---

For a Grade 9 pupil, the question of what comes after school can feel both exciting and far away. University is still several years ahead, while decisions about subjects and possible careers are only beginning to take shape. Approximately 4 500 Grade 9 pupils from 15 schools in the Mangaung Metro Education District recently had an opportunity to look a little further ahead during the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Grade 9 Open Day.

The event introduced pupils to university life, different fields of study, and the academic choices that could shape their future careers. Representatives from all seven UFS faculties engaged with pupils, parents, and educators, while exhibition stalls offered insight into the different disciplines and opportunities available at the University. The programme also included information on subject choices and career guidance resources.

Exploring possibilities beyond school

For many pupils, the experience helped make the connection between their current school choices and their future ambitions clearer. Maneo Mohapi said she particularly enjoyed learning about the importance of choosing the right subjects for the course she hopes to study. “Now I have a better idea of what I need to work towards,” she said.

Fellow pupil Thabo Mohapi also left with a greater understanding of how decisions made in Grade 9 and Grade 10 could affect his future study options.

Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services (SRS) at the UFS, said creating this understanding is one of the main reasons the University believes conversations about post-school education should kick off sooner rather than later. “The Grade 9 Open Day is about starting the conversation about higher education early enough for it to make a difference,” she said, adding that the initiative was not designed to pressure pupils into deciding on a career at a young age but rather to expose them to possibilities and help them understand how their interests and school subjects can influence future opportunities.

Connecting subjects to future careers

This connection between subjects and careers was also emphasised by Hendre Heymans from the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry. He explained that many Grade 9 pupils may take subjects such as Mathematics and Biology without fully understanding where those choices could lead them. The Open Day gave them an opportunity to speak to academics and others who could help make those pathways clearer, whether they were interested in becoming scientists or engineers, or in pursuing other careers.

For Malefetsane Mofokeng, a Mathematics educator at Botshabelo Mmulakgoro Combined School, bringing pupils to the UFS was about helping them make informed decisions before entering Grade 10. “I don't want them to make wrong choices which they will regret,” he said. He believes experiences beyond the classroom can broaden pupils’ perspectives by exposing them to different people, careers, and opportunities they may not otherwise encounter.

Building the journey towards higher education

The Grade 9 Open Day forms part of a broader approach by SRS to build relationships with prospective students throughout their high school journey, rather than only engaging with them when they reach Grade 12.

Mbadi said pupils do not need to have their entire futures figured out at this stage. Instead, the goal is to encourage them to remain curious, ask questions, and learn more about themselves.

As Heymans suggested, “Pupils may not remember every piece of information they received, but the experience of visiting a university could stay with them when the time comes to make important decisions about their futures”.