How to evaluate the quality of a school's EdTech offering

In South African education, where the pressure to improve outcomes remains intense amid diverse school contexts and varying resource levels, good intentions alone rarely move the needle on student achievement. From foundation phase literacy gaps to matric performance and university readiness, the system faces persistent challenges. What separates schools that deliver consistent progress from those that continue to struggle is a disciplined commitment to measurement and adjustment, an education expert says. “Effective school leadership begins with reliable metrics,” says Desiree Hugo, Executive: Advtech Schools Academics. “These include externally moderated assessments that provide objective benchmarks and classroom-based evaluations that capture day-to-day realities. Without them, it’s easy to confuse activity with progress.” Addressing more than 145 senior school leaders at Advtech’s recent Deputy Principals Conference , Hugo noted that when schools track performance across subjects and grades, patterns emerge: which cohorts are thriving, which domains show persistent weakness, and whether interventions are actually closing gaps. Bringing together Deputy Principals and Heads of Department from schools across South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Ethiopia, the Advtech Deputies Conference provided an opportunity for academic leaders to exchange ideas, learn from one another and reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing schools today. “Growth diagnostics help pinpoint strengths and areas needing urgent attention, turning vague concerns into targeted action,” says Hugo. She says Advtech’s Stellar framework, combined with MAP assessments and Advlearn mastery tracking, demonstrates how structured metrics and digital tools can help leaders move from collecting data to driving measurable student improvement. CLOSING THE LOOP: FEEDBACK AND ACCOUNTABILITY Collecting data is only the starting point. The critical shift is from “I taught this” to “My students learned this”, says Hugo. “Strong leaders should ensure regular data meetings that focus on action rather than compliance. They ask tough questions: Are intervention plans per grade and subject actually being implemented? Who is accountable for tracking learner growth and parent engagement? Are teachers equipped to interpret reports and adjust instruction accordingly? “Root-cause analysis becomes indispensable here. Poor results in a particular grade or subject might stem from foundational gaps, inconsistent curriculum pacing, attendance issues, or uneven teacher capacity. Without structured reflection, from seeing the data, to thinking through causes, and wondering about solutions, schools risk applying generic fixes that fail to move outcomes.” THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUOUS COURSE CORRECTION Book checks, lesson plan reviews, assessment moderation, and error analysis after tests create the continuous feedback teachers need to improve. In addition to evaluating performance, these practices build a culture where everyone, from school leaders to classroom teachers, is oriented toward measurable student growth. “Ultimately, feedback loops empower teachers to seek evidence of their effect, reflect on misconceptions, and reteach with purpose rather than blame. Students benefit when they receive quality feedback and understand where they stand. Parents stay engaged when schools communicate transparently about progress and required support. And leaders fulfil their most important role: guiding instructional excellence so that every student has the best chance to succeed,” says Hugo.  “Education faces no shortage of challenges whether these be resource constraints, staffing transitions, or shifting curricula. Yet schools that systematically measure impact and close the loop with deliberate action consistently outperform those that rely on hope or habit. The evidence is clear that sustained focus on metrics and feedback isn’t bureaucratic overhead, but rather the most powerful lever we have for student success.”

Advtech Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1990/001119/06) Share code: ADH ISIN: ZAE000031035 (“Advtech” or “the Company”) TRP121: NOTIFICATION OF DISPOSAL OF SECURITIES BY CLIENTS OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION SOC LIMITED (“PIC”) AND DIRECTORS RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT – VOLUNTARY ANNOUNCEMENT In accordance with section 122(3)(b) of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008, regulation 121(2)(b) of the Companies Act Regulations, 2011 and paragraph 6.54 of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, shareholders are hereby advised that Advtech has received formal notification in the prescribed form that PIC’s clients have, in aggregate, disposed of an interest in the ordinary shares of the Company, such that the total interest in the ordinary shares of the Company held by PIC’s clients has decreased to 19.240% of the total issued ordinary shares of the Company. In terms of section 122(3)(a) of the Act, the Company has also filed notice with the Takeover Regulation Panel.  The board of directors of Advtech accepts responsibility for the information contained in this announcement as it relates to the Company and confirms that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, such information relating to Advtech is true and that this announcement does not omit anything likely to affect the importance of such information. Johannesburg 17 July 2026 Sponsor: Bridge Capital Advisors Proprietary Limited

In many of South African schools, charity drives have long been the hallmark of community engagement, characterised by collecting canned food, gathering clothing, or distributing essential items to those in need. These acts of kindness remain deeply valuable, but a growing number of schools are broadening their approach, recognising that meaningful and sustainable engagement must go beyond ad hoc “giving”. “True transformation is about building relationships, nurturing partnerships and weaving service into everyday learning. We should be embracing a more holistic model of involvement: one that nurtures empathy, responsibility’ and sustainable action among students of all ages,” says Krystal Munian, Advtech Schools Specialist: College Phase, RDI, and WESSA. This transformative approach is being developed across the Advtech network of schools in South Africa, Botswana and Kenya, ensuring that community engagement is becoming a powerful learning experience that develops empathy, responsibility and active citizenship while creating meaningful partnerships with the communities the schools serve, she says. A Shift Towards Long-Term, Relationship-Based Engagement “Community engagement is most impactful when relationships are built over time. Instead of relying solely on once-off donation drives, many schools have established ongoing partnerships with community organisations, neighbouring schools, shelters and retirement villages, creating opportunities for students to learn alongside the communities they support,” says Munian. These partnerships take many forms. For instance, students have visited community centres where they help prepare meals for local families before spending time playing games and interacting with children. Others have supported children living in care by assisting with homework, singing songs and building friendships during regular visits. “Schools have also strengthened intergenerational relationships by partnering with retirement villages. During one outreach initiative, students served tea and coffee, distributed care packages prepared with the support of parents and spent time engaging residents in meaningful conversation. The experience demonstrated that while donations are appreciated, the greatest gift is often time, connection and companionship,” says Munian. These experiences allow students to move beyond simply giving, so that they begin to understand the value of listening, building trust and forming relationships that create lasting impact. Sustainability at the Heart of Service Environmental stewardship has also become an important extension of community engagement. “Through Advtech’s partnership with WESSA , all South African schools in the group, together with two international schools, participate in the internationally recognised Eco-Schools programme, encouraging schools to integrate sustainability into everyday learning,” says Munian. Students participate in initiatives such as collecting bottle caps and bread tags, creating eco-bricks, reducing electricity and water consumption and adopting animals. These projects show students how small actions can make a significant difference. Bottle caps and bread tags, for example, are collected and exchanged for wheelchairs, demonstrating how environmental responsibility can directly improve lives. Community partnerships also extend to conservation and environmental action. Students have worked alongside partners to remove litter from the Braamfonteinspruit River, contributing to the restoration of one of Johannesburg's important urban waterways. Others have adopted a rhino calf through the Rhino Orphanage, raising funds, visiting the orphanage to learn about wildlife rehabilitation and developing a deeper appreciation for protecting South Africa's natural heritage. Each school is supported by a dedicated Eco-Schools champion who guides these initiatives and helps embed sustainability throughout the school community. Curriculum and Sustainability “It is crucial that community engagement is not treated as an extracurricular activity, but as part of a broader educational experience. Lessons should encourage students to understand the social and environmental issues behind the projects they support, ensuring that service is accompanied by learning and reflection,” Munian says. One example from an Advtech School saw students explore traditional food practices through their language curriculum. They researched the nutritional value of pulses, investigated eating habits across South Africa, developed recipes and presented their findings. The project deepened their understanding of cultural diversity while highlighting food security and the different ways communities live and sustain themselves. “Before participating in outreach initiatives, students also explore themes such as dignity, social responsibility, food security and environmental sustainability in the classroom. Where appropriate, they are involved in delivering donations and visiting partner organisations, allowing them to witness the impact of their contributions firsthand,” says Munian. By connecting classroom learning with practical experiences, schools help students understand that meaningful community engagement is not defined by what is collected or donated, but by the relationships that are built, the lessons that are learned and the positive change created together.  “Ultimately, while collecting and donating essential items remains an important expression of care, it is the partnerships formed, the experiences shared and the understanding developed that leave the greatest impact. Through integrating community engagement into everyday learning, schools are equipping students to become compassionate, socially responsible citizens who recognise that lasting change is achieved by working alongside others.”

Eleven conversations to move beyond rhetoric to action-based agenda

Advtech Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1990/001119/06) Share code: ADH ISIN: ZAE000031035 (“Advtech” or “the Company”) TRP121: NOTIFICATION OF ACQUISITION OF SECURITIES BY CLIENTS OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION SOC LIMITED (“PIC”) AND DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT In accordance with section 122(3)(b) of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008, regulation 121(2)(b) of the Companies Act Regulations, 2011 and paragraph 6.54 of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, shareholders are hereby advised that Advtech has received formal notification in the prescribed form that the clients of PIC have, in aggregate, acquired interest in the ordinary shares of the Company, such that the total interest in the ordinary shares of the Company held by PIC’s clients has increased to 20.087% of the total issued ordinary shares of the Company. As required in terms of section 122(3)(a) of the Act, the Company has filed the required notice with the Takeover Regulation Panel.  The board of directors of Advtech accepts responsibility for the information contained in this announcement as it relates to the Company and confirms that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, such information relating to Advtech is true and that this announcement does not omit anything likely to affect the importance of such information. Johannesburg 30 June 2026 Sponsor: Bridge Capital Advisors Proprietary Limited

Advtech Limited (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration number 1990/001119/06) Share code: ADH ISIN: ZAE000031035 (“Advtech” or “the Company”) TRP121: NOTIFICATION OF DISPOSAL OF SECURITIES BY CLIENTS OF VALUE CAPITAL PARTNERS (“VCP”) AND DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT In accordance with section 122(3)(b) of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008, regulation 121(2)(b) of the Companies Act Regulations, 2011 and paragraph 6.54 of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, shareholders are hereby advised that Advtech has received formal notification in the prescribed form that the clients of VCP, which is the registered investment manager to Value Capital Partners H4 QI Hedge Fund and various other funds, have, in aggregate, disposed of ordinary shares of the Company, such that the total interest in the ordinary shares of the Company held by VCP’s clients has decreased to 4.99% of the total issued ordinary shares of the Company. As required in terms of section 122(3)(a) of the Act, the Company has filed the required notice with the Takeover Regulation Panel.  The board of directors of Advtech accepts responsibility for the information contained in this announcement as it relates to the Company and confirms that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, such information relating to Advtech is true and that this announcement does not omit anything likely to affect the importance of such information. Johannesburg 30 June 2026 Sponsor: Bridge Capital Advisors Proprietary Limited

By 2026, the initial panic that greeted the launch of generative AI in higher education has transitioned into a complex, high-stakes standoff. At the heart of this conflict are AI checkers - software designed to catch students using tools like ChatGPT. However, a growing number of institutions, including major South African universities, are now switching these detectors off, sparking a fundamental rethink of what it means to learn and be assessed in a digital age. Dr Mario Landman of the Academic Centre of Excellence for The IIE and Advtech, says the primary reason for the retreat from AI detection is a lack of accuracy. “AI detectors do not know if a machine wrote a text; instead, they measure statistical signatures like ‘perplexity’ (how predictable the language is) and ‘burstiness’ (variation in sentence rhythm). As generative models have evolved to mimic human style more effectively, these signatures have become blurred,” he says. Independent evaluations show that while some tools claim 99% accuracy, their effectiveness drops to between 60% and 80% as soon as a student manually edits or adds "humanise" when prompting the AI. Furthermore, newer models like Claude 3 generate natural-sounding prose that frequently evades mainstream checkers. For many administrators, using such probabilistic tools to make life-altering disciplinary decisions is becoming an unacceptable risk to due process. THE CRISIS OF FAIRNESS AND BIAS For South African institutions, the most damaging aspect of AI detection is documented bias against non-native English speakers, notes Dr Landman. “Research has shown that detectors disproportionately flag ESL (English as a Second Language) students because their writing often uses more formal, standardised structures that the software mistakes for machine-generated patterns.” One landmark study found a 61.3% false positive rate for TOEFL essays written by Chinese students, compared to just 5.1% for native speakers. In a multilingual country like South Africa, where English is often a second or third language, relying on these tools creates a systemic equity crisis that risks unfairly penalising students from disadvantaged backgrounds. THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN OF EFFICIENCY Dr Landman says the complexity is deepened by what scholars call a "devil’s bargain" in modern academia. “AI can automate lesson planning for lecturers and generate plausible essays for students, creating an appearance of productivity while hollowing out actual learning. This leads to the rise of ‘shallow knowledge workers’ - graduates who are proficient in prompt manipulation but deficient in critical analysis and independent reflection. “By switching off AI checkers, universities are forced to confront this erosion of cognitive capacity. Rather than attempting to detect the machine, they are redesigning the work to make human thinking visible.” THE WAY FORWARD: A MIXED ECOLOGY OF ASSESSMENT The emerging way forward in South African higher education is a shift from "policing" to "stewardship", says Dr Landman. He says the focus is moving toward: Authentic Assessment: Moving away from take-home essays toward oral defences (viva voce), in-class writing benchmarks and practical demonstrations. AI-integrated Assessment frameworks: Implementing clear frameworks that define acceptable AI use across different assessment contexts. This may include a tiered approach where AI use is prohibited, permitted for specific parts of an assessment, or fully integrated into the assessment process without penalty, provided its use is transparent and aligned with the learning outcomes. Process-Based Grading: Grading the "learning journey" by requiring students to submit research logs, drafts and "Epistemic Meta-Reflections" where they justify their interaction with AI. Human-in-the-Loop Frameworks: Implementing automated grading only when it includes mandatory human review to ensure factual accuracy and fairness. Transparency and Disclosure: Replacing bans with disclosure requirements, where students must cite which tools they used and for what purpose. As South Africa finalises its Draft National AI Policy – which ironically ran into an early roadblock after it was found the first iteration was drafted by AI - the higher education sector has an opportunity to ground AI governance in the philosophy of Ubuntu, with its emphasis on interdependence, human dignity and collective responsibility, says Dr Landman.  “The goal should not be to win an unwinnable technological race, but to establish a renewed contract of trust: one in which AI is used as a scaffold for thought, not a substitute for it.”

Students arrive in higher education with mindsets and habits shaped by the digital platforms they use every day. Netflix, Spotify and Uber have normalised daily life experiences that feel simple, personalised, immediate and intuitive, and this has raised students’ expectations for seamless, user-centric experiences in other areas , an education expert says. “Higher education should not try to become on-demand entertainment. But it can certainly learn from the discipline behind these platforms. Students may not expect learning to be easy. Still, they increasingly expect the academic journey to be clear, connected and well supported,” says Nadia Landman, Head: Academic Quality Management Systems at The IIE and Advtech’s Academic Centre of Excellence . “A great student experience does not make higher education less rigorous. But it does make the path through that rigour clearer, more visible and better supported – an ideal all higher education institutions should be aiming for.” Landman says the simplicity of our ubiquitous modern-day platforms is often misunderstood. “Their ease of use is not accidental. It is the result of thoughtful design, continuous testing, data-informed improvement and rigorous quality assurance. Every recommendation, notification, search function and progress indicator is designed to reduce uncertainty and help users take the next step with confidence.” The role of data and AI in higher education Netflix and Spotify show how personalisation and curation can make complex content feel manageable. Behind the scenes, data, machine learning and artificial intelligence help these platforms understand patterns, recommend content and create a sense of relevance. “In higher education, the purpose is different. The goal is not to keep students scrolling. The goal is to help them stay engaged, supported and on track. Used responsibly, data and AI can help institutions identify when students may need support, improve communication and guide learners to the right resources at the right time,” Landman explains. This is where the learning Management System (LMS) becomes critical, she says. “Too often, the LMS becomes a digital filing cabinet filled with documents, announcements and links. A thoughtfully designed LMS should do more than store content. It should guide students through the module, showing them what they are learning, why it matters, what they need to do, when assessments are due and where feedback fits into their progress. It should therefore be a carefully designed learning environment that helps students understand what to do, why it matters and how each step connects to their progress, says Landman. Visibility builds trust Uber shows how visibility reduces uncertainty: users can track their driver, journey time and expectations. Higher education should do likewise, Landman says. “Students shouldn’t hunt for registration, fees, rules, assessment dates, feedback timelines, support services or escalation routes. The clearer the journey, the less confusion and anxiety. In higher education, visible registration status, accreditation, academic rules and support pathways signal trust and boost confidence in the institution and the learning journey.” Why this matters in Higher Education Trust must be earned continuously. Students and parents need assurance that an institution is legitimate, that qualifications are recognised and that the learning experience is well governed. “Visible, accurate and easy-to-understand signals - including accreditation, registration status, qualification details, academic rules and student support - do more than meet compliance. They form part of the student experience and demonstrate active quality management.” Student experience is quality assurance in action Student experience is integral to academic quality and outcomes, and it shows in programme design, LMS structure, assessment communication, feedback and support. “The lesson from our most-used apps is that simple-feeling experiences rely on careful design, robust systems and continuous improvement. This matters for today’s students and especially for Generation Alpha who expect intuitive, responsive and personalised digital journeys,” says Landman.  “The best institutions will not design only for the students they serve today. They will also pay close attention to the behaviours, expectations and support needs of the students who are coming next. Institutions that make quality visible and trust easy to earn will better navigate academic journeys and demonstrate mature governance.”

Advtech Limited (Advtech), Africa’s leading private education group, today announced the successful completion of a share repurchase programme. Advtech repurchased 5 740 128 shares, representing approximately 1.04% of its issued share capital, at an aggregate cost of R250 million between 30 March and 10 June 2026. Of these shares, 2 797 675 have already been cancelled, with the balance to be cancelled before 30 June 2026. "This share repurchase reflects the Board's confidence in Advtech's strong cash generation, robust balance sheet and long-term growth prospects." said Geoff Whyte, Group CEO of Advtech. The repurchase was funded from the group’s available cash resources. Advtech remains focused on expanding and strengthening its portfolio of leading brands and investing in people, technology and infrastructure to ensure long-term success. ENDS