Open season at UCT

Open house: Anele Mamile, a grade-12 learner at Intlanganiso Secondary in Khayelitsha, gets a crash course in plant biology from Dawood Hattas, scientific officer in the Department of Botany.

As the Cape Town winter announced its arrival outside, thousands of school learners thronged into UCT's Open Day on Saturday, 10 May.

The learners - mostly grade 12s eyeing registration in 2009 - made the most of the occasion to learn everything they could about studies at UCT. They were spoilt for choice as academic and support departments had set up a parade of information stalls in the Robert Leslie Building on the university's upper campus. Faculties and selected departments also hosted lectures.

In addition, learners took guided tours of the library and Smuts and Fuller residences. (The residence tours were primarily for the out-of-towners who flew in especially for the occasion.)

The Admissions Office - which bussed in learners from local townships - handed out close on 3 000 application forms on the day, reports director Carl Herman. "We were very happy, and pleasantly surprised by the turnout," he said.