Over the past 11 months, SAADP continued to push deeper into the school-level actuarial pipeline, especially in rural and township communities. This actuarial type of exposure is not often accessible in these communities. The goal has not only been to “introduce the profession” in a formal sense, but to spark genuine curiosity. We aimed to spark the kind of curiosity that may start with a single question about mathematics or problem-solving and gradually grows into a sense of, “Wait, maybe this could be for me” type of attitude.
Growing Reach and Meaningful Engagement
SAADP reached 22,697 learners nationwide. This is a jump from just over 16,000 in 2024 – across more than 1,900 schools. The increase may suggest that appetite for information about actuarial science is widening, but it also reflects the kind of reception SAADP teams often describe as classrooms full of learners who want clarity, not just pamphlets.
These touchpoints came through several platforms, many of them delivered in collaboration with long-standing partners such as the South African Institute of Charetered Accountants (SAICA), the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA), SciBono Discovery Centre, and grassroots community organisations that know their regions better than anyone.
Key Outreach Platforms
Career Exhibitions
SAADP officials travelled to national and regional exhibitions, where they met thousands of Grade 9 – 12 learners standing at the crossroads of subject choices and possible futures. The conversations tended to wander far beyond brochures. Learners asked everything from “How hard is first-year maths, honestly?” to “What does an actuary actually do the whole day?”
SAICA Academic Development Camps
At the Thuthuka Development Camps (for Grades 11 and 12), sessions opened up space for learners to stop and rethink what mathematics could actually lead to. Many participants expreesed that the discussions made the career feel a little less abstract and a bit more connected to real opportunities.
Symposiums
SAADP also participated in events focused on the value of strong mathematical foundations. These sessions often sparked thoughtful conversations about career pathways that many learners had simply never heard of before – actuarial science being one of them.
Actuarial Webinars
Where physical access wasn’t possible, online sessions stepped in. These virtual engagements – usually led by actuaries or SAADP officials – gave learners a chance to ask honest questions about the profession, including the parts that are not always glamorous.
Impact and the Road Ahead
While statistics help quantify reach, they rarely capture the quieter shifts happening in classrooms – teachers reporting growing interest, or learners expressing (for the first time) that they might actually “see themselves” in a field like actuarial science. These moments appear to signal that awareness is taking root, especially in areas where the profession was almost invisible many years ago.
Looking forward, SAADP plans to build on this momentum by strengthening both in-person as well as digital engagement. Basic, easily accessible platforms – such as a WhatsApp Information Channel – are expected to increasingly assist learners requiring fast, trustworthy information.
In 2026, SAADP plans to introduce a school-oriented Actuarial Ambassador Initiative. The idea is straightforward – identify students who show passion and enable them to advocate for mathematics and actuarial awareness in their own schools. It’s a strategy that may probably improve the organization’s overall outreach efforts by encouraging peer-driven influence where it matters most.
SAADP remains committed to ensuring that any learner with talent and curiosity (regardless of their background) can access reliable information, genuine support, but most significantly meaningful opportunities to explore what the actuarial profession could offer them.
