South African EdTech — Built for the classroom, mapped to CAPS & IEB & IEB

STEM education
that actually works

Twelve browser-based learning tools covering coding, robotics, mathematics, science, engineering graphics, technology, web design, digital literacy, and AI — all aligned to the South African school curriculum. No app downloads. No setup. Just learning.

Open the Platform → See what's inside
12
Learning tools live
Gr 8–12
Full curriculum span
15
XP levels to earn
27
Badges to unlock
The problem

South African students deserve better tools

Existing IT and mathematics education resources are outdated, expensive, or built for other countries. Students paste code from YouTube. Teachers battle with software installations. No one measures what's actually learned.

1 in 4
Reach 50% in Matric Maths. Only a quarter of NSC Mathematics candidates score 50% or higher
— the threshold most universities require for STEM degrees. The pipeline into STEM careers narrows years before Matric.
10 seconds
From link to running Java. No installation, no JVM, no IT tickets.
A learner opens a link on a phone or a shared family laptop and is writing real Java immediately — something no mainstream classroom setup in South Africa offers today.
R45/term
Accessible entry price, per learner, for every tool
Free while the platform is in pilot (until mid-2027) — R45 per learner per term once the pilot ends. School packages available on enquiry.
"My learners have to install Java on 30 different computers before we can even start the first lesson."
The Magic Lab runs entirely in the browser. Zero installation. Zero IT tickets. Students open a link and they're coding in 10 seconds — on a school Chromebook, a phone, or a family laptop.
"I have no idea if my students actually understand the work or just copy-paste."
Every lesson, quiz, code run, and interactive challenge is tracked per student. Teachers see exactly where understanding breaks down — in real time.
The platform

Twelve tools. One platform. One login.

Each tool is purpose-built for the South African curriculum — from Gr 7 Natural Sciences to Gr 12 IT. Students use the same account, XP, and badge shelf across all of them.

📜
Grade 10 – 12
Code Conjurer
The full Grade 10–12 IT programming curriculum in Java — the IEB's examined language. Classes, arrays, algorithms, exception handling, and OOP, with a built-in interpreter and instant output. CAPS IT practical and problem-solving content fully covered.
Java OOPAlgorithmsIEB AlignedIDE Built-in
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🤖
Grade 7 – 9
Robot Realm
Visual block-based programming for the new DBE Coding & Robotics curriculum. Students program a robot through interactive challenge maps using drag-and-drop blocks or typed commands. Covers sequencing, loops, conditions, and functions — the core computational-thinking outcomes of the Senior Phase C&R CAPS.
Block CodingRoboticsCAPS C&RSenior Phase
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🔢
Grade 8 – 12
Math Magician
Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics across all school grades. Interactive lessons, guided practice, worked examples, and quiz-based assessment — aligned to the CAPS mathematics curriculum from Grade 8 through Matric.
CAPS MathsGr 8–12 LivePractice SetsWorked Examples
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🔬
Grade 7 – 12
Science Sage
Interactive simulations across the full science pathway — Natural Sciences in the Senior Phase, then Life Sciences and Physical Sciences through to Matric. Students explore moon phases, molecular structures, ecosystems, photosynthesis, mechanics, and more through browser-based experiments, each with guided inquiry, interactive models, and quiz assessment mapped to the DBE CAPS.
Natural SciencesLife & Physical SciencesSimulationsGr 7–12
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🔷
Grade 9 – 12
Model Mage
Browser-based 2D sketch-and-constrain CAD, extruded into full 3D solids. Students draw parametric 2D profiles — lines, polylines, and geometric constraints — then switch to 3D mode to extrude, rotate, and inspect their models, all without installing any software.
2D Sketching3D ModellingParametric CADConstraints
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🌐
Grade 7 – 12
Web Wizard
Live HTML and CSS editor with instant preview. Students see their website update as they type, with a step-by-step tutorial built directly into the tool — tags, structure, CSS styling, classes, and Flexbox layout. Aligns with the IEB's Coding & Robotics curriculum (Grade 7–9) and Computer Applications Technology (Grade 10–12).
HTML5CSS3Live PreviewCAT & IEB
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💻
Grade 8 – 12
Computer Codex
Digital literacy from OS basics to AI ethics — Coding & Robotics for Grade 8–9, plus full Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology tracks for Grade 10–12, covering both CAPS and IEB syllabi. 160 structured lessons in total, including a full AI/ML unit covering LLMs and responsible AI use.
Windows OSMicrosoft OfficeAI & Ethics160 Lessons
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🧞
Grade 8 – 9
Java Genie
Turtle graphics, loops, and methods — learners write real Java from lesson one and watch their programs draw on screen. Builds the algorithms, pattern-recognition, and computational-thinking outcomes of the DBE's Coding & Robotics CAPS (Senior Phase), and gives Grade 8–9 learners a running start into FET Information Technology.
Java SETurtle GraphicsOOP IntroCAPS C&R
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🔮
All grades
AI Oracle
A structured AI-literacy course — nine lessons across three units: how AI, neural networks, and large language models actually work; how to write effective prompts; and how to use AI honestly and critically in a school setting, including academic integrity, bias, privacy, and verification.
AI LiteracyPrompt EngineeringAI Ethics9 Lessons
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🔧
Grade 8 – 9
The Tech Tower
CAPS Technology, hands-on. Frame structures, gears & mechanical advantage, hydraulics, circuits, logic gates, and processing & materials — with interactive simulations for every lesson.
StructuresMechanical SystemsElectrical Systems
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🧱
Grade 4 – 9
Spike Spellcaster
Code a LEGO® SPIKE Prime in Python or blocks. Practise in the built-in simulator, then connect your own hub over Bluetooth and run your code on the real robot. Built for WRO RoboMission.
RoboticsPythonBluetooth
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🪶
Grade 10 – 12 · Preview
Drawing Druid
Engineering Graphics & Design, visualised. Starting with an interactive cam & loci simulator — displacement diagrams and cam profiles built and animated live.
EGDLociCams
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Platform features

Not just content — a complete learning system

The platform tracks, rewards, challenges — and now lets students compete live. Every feature is purpose-built for school-aged learners in South Africa.

🏆
Gamified XP & Levels
Students earn XP for every lesson, quiz, and code run. 15 levels from Apprentice to Grand Master — designed to span a full 5-year school career.
Level 4 — Builder620 / 800 XP
180 XP to Level 5 — Wizard
🧙
AI Literacy, Built In
AI Oracle teaches students how AI and LLMs actually work, how to write effective prompts, and how to use AI honestly and critically — before they ever rely on it for real work.
🎓
Vague prompt: "Help me with my maths homework."
🧙
Better prompt: "You are a patient Grade 10 maths tutor. Explain how to factorise x² − 5x + 6, showing each step." Students learn to write prompts like this themselves.
🔥
Daily Streaks
Students build daily habits. One lesson per day maintains a streak. Weekly grace period prevents discouragement.
🎖️
27 Badges
Achievements for milestones, streaks, quiz mastery, tool completion, and exploration across the platform.
🌱
🔥
🎯
🧞
💻
👑
🌍
⚡
💎
🧩
4 Interactive Challenge Types
Beyond multiple choice: fill-in-the-blank, spot-the-bug, arrange-the-blocks, predict-the-output.
🐛 Spot the bug — click the broken line:
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
System.out.println(i * i)
}
📊
Student Progress Dashboard
Every student has a progress profile showing XP totals, level progress, a 10-week activity heatmap, per-tool progress bars, earned badges, and a live activity feed.
Total XP
1,240
Streak
14 🔥
▶️
Java Runs in the Browser
A custom Java interpreter executes student code instantly — no JVM install, no terminal, no IT support needed.
public class Hello {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, South Africa!");
}
} // → Hello, South Africa!
🏟️
The Arena — Live Quiz Battles
Real-time, Kahoot-style competition on the exact lesson content students already study. A teacher launches a round from their dashboard, learners join in seconds with a 6-character code on their own device, and speed and accuracy both count toward the score. Questions auto-advance the moment everyone's answered — no dead air waiting on a timer.
🪄 Photosynthesis
🔮 Respiration
⭐ Transpiration
💎 Fermentation
🥇Naledi M.2,340
🥈Sipho K.2,110
🥉Aisha P.1,980
Curriculum coverage

Built for CAPS and IEB — not retrofitted

South Africa's school coding landscape is mid-transformation. The DBE's Coding & Robotics CAPS for Grades R–9 is gazetted and rolling out incrementally from 2026, beginning in the Foundation Phase — which means every primary and senior-phase school in the country will soon be required to teach coding, most of them with teachers who have never written a line of code. The Magic Lab is built for exactly this moment: computational-thinking and coding foundations for the Senior Phase as Coding & Robotics lands, a complete Java pathway for IEB FET IT, digital-literacy coverage feeding into CAT, and — critically — built-in training for the non-specialist teachers who will carry the rollout.

Coding — C&R → FET IT
Gr 7–9 — Block coding & robotics (Robot Realm)
Gr 8–9 — Java & turtle graphics (Java Genie)
Gr 10 — OOP Basics (Code Conjurer)
Gr 11 — Arrays & Sorting
Gr 12 — File I/O & Exceptions
Web & Digital Literacy
Gr 8 — HTML Structure (Web Wizard)
Gr 9 — CSS Styling
Windows OS & File Management
Microsoft Word & Excel
AI & Ethics (Computer Codex)
Mathematics
Gr 8 — Algebra & Number Systems
Gr 9 — Geometry & Patterns
Gr 10 — Functions & Finance
Gr 11 — Trigonometry & Statistics
Gr 12 — Calculus & Probability
Natural Sciences
Gr 7 — Matter & Materials
Gr 7–8 — Life & Living
Gr 7–8 — Earth & Space
Gr 8–9 — Energy & Change
Gr 9 — Atoms & Chemical reactions
AI & 3D / Platform
AI literacy — how AI works, prompting, ethics (AI Oracle)
AI/ML & LLM theory unit
3D modelling & CAD (Model Mage)
XP, levels & 27 badges
Class leaderboards
Teacher & School Tools
Teacher dashboard
Class management
Assignment setting
Progress reports
District analytics
Live now
In development
Why students come back

A 5-year progression system

The XP ceiling of 65,000 is calibrated so that Grand Master requires genuine dedication across all five school years. Early levels are achievable in weeks — keeping new students motivated from day one.

XP is earned, never lost
Every lesson, correct quiz answer, code run, and perfect score adds permanent XP. Rebalancing only ever adjusts thresholds upward — students never lose earned progress.
Encouragement, not punishment
A missed streak shows "Your streak paused — restart today!" rather than punishment. One automatic grace period per week prevents weekend discouragement.
Pilot-friendly design
Level thresholds and XP rates live in a single config object. After a pilot, rebalancing is a one-line change per threshold — no database migrations, no student data changes.
15 Level progression
Lv 1
Apprentice
0 XP
Lv 2
Coder
150 XP
Lv 3
Maker
400 XP
Lv 4
Builder
800 XP
Lv 5
Wizard
1,500 XP
Lv 6
Architect
2,500 XP
Lv 7
Conjurer
4,000 XP
Lv 8
Sorcerer
6,500 XP
Lv 9
Alchemist
10,000 XP
Lv 10
Enchanter
15,000 XP
Lv …
…
…
Lv 15
Grand Master
65,000 XP
"Every South African student, regardless of school fees or geography, should have access to world-class STEM education that meets them exactly where they are."
— Ruhan Janse van Rensburg, Founder
What's been built & what's next

Roadmap

✓ Phase 1
Platform Foundation
Core tools launched, authentication with a managed database, student profiles, lesson progress tracking, service worker for offline use.
9 tools live Auth system Progress tracking PWA support
✓ Phase 2
UI Overhaul & AI Layer
Full visual rework to premium design system. AI Oracle literacy course added (how AI works, prompting, ethics). AI/ML unit added to Computer Codex. Interactive challenge engine (4 question types).
New design system AI Literacy AI/ML curriculum Interactive quizzes
✓ Phase 3
Gamification Engine
XP system, 15-level progression, 27 badges, daily streaks, activity heatmap, the fully rebuilt student progress dashboard, and The Arena — live, Kahoot-style quiz battles a teacher can launch from any lesson topic in seconds.
XP & Levels 27 Badges Streaks Progress Dashboard The Arena (Live Quizzes)
► Now
Content Expansion & Pilot Preparation
Math Magician expanded to Grades 8–12. Science Sage, Robot Realm, Model Mage and AI Oracle launched. Adding interactive challenges across all tool lessons. Teacher dashboard and class management in development. Preparing for school pilot.
Math Gr 8–12 Science Sage Robot Realm Teacher dashboard Pilot prep
School Pilot & Teacher Tools
Pilot with partner schools. Class leaderboards. Assignment-setting for teachers. Parent progress reports. Feedback-driven rebalancing of XP system.
School pilot Class management Assignments Reports
2027
Scale & New Subjects
Physical Science tool. Afrikaans language support. Mobile app. Provincial school partnerships and district-level analytics.
Physical Science Mobile app Afrikaans District analytics
Pricing

Accessible at every level

Free while we're in pilot, until mid-2027. R45 per learner per term after that. Designed so cost is never the reason a student can't access quality STEM education.

Pilot
Free / until mid-2027
Full platform access, at no cost, for every school and student taking part in the pilot.
✓
All 12 learning tools
✓
XP, levels & badges
✓
AI Oracle literacy course
✓
Progress dashboard
Get started free
From mid-2027
Per Learner
R45 / learner / term
Curriculum-aligned coverage with teacher oversight, once the pilot ends.
✓
Everything in Pilot
✓
Teacher dashboard
✓
Class management
✓
Progress reports
✓
Assignment setting
✓
Priority support
Get in touch
School Packages
Enquire
For schools, districts, or groups wanting a tailored package — bulk pricing, custom rollout, and dedicated support.
✓
Everything in Per Learner
✓
District analytics
✓
Custom branding
✓
Curriculum customisation
✓
Dedicated support
Let's talk

Ready to bring The Magic Lab to your school?

Whether you're a teacher curious about a trial, a principal considering a pilot, or an investor looking at EdTech — let's have a conversation.

Open the Platform → ✉️ Get in touch
ruhan@themagiclab.co.za  ·  themagiclab.co.za