 September, with contributions from representatives of SAAO, SKAO and SAASTA, together with a role-modelling session featuring an astronomy student from the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Across the camp, learners received structured instruction in:
- Olympiad skills, including astronomical image interpretation, error estimation, logical reasoning and calculations;
- Light and telescopes;
- Binary and variable stars;
- The Milky Way and galaxies;
- Introduction to astronomy and observing the sky;
- The Earth-Moon system and the Solar System;
- Astrophysics;
- Cosmology; and
- The Sun, stars and stellar evolution.
The teaching programme brought together trainers and researchers from SKAO, SAAO, UCT, UWC, Investec and the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education, among others.
Beyond the classroom The pilot was designed to give learners a holistic experience of astronomy rather than limiting the programme to academic competition.
Learners visited the Cape Town Science Centre and Iziko Planetarium, participated in an on-site tour at SAAO and travelled to Sutherland in the Northern Cape, where they took part in an evening of stargazing and an observatory day tour.
The programme also included an evening visit to Signal Hill, giving learners an opportunity to experience Cape Town as visitors while building relationships with fellow participants. These experiences exposed learners to astronomy research, science communication, public science engagement and the people and institutions behind South Africa’s astronomy ecosystem.
Investing in teachers
Teachers were an important part of the pilot programme. Alongside the learner activities, teachers participated in a dedicated teacher training programme intended to strengthen their ability to support STEM education in their schools, with a primary focus on astronomy. On 28 September, for example, learners completed their second assessment while teacher training took place in parallel.
The programme also incorporated an astronomy education survey, conducted by the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Education (IAU-OAE) and UCT, contributing to efforts to better understand and strengthen astronomy education in South African schools.
The inclusion of teachers is intended to extend the impact of the Olympiad beyond the 30 learners who attended the camp, strengthening the wider school-level astronomy education network, on both intra-school and inter-school levels.
Learners become young scientists
A major component of the camp was the Science Fair, which challenged learners to develop and present scientific projects on astronomy-related topics and communicate their ideas to a panel of judges.
The Science Fair winners were:
Grade 8
1st place: Kabo Chidi – Rantobeng High School, Limpopo
2nd place: Sanele Zwane – Elangwane Secondary School, Mpumalanga
3rd place: Shontelle Mti – Sutherland High School, Northern Cape
Grade 9
1st place: Snqobile Cele – Empangeni High School, KwaZulu-Natal
2nd place: Wandile Manzana – Sofunda Secondary School, Gauteng
3rd place: Courtney Williams – Sutherland High School, Northern Cape
Grade 10
1st place: Kreah Govender – Durban Girls’ High School, KwaZulu-Natal
2nd place: Naledi Lirane – Thuto-Lore Comprehensive School, Gauteng
3rd place: Tawananyasha Gutuza – Atlehang Senior Secondary School, Free State
Final Astronomy Olympiad test
The camp culminated in a final Astronomy Olympiad assessment, giving learners an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills developed throughout the programme.
Grade 8
1st place: Joshua Koopman – Carnarvon High School, Northern Cape
2nd place: Chantel Baafi – Danielskuil Combined School, Northern Cape
3rd place: Onako Owan Peteni – Sandisiwe High School, Eastern Cape
Grade 9
1st place: Liselihle Jama – Stedin College, Eastern Cape
2nd place: Siyolise Ketelo – Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary, Mpumalanga
3rd place: Anele Mahlalela – Empangeni High School, KwaZulu-Natal
Grade 10
1st place: Siwaphiwe Baleni – Mida English Medium School, Eastern Cape
2nd place: Luniko Tyalimpi – Fezeka Secondary School, Western Cape
3rd place: Hamadi Bukenya – Welkom Islamic School, Free State
The programme’s closing and prize-giving ceremony was hosted at the University of Cape Town on 29 September and brought together learners, teachers and programme partners. Contributions were made by representatives of UCT, BRICS, UNISA, DSTI, SKAO and SAAO, with reflections from both learner and teacher representatives.
Building the future of astronomy education
The inaugural pilot represents an important first step towards developing a structured national pathway for young people interested in astronomy and related STEM disciplines.
The programme deliberately combined competition with education, teacher development, practical astronomy, scientific investigation, science communication, career exposure and access to scientific institutions.
For the 30 learners selected, the camp provided an opportunity to meet peers from different parts of South Africa, engage directly with scientists, visit major scientific and educational institutions, experience the night sky in Sutherland and explore possible futures in astronomy and STEM.
The diversity of the final cohort, representing all nine provinces and all five school quintile categories, demonstrates the potential for astronomy to serve as a platform for connecting young people from different backgrounds with South Africa’s scientific enterprise.
The successful completion of the 2026 pilot provides a foundation for further development of the South African Astronomy Olympiad, with the longer-term aim of strengthening astronomy education, identifying young talent and creating greater opportunities for learners and teachers to participate in South Africa’s growing astronomy and space science ecosystem.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Ms Duduzile Kubheka: duduzile@saao.ac.za
Ms Danielle Naidoo: danielle.naidoo@afasociety.org
