In February 2009, SAEP launched SAEP Matric Success (SMS), an after-school tutoring and matric preparation programme for Grade 12 learners. The project began in Samora Machel's Zisukhanyo Senior Secondary and soon expanded to Philippi High School, enabling a total of 250 matric students to benefit from the project.

Through the SMS Programme, a pool of qualified local tutors (recruited primarily from the University of Cape Town,) oversee afterschool tutorial sessions in maths, English, life sciences and physical sciences (physics and chemistry) four days a week at each school. Sessions focus on revising topics from the week's classes, as well as study and test-taking skills .

Additionally, SAEP provides a Winter School to SMS participants during the June holiday, increasing the reach of the annual project from 80 participating learners in 2008 to 138 in 2009 (an increase of over 70%). With volunteer tutors and generous donation sof snacks, SAEP is able to offer a week's worth of classes in all the SMS subjects as well as accounting, economics, history and geography.

A complete impact report will be published at saep.org as soon as the Matric results are available, so please check in to see how the SMS students have done.