Tributes are pouring in following the passing of South Africa’s beloved maths and science teacher William Smith.

Smith died in Australia yesterday after a short battle with cancer. He was 85.

Born in Makhanda to parents who were notable scientists, Smith made mathematics and science accessible to all pupils for free through television in a groundbreaking 1990s TV programme called the ‘Learning Channel’ on SABC 2.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness and offered his condolences to the family and friends of the popular educator.

Ramaphosa conferred the Order of the Baobab on Smith in 2019.

During his 25 years as a teacher, Smith is estimated to have taught more than a million learners.

President Ramaphosa says Smith was an education and cultural icon:

“The outpouring of affection the nation directed at him when he received his National Order demonstrated, years after his retirement, the place he held in people’s hearts.

“He was synonymous with The Heads of Knysna which was the backdrop to his television presentation decades before we could think of him as the first teacher to teach “remotely”.

“He demystified maths and science for his audience which extended beyond learners to their parents and anyone who wished to revisit these subjects or learn more, long after they had left school.

“William Smith’s passion for his curriculum and for the success of those he taught in classrooms, at matric camps and on TV benefited millions of young South Africans even before our transition to democracy and the dawn of a new dispensation of equal education.

“May his soul rest in peace.”

Smith’s daughter Jessica, told News24 he was surrounded by family in his final moments. He was diagnosed with stage four cancer a few weeks ago.

Many people have taken to social media to share their high school memories of watching Smith and absorbing math and science knowledge in preparation for their exams.

In 2021, Rhodes University conferred a degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) (honoris causa) on Smith, already the 2019 recipient of the coveted Distinguished Alumni Award.