Professor Rajendran Govender started his academic journey as an activist at High School in Merebank in Durban. He was expelled for resisting the then apartheid imposed language policy at schools, and almost did not finish matric.

But today he is the Dean of the Education Faculty at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

He delivered his inaugural lecture on 1 September 2025 with a presentation entitled ‘From the Roots of the Syzygium Tree to the Summit of Mathematical Thinking: Modelling as a Catalyst for Creativity, Criticality and Self-Directed Learning’.

Prof Ranjendran Govender, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Western Cape. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

Prof Govender grew up in a cul-de-sac of 14 homes - part of a close-knit Indian community where neighbours were like extended family. The neighbourhood had a library, a shopping centre and a swimming pool. Children played soccer and cricket in the street, and families supported one another through shared meals and conversation. 

His mother, who passed away at 86, managed their household with precision and grace; his father worked as a truck driver. 

“My mother was calm, considerate, and lived the principles of social justice,” said Prof Govender. “She couldn’t read or write, but she was brilliant.” 

“My dad possessed exceptional talent in home-building, electrical work, and engineering, which enabled him to skillfully transform their modest semi-detached council home into a spacious and comfortable residence for our family.”

Discipline in the Govender household was unique. If a child misbehaved, they had to sit at their father’s bedside and read aloud from a book, again and again, until he was satisfied. Prof Govender said: “That was his punishment, but it instilled a respect for learning.”

The letter of expulsion from high school that Rajendran Govender received in 1981 for protesting apartheid. Image: Supplied

Despite early setbacks - including suspension and expulsion during school boycotts - his father insisted Prof Govender pursue academics over an apprenticeship. That decision changed the trajectory of his life.

“He believed in education as a path to liberation,” said Prof Govender. “If you wanted a book, he’d find the money. A jacket could wait.”

Throughout his teaching and academic career, Prof Govender’s work was underpinned by social constructivism, activity theory, and self-directed learning. His emphasis on adaptive reasoning as well as the ability to respond creatively to new contexts, is now especially relevant in an era of artificial intelligence and regular curriculum changes. 

Prof Govender started his teaching journey in 1985 in the classroom at Woolhope Secondary School in what was then Port Elizabeth. He taught Mathematics at PR Pather Secondary School in Merebank from 1986 to 1994, lectured mathematics at a teacher education college in KZN (1995-2000), served as a subject advisor for Mathematics in KZN Department of Education - Durban South Region, and then lectured at the University of Limpopo for five years before joining UWC in 2008.

It was back then that he used a tree as a practical tool for mathematical modelling and in a group assignment, was able to build the reasoning skills of both Mathematics and Mathematics Literacy students.

“We needed to prepare teachers who could make mathematics fun,” said Prof Govender. “Who could widen access and foster critical thinking. The tree showed us that learning could be organic, collaborative and deeply meaningful.”

The assignment was deceptively simple: determine the height of a waterberry tree on campus, how many leaves are on the tree, as well as establishing how much space did the crown of the tree occupy. Each group approached the problem differently, showcasing a range of mathematical thinking. One group used photographic scaling, another used trigonometry, and one group even conducted archival research, locating building blueprints and plans to estimate the tree’s height relative to nearby structures.

An extract of the group assignment to measure the height of a tree. Image: Supplied

Prof Govender smiled broadly as he explained that he didn’t know the exact answers to these mathematical questions and that the answer wasn’t even important.

“They weren’t just solving problems…they were building reasoning, justification and argumentation. They were learning how to learn,” said Prof Govender. The solutions that emerged revealed the depth of his students’ reasoning and the power of experiential learning.

Even as a Dean, Prof Govender continued teaching (up until the start of 2024) as he is driven by a love for the classroom. The Tree Project exemplified Prof Govender’s belief that mathematics is not just about numbers; it is also about creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. He doesn't want students to merely solve problems; with the tree project, they modeled reality, challenged assumptions, developed adaptive reasoning skills, and reflected deeply on their learning.

These are the qualities he believes mathematics teachers need for the classroom today and in the future.