Regent Business School Powers Soweto School’s Remarkable Rise with New iLeadLAB
In a corner of Soweto where resilience has long outpaced resources, a public school once standing on the brink of closure is now writing a very different headline.
On 24 February 2026, Regent Business School officially handed over a fully equipped iLeadLAB technology makerspace to Bopasenatla Secondary School — marking the institution’s third iLeadLAB donation to a secondary school and another milestone in a 10-year commitment to expand access to future-ready learning.
For Bopasenatla, it is more than a ribbon-cutting. It is reinforcement.
From Survival to 100% Success
When Regent Business School approached the Gauteng Department of Education for recommendations, five schools were shortlisted. A series of site visits followed.
At Bopasenatla, the story behind the numbers stood out.
Since 2021, enrolment has grown from under 200 learners to more than 1,100. In 2025, the school achieved a 100% matric pass rate, with every learner earning a bachelor’s or diploma pass.
That turnaround was driven not by facilities alone, but by leadership.
“For us, it was never only about infrastructure,” said Hoosen Essof, Head of Community Engagement, Innovation & Student Experience at Regent Business School. “We look for schools where leadership is changing outcomes against the odds. At Bopasenatla, we saw a principal who rebuilt a school through vision and determination. The iLeadLAB strengthens that momentum and places powerful tools in the hands of learners who might never otherwise access them.”
A R400,000 Investment in Possibility
Valued at approximately R400,000, the iLeadLAB is designed as a multi-disciplinary technology makerspace.
It includes:
-
A laser cutting machine
-
3D printers
-
Virtual reality headsets
-
A sublimation printer
-
Specialised furniture
But the investment goes beyond hardware. Regent Business School is providing hands-on teacher training and ongoing support to ensure the lab remains active, relevant and impactful.
The design is intentionally cross-curricular. History learners can build physical artefacts to deepen understanding. Coding and robotics students can experiment beyond theory. Technology moves from textbook to touchpoint.
Preparing Learners for an AI-Driven World
Principal Radzuma Bopasen believes the timing is critical.
“This donation came when we needed it most,” he said. “We introduced computer application technology and robotics in recent years, but without advanced tools, there was a gap. This lab helps us balance the curriculum and prepare learners for a world shaped by artificial intelligence and digital skills. For our learners, many of whom have never interacted with this kind of technology, it is a blessing that will keep them relevant and confident.”
The iLeadLAB model is built on a simple premise: access shapes opportunity.
Many township learners first encounter advanced technology only upon entering tertiary education, often starting at a disadvantage. By introducing emerging tools earlier, the initiative aims to strengthen university readiness and narrow that divide.
Beyond Academics: Building Entrepreneurs
Regent Business School says the vision extends further than exam results. The labs are designed as incubation spaces — environments where curiosity can evolve into entrepreneurship.
Learners are encouraged to experiment, prototype and imagine how technology might translate into real-world ventures. In doing so, the lab becomes not just a classroom extension, but a catalyst for economic mobility.
The story at Bopasenatla is one of alignment:
-
A school that refused to fade.
-
A principal who chose reinvention over retreat.
-
An institution that views education as transformation, not transaction.
As the iLeadLAB doors open, the hope is that innovation sparked in one Soweto classroom will ripple across futures not yet written.
For learners stepping inside, the future is no longer abstract.
It is tangible.
Study with Regent Business School
If you’re ready to seek success, explore Regent Business School’s Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, short learning programmes and workforce solutions:
-
Website: www.regent.ac.za
-
Phone: +27 31 304 4626
-
Email: [email protected]
X: @REGENT_BSchool
#SurroundYourselfWithSuccess #CareerStrategy
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In a corner of Soweto where resilience has long outpaced resources, a public school once standing on the brink of closure is now writing a very different headline.
On 24 February 2026, Regent Business School officially handed over a fully equipped iLeadLAB technology makerspace to Bopasenatla Secondary School — marking the institution’s third iLeadLAB donation to a secondary school and another milestone in a 10-year commitment to expand access to future-ready learning.
For Bopasenatla, it is more than a ribbon-cutting. It is reinforcement.
From Survival to 100% Success
When Regent Business School approached the Gauteng Department of Education for recommendations, five schools were shortlisted. A series of site visits followed.
At Bopasenatla, the story behind the numbers stood out.
Since 2021, enrolment has grown from under 200 learners to more than 1,100. In 2025, the school achieved a 100% matric pass rate, with every learner earning a bachelor’s or diploma pass.
That turnaround was driven not by facilities alone, but by leadership.
“For us, it was never only about infrastructure,” said Hoosen Essof, Head of Community Engagement, Innovation & Student Experience at Regent Business School. “We look for schools where leadership is changing outcomes against the odds. At Bopasenatla, we saw a principal who rebuilt a school through vision and determination. The iLeadLAB strengthens that momentum and places powerful tools in the hands of learners who might never otherwise access them.”
A R400,000 Investment in Possibility
Valued at approximately R400,000, the iLeadLAB is designed as a multi-disciplinary technology makerspace.
It includes:
-
A laser cutting machine
-
3D printers
-
Virtual reality headsets
-
A sublimation printer
-
Specialised furniture
But the investment goes beyond hardware. Regent Business School is providing hands-on teacher training and ongoing support to ensure the lab remains active, relevant and impactful.
The design is intentionally cross-curricular. History learners can build physical artefacts to deepen understanding. Coding and robotics students can experiment beyond theory. Technology moves from textbook to touchpoint.
Preparing Learners for an AI-Driven World
Principal Radzuma Bopasen believes the timing is critical.
“This donation came when we needed it most,” he said. “We introduced computer application technology and robotics in recent years, but without advanced tools, there was a gap. This lab helps us balance the curriculum and prepare learners for a world shaped by artificial intelligence and digital skills. For our learners, many of whom have never interacted with this kind of technology, it is a blessing that will keep them relevant and confident.”
The iLeadLAB model is built on a simple premise: access shapes opportunity.
Many township learners first encounter advanced technology only upon entering tertiary education, often starting at a disadvantage. By introducing emerging tools earlier, the initiative aims to strengthen university readiness and narrow that divide.
Beyond Academics: Building Entrepreneurs
Regent Business School says the vision extends further than exam results. The labs are designed as incubation spaces — environments where curiosity can evolve into entrepreneurship.
Learners are encouraged to experiment, prototype and imagine how technology might translate into real-world ventures. In doing so, the lab becomes not just a classroom extension, but a catalyst for economic mobility.
The story at Bopasenatla is one of alignment:
-
A school that refused to fade.
-
A principal who chose reinvention over retreat.
-
An institution that views education as transformation, not transaction.
As the iLeadLAB doors open, the hope is that innovation sparked in one Soweto classroom will ripple across futures not yet written.
For learners stepping inside, the future is no longer abstract.
It is tangible.
Study with Regent Business School
If you’re ready to seek success, explore Regent Business School’s Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes, short learning programmes and workforce solutions:
-
Website: www.regent.ac.za
-
Phone: +27 31 304 4626
-
Email: [email protected]
X: @REGENT_BSchool
#SurroundYourselfWithSuccess #CareerStrategy
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Chapter 1: Loomings.
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