Nkosana Masuku

Nkosana Masuku is a Zimbabwean educator and social innovator whose work is transforming STEM education for underserved communities. Initially aspiring to study computer science, he shifted to teaching in 2015 due to financial constraints—an unexpected turn that led him to discover his lifelong purpose. Appointed to Lubhangwe Secondary School, a rural institution without electricity, computers, or internet, he began building a STEM ecosystem from the ground up. Using his own salary, he purchased robotics components, secured donated laptops, and introduced learners—many of whom had never used a computer—to coding. Their first battery-powered Arduino traffic-light prototype ignited a wave of curiosity and possibility that reshaped the school and his career.

This grassroots work became the foundation of Sciency, the organisation he founded to provide affordable, hands-on STEM, coding, robotics, and climate-tech education across Zimbabwe. Sciency has since reached over 150 schools, taught more than 2,000 students, and trained over 1,000 teachers. Masuku runs weekly sessions across 15 partner schools, where students build solar trackers, water-pumping systems, sensor-based models and prepare for national robotics competitions such as the First LEGO League, where rural teams now compete—and win—on global stages.

His teaching model blends bilingual instruction, locally engineered STEM kits, rotational clubs, and rigorous data-tracking. These innovations led to a Government of Zimbabwe impact assessment across 30 schools and 1,500 students. Results were striking: dropout rates fell from 70.3% to 33.1%, STEM scores rose from 52% to 71%, and learner confidence more than doubled. His approach has since informed the national rollout of coding and robotics, including AI-enabled dashboards for learner progress.

Nkosana’s students routinely achieve global recognition. Joanette Ngwenya won a Special Award in Robotics and Intelligent Machines at the 2023 Regeneron ISEF, earning an international scholarship. A team from Riverdale Academy won the 2024 Zimbabwe National First LEGO League Championship, representing the nation at international finals. Former students now pursue engineering, robotics, and computer science degrees across Zimbabwe and abroad.

Beyond teaching, Nkosana expands opportunity through community programmes, teacher mentorship, fundraising for disadvantaged schools, and global STEM advocacy. In 2023, he addressed over 60,000 people in New York City after receiving the Global Citizen Cisco Youth Leadership Award, which helped scale Sciency from pilot projects to nationwide impact. He also participates in global fellowships, including the Obama Leaders Programme (2024–2025).

Nkosana embeds global citizenship and climate literacy in every classroom, using custom-built Climate Tech Kits that empower learners to construct models such as solar trackers and wind turbines while analysing real environmental data. His students engage in international robotics competitions, virtual exchanges, and global problem-solving challenges.

If awarded major prize funding, he plans to establish a Sciency Manufacturing & Innovation Campus and expand access to one million learners through large-scale kit production, teacher training, digital platforms, and rural-school scholarships.

Nkosana Masuku exemplifies how one teacher—armed with creativity, data, and unwavering belief in young people—can reshape a nation’s educational landscape and unlock brilliance everywhere.