South Africa is mourning the loss of William Smith, a pioneering educator who revolutionised mathematics and science teaching in the country.
President Cyril Ramaphosa led tributes, describing Smith as an “education and cultural icon” who touched the lives of millions.
Mr Smith, who brought free lessons to learners across South Africa through television, died aged 85.
Born in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) to scientist parents, Mr Smith became a household name through his pioneering 1990s TV programme, the Learning Channel.
Over 25 years of teaching, he is believed to have reached nearly a million pupils.
Mr Smith’s lessons, broadcast on SABC 2 with the distinctive Knysna Heads as a backdrop, were credited with demystifying maths and science for students and adults alike.
President Ramaphosa, who awarded Mr Smith the Order of the Baobab in 2019, said his impact was felt even before South Africa’s transition to democracy.
“He benefited millions of young South Africans even before our transition to democracy and the dawn of a new dispensation of equal education,” Mr Ramaphosa said.
The president added that Mr Smith could be considered the country’s first remote teacher, long before the concept became widespread.
Mr Smith’s passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes, reflecting the educator’s enduring legacy in South African society.
