THE Department of Basic Education has released the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination timetable; this means that exams are around the corner.

Exam season can be an incredibly stressful time for all learners, especially with the weight of expectation in these economically challenging times. How are learners supposed to cope?

According to Dr Bernadette Aineamani, director at Pearson South Africa, many learners feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they are required to retain.

“This problem is particularly where a lot of material is covered, learners may not know where to start, and endless amounts of content available simply doesn’t mean that information gets adequately retained or remembered when needed,” says Aineamani.
Aineamani recommends ten ways in which learners can tackle their exams with confidence:

Be at your exam venue at least 30 minutes before your exam starts.Stay calm and do not panic. Approach every question in a calm way, take deep breaths when you feel overwhelmed.Read the instructions and entire question paper before starting the examination.Read each question carefully to ensure that you understand how to best answer the question.Write neatly.Adhere to the mark allocation of each question. Refrain from giving too much or too little information.Show your workings and calculations in brackets if required.Do not use correction fluid or tippex.Do not leave questions out – even if a question looks unfamiliar, at least try to provide some answers.Remember you are competing with yourself. Do not start panicking when another learner completes the question paper before you do.

“I also encourage learners to take time off to rest and recuperate when needed. It is vital that mental health is looked after because stress and pressure are in abundance while calm and focus are the key to examination success,” advises Aineamani.

Courtesy: Pearson

Varsity Netball is one of the most popular tournaments in the country. Over the years, since its launch in 2013, it has seen a lot of stars rise, and some get into different national team setups. Spar Proteas assistant coach, Dumisani Chauke was one such individual. She represented the Nelson Mandela University (formerly Nelson Mandela Bay University) both on the court and on the sidelines as a coach.

She reckons the competition is a great pathway for players to move onto the next chapter of their playing careers.

“It’s quite important because it helps us as universities to drive our mandate which is cultivating students athletes and assisting them to perform both on and off the field. It’s important because that helps us in developing the holistic human where we look at both, sports participation and competition as well as academics where we are preparing them for life after university with an academic qualification and the life skills that they have learned through sport.

“So it is quite important that Varsity Sports or Varsity Netball has this competition because it inspires those at high school as well to pursue to play netball post high school where they can see that ‘maybe one day I can play on TV, one day I can represent my university even though I am getting a qualification.’ Because some of these girls play for their universities on sports bursaries,” says the Tshwane University of Technology HOD of Sport.

The competition is a good place for national coaches to keep an eye on the national players for upcoming tournaments like the Diamond Challenge and the Fast5 Netball World Series.

“For me, it’s been quite interesting. I have enjoyed watching the young talent coming up through the system, through the ranks, to the breeding ground which is university sport because that is where we get to see these youngsters coming through. It was exciting for me to even see the likes of UJ getting into their first-ever semifinal, it might not have been the result they wanted but history was made and that is what we’re taking,” she adds.

High-intensity and high-performance competition for a university team prepare the players when they play international matches once they are selected to represent the country. Competitions like the World University Netball Championships are also a training ground for this.

“We have CUCSA (Confederation of University and Colleges Sports Associations) where we have our national students netball team going to the African countries (to compete). CUCSA happens every two years, so this year we did have a team that went out to Malawi and they came back with a gold. It is a breeding ground where our athletes get international experience before even getting into a professional setup, whether they graduate into a TNL (Telkom Netball League) team or the national squad but them having had the opportunity to play at the international level it’s something worth mentioning, that is invaluable as well. University sport itself does play a major role in making sure that our athletes are well groomed, well rounded, and experienced,” she says.

Varsity Netball is quite competitive and has seen three different universities win the title. The University of the Free State has won four titles, while the University of Pretoria and the North West University have won twice apiece. Pukke are in line to increase their number of titles as they face Stellenbosch University in the final. Maties are yet to win the competition, although they have played in several finals.

“It is invaluable game time that they are getting, at a highly competitive level. They are playing against other top players, they are playing against other national players so that also adds to the experience that they get. It’s important for them to be constantly playing at this level. It also goes to show the growth in university netball in the country. We currently have a number of our Spar Protea players that can see the ranks of university sports,” she says.

South Africa being the hosts of next year’s Netball World Cup somewhat inspires the next generation of Proteas to keep working hard toward the dream of donning the green and gold. Chauke says it’s important to encourage youngsters to continue playing sports beyond high school as it can open up opportunities.

“We use all our competitions, even the competitions at the school level, to get and motivate our young players to keep playing sport. If you were to look at the research recently done, there’s a huge number of netball girls that stop playing sports post-high school. They do other stuff because some of their role models don’t play sport, so they get lost and stolen by the social ills that engulf the society. So with every opportunity that we have to motivate and encourage our players to keep playing sports, we take that opportunity and keep it moving,” he says.

Supersport

WENDY MOTHATA

WITH just less than two weeks before class 2022 matric sit for their final examinations, MEC for Education in Mpumalanga, Bonakele Majuba, says the 2022 academic year is about to bear the fruits that will attest to all the hard work, the stresses and the strains that always accompany the work of teaching and learning.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) currently has 923 460 learners enrolled for the National Senior Certificate exams.
This number comprises full-time and part-time scholars.

Majuba said that the Class of 2022 must help the Mpumalanga Department of Education soar with wings like eagles.

“Like others before them, the Class of 2022 must help the Mpumalanga Department of Education soar with wings like eagles, they must complete this race without getting weary or fainting and they must leave a mark as they exit the secondary school class shining bright for the whole world to see,” said Majuba.

The department has since 2010 been able to manage incident-free examinations.

“The 2022 Grade 12 Examination will be the biggest in the history of writing such an examination process and for this reason, we will need to be extra vigilant and more meticulous in all material aspects of managing these examinations,” Majuba said.

In total, 71 582 full time candidates have registered to write the 2022 National Senior Certificate Examination in Mpumalanga.

It is the first time that the Province has registered such a high number and Majuba said he is extremely encouraged and happy about it because it confirms that the majority of learners that enters the system in Grade R do make it to Grade 12.

Bohlabela District has registered 16 812 learners; Ehlanzeni District has registered 19 722 learners; Gert Sibande District has registered 16 403 learners and Nkangala District has registered 18 645 learners.

All the candidates will write in 566 schools, which for the purposes of the examinations are now called examination centres and 39 for these examination centres are independent schools.

The Department has granted approval to 24 Schools with limited space to use alternative venues like churches and community halls to write the examinations.

“We would like to express our outmost gratitude to all pastors who have availed their places of worship so that our learners can sit for their examinations,” said Majuba.

The examinations will commence in full scale on October 31 and then proceed until December 7, 2022.

The marking of scripts will start on 9th to the 22nd of December 2022 in 19 Marking Centres spread throughout the province.
The Department will announce the Grade 12 Examination Results on Friday January 20, 2023 at the University of Mpumalanga.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Almost two-thirds of South Africa’s children are facing their mental health problems alone; avoiding help or treatment when they need it most. And experts believe the only way to address this worrying trend is to become more vigilant about their children’s behaviour.

Bongani Ndlovu, a 15-year-old from Soweto, knows what it’s like to feel all alone.

“What breaks me is the fact that no one in my family noticed that I wasn’t okay. This means that I’m alone and have no one to turn to during this time,” said the teen. He said he never healed after he was mugged and his cellphone taken away for months.

Michel’le Donnelly, Project Leader for Advocacy & Awareness at the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH), said that 10% of children and adolescents worldwide experience a mental disorder, but most don’t seek help or the care that they require.

Promoting children’s mental health

“In South Africa, 65% of young people reported having some form of a mental health problem but did not seek any help. Experts warn that not addressing mental health for children and adolescents can extend into adulthood and limit opportunities for leading fulfilling lives. Children and adolescents in our country are facing an uncertain future, so we must find ways to promote children’s mental health and resilience and ensure that they have the requisite skills to cope with life’s challenges,” said Donnelly.

“According to the South African Child Gauge 2022, children and adolescents “feel afraid, angry and anxious because their routines, education, recreation, and family finances have been disrupted”. COVID-19 also threatened the stability of homes. It reduced the mental health and capacity of parents and other supporters to maintain a stable, emotionally regulated, and secure environment. This environmental disruption significantly impacted the mental health of children. We, as SAFMH, believe that the same strategies we use to tackle external threats like climate change can also be applied to tackle the aftermath of COVID-19,” she added.

The Better Health Channel said teenagers who experience a distressing or frightening event are often concerned by these strong emotions. “Even though these reactions usually subside as a part of the body’s natural healing and recovery process, it is important for parents or carers to understand how a teenager manages distress and trauma so they can support and help the young person.”

Teens spill their hearts out

Ndlovu says he was triggered by a discussion during a Life Orientation lesson in school when the teacher asked them to share traumatic experiences they went through. “It was there and then that I realised that I am suffering from mental health problems because I had flashbacks of the day I was mugged. I was shaking, and up until this day, a simple walk down the street freaks me out.”

Siphelele Magudulela, 19, also based in Soweto, said even though he received help after being kidnapped, he still struggles with focusing on school, using public transport, and feels insecure.

Magudulela, whose kidnappers demanded a ransom from his family in February 2021, said his family and community were all very supportive.

“A detective who was dealing with my case referred me to a clinic that is based in a court, where I received counselling sessions. I only attended a few, and my older sister always accompanied me,” said Magudulela.

How kids respond to trauma

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 defines trauma as ‘exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation. When a child experiences a deeply distressing, life-threatening or stressful event such as violence or injury (traumatic event), acute and chronic stress responses such as fear, anxiety, panic, and shock commonly ensue’.

Children’s responses to traumatic events vary, with their responses influenced by different factors like trauma history and cultural backgrounds. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), many of the reactions displayed by children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events are similar or identical to behaviours that mental health professionals see daily in their practice.

These include:

– the development of new fears
– separation anxiety (particularly in young children)
– sleep disturbance, nightmares
– sadness
– loss of interest in normal activities
– reduced concentration
– decline in schoolwork
– anger
– somatic complaints
– irritability

The APA also reported that children and adolescents exposed to violence regularly often experience many of the same symptoms and lasting effects as children who are victims of violence themselves, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Donelly told Health-e News that half of all mental conditions start at 14. However, most of these cases remain undetected or untreated. “If we teach children to speak about their mental health and provide safe conditions for them, this proportion might not be so high,” she said.

Threats of suicide

“With regards to suicide, research shows that before trying to take their own life, a teen may have thoughts of wanting to die. This is called suicidal ideation. Threats of suicide are a cry for help, and if a teenager is having suicidal thoughts, they must know that they are not alone and that they should reach out to someone they trust and seek the necessary support. Children should be taught messages such as: “Remember, there is nothing shameful about talking about feeling like you are not coping, needing help, or talking about suicide,” said Donnelly.

Magadulela said apart from experiencing anxiety now and then, a car stopping anywhere near him makes him uncomfortable.

“I still need to deal with the emotional side, and I am even reluctant to help strangers after my traumatic experience. I am noticing things that are abnormal about me emotionally. A car stopping makes me panic, and on some days, I fear using public transport,” the teenager said.

Donelly added that not all teenagers with depression attempt suicide, but most of those who attempt suicide, are depressed. Depression affects your thoughts, moods and body and is treatable. Of those seeking help, at least 80% get better.

Warning signs of depression:

According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), the following signs may be indicators of depression in teenagers:

– Loss of interest in fun activities.
– Sadness that won’t go away.
– Crying a lot.
– Irritability and/or anger.
– Having low energy, constant tiredness or being restless.
– Feelings of guilt or hopelessness.
– Worrying, anxiety and tension.
– Changes in appetite.
– Eating too little or too much.
– Changes in sleep patterns.
– Sleeping too little or too much.
– Missing school.
– School marks or performance dropping.
– Having trouble making decisions.
– Thoughts of suicide. Thinking a lot of dying or killing themselves.
– Not socially connected to their peers, loneliness and feeling out of place. Schools are crucial starting points in being equipped to deal with mental health in classrooms.

“The 2021/22 South African Child Gauge describes the current and potential roles of schools in promoting and protecting mental health in the South African context. One way is for schools to normalise good mental health as something we should all strive to achieve. Having children talk openly and understand the topic is vital. By simply starting the conversation about mental health with children, you can share as much information and create understanding before stigma can even start to settle in,” said Donelly.

Ndlovu said he hadn’t received any help after what he went through.

“I didn’t get any help because my parents couldn’t see that there was something wrong with me. They weren’t at all supportive throughout my journey. This has affected me a lot at school because this was always in my thoughts,” he said.

“Whether in the classroom or on the playground, all children must understand that they should respect and care for one another. Bullying is prevalent on the playground, so equipping children to understand that it is wrong and that they should not be scared to speak up against bullying – whether for themselves or others – is one way we can encourage children to be mindful of mental health in all environments,” Donnelly explained.

“With that said, all teachers and parents should feel empowered to answer questions that children may ask to not further stigmatise the topic of mental health. These questions can sometimes be very straightforward, such as: ‘Why is that person crying?’ Experts advise answering such questions directly and honestly. It’s also important to reassure your child about any concerns they may have about their safety or their loved one’s safety,” she added.

There is always help on hand
Help is available. For those who are suicidal and need help or are unsure how to help someone in need, contact:

The National Suicide Crisis Line on 0800 567 567. This number is free, operates 24 hours, and offers counselling in all 11 official languages.
Additional FREE hotlines for support with your mental health include:

Dr Reddy’s Mental Health Helpline on 0800 21 22 23. This number is free and operates 8AM – 8PM every day.
Cipla Mental Health Hotline on 0800 456 789. This number is free and operates 24 hours.
The Adcock Ingram Depression and Anxiety Helpline on 0800 70 80 90. This number is free, operates 24 hours, and offers counselling in all 11 official languages.
The Substance Abuse Helpline on 0800 12 13 14. This number is free, operates 24 hours, and offers counselling in all 11 official languages.
Donelly said we need to focus on creating supportive and encouraging environments that allow our children to thrive.

“Children and adolescents in our country face an uncertain future, so we must find ways to promote children’s mental health and ensure they are equipped to cope with life’s challenges. We, as SAFMH, call for these solutions to not only include medical treatment but an overhaul of our health care system that addresses all social and environmental drivers of ill health.”

– Health-e News

THE matric class of 2022 will sit for their final examinations towards the end of the month, faced with the prospect of load shedding, and following countless disruptions dating back to March 2020, when ​South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced the country’s first lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga has visited learners in a provincial prayer service in the Free State as part of the last push to get students mentally and emotionally prepared to write.

The minister said that the current matric class would have had to go through a storm over the last three years – “it made them the most disadvantaged cohort of learners”.

The impact of disrupted education following the Covid-19 outbreak was devastating, with learners between 75% and a full school year behind where they should be, according to a 2021 report by humanitarian organisation, UNICEF. Rotational attendance, sporadic school closures, and days off for specific grades, resulted in school children losing 54% of learning time.

Students have also had to deal with damaged property, and school closures following unrest which resulted in more than 140 schools being vandalized in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

And with two weeks to go before exams begin, students are faced with South Africa’s worst-ever electricity crisis, which has included up to eight hours of load shedding over the past several months, and a record number of days for power cuts ever.

“As a sector, we will have to swim with the tide,” said Motshekga on Sunday.

“I can’t say that a sector we are immune.”

However, the minister said that the department does communicate with the energy department.

“When we write exams we really do communicate a lot with the Department of energy to say during this period if possible we could just suspend power cuts, but I can’t guarantee that we will be able to fully do away with power cuts when there power cuts in the country. So we will have to navigate our way like everybody else navigates their way.”

Business Tech

African universities have made dramatic progress in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023 as, for the first time, 97 universities from 17 countries, up from 71 last year, have been rated to be part of the best universities globally, with 10 of them in the top 500.

The contingent from Africa is being led by the University of Cape Town in South Africa that has jumped forward 23 places to 160th spot globally, from 183rd position last year, and it is the only university on the continent that forms part of the top 200 universities.

Two other South African universities, Stellenbosch University and the University of the Witwatersrand, or Wits, are both in the 251-300 category, tied in second place, while Ghana’s University of Cape Coast in the 351-400 bracket has been placed fourth.

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences of Tanzania, a newcomer into the rankings, stormed into the world top 500 universities as it was placed in the 401-500 band.

In comparison with the rest of the best-ranked universities in Africa, Muhimbili is relatively new, as it was hived off from the University of Dar es Salaam and was only accorded full-fledged university status by the Tanzania Commission for Universities in 2007.

What does the data say?

But, commenting on the progress made by the universities in Africa, Phil Baty, the chief knowledge officer at THE, said the data indicate these universities are becoming more prominent and competitive on the world stage.

“Not only has the University of Cape Town risen higher up the rankings this year, but the overall representation for Africa has dramatically increased its knowledge economy,” Baty told University World News on October 12 when the rankings were released.

According to Baty, 25 African universities are ranked for the first time, while five African countries, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, have entered the global stage with universities that meet rigorous international academic benchmarks.

In this context, Nigeria has been highly commended for doubling its number of ranked universities from six to 12 with the University of Lagos this year climbing into the world’s top 500 as it has been placed in the group band of 401-500.

Other African universities that are in that category included Aswan University in Egypt, Ferhat Abbas Setif University 1 of Algeria, Nigeria’s University of Ibadan and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

In total, 40 African universities have been ranked among the world’s top 1,000 universities, a ranking indicator that occasionally signals a university’s entry into the global high academic leagues.

For instance, five universities are among the top 600 globally as they were in the group band of 501-600 and they included newcomers, Damietta University of Egypt, Jimma University of Ethiopia and University of Zambia. Others in the group were South Africa’s Durban University of Technology and Kafrelsheikh University of Egypt, both previously featured institutions.

According to the rankings, 12 African universities were in the group band of 601-800 and most of them had been ranked before, apart from the newcomers to the rankings this year – Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, Mozambique and the University of Namibia.

Others in the group included four Egyptian universities, Benha, Fayoum, Mansoura and Minia universities, as well as three South African institutions, namely, the University of Johannesburg, North-West University and the University of the Western Cape.

Ethiopia’s University of Addis Ababa, as well as Covenant University in Nigeria and Kenya’s University of Nairobi are also in the top 800 group.

The list of Africa’s top 1,000 universities globally was completed by some of the well-known Egyptian universities, such as the universities of Al-Azhar, Cairo, Alexandria and Suez Canal, as well as the American University in Cairo.

More Egyptian universities in the group were Beni-Suef, Tanta, Zagazig and Zewail City of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Three South African universities, the University of Pretoria, Rhodes University and newcomer the University of the Free State, as well as Makerere University of Uganda were also included in that cohort.

Ranked institutions not evenly spread

Although Africa’s footprint on the quality of higher education seemed to be rising, the crux of the matter is that it is not evenly spread across the continent, as almost 70% of the universities that were ranked by researchers in this round were from only four countries.

In this regard, Egypt had 26 universities, or about 27% of the total number of the universities, while South Africa was second with 15 universities, Algeria 13 and Nigeria 12.

Morocco and Tunisia each had eight universities, while Ghana had three, as well as Ethiopia and Tanzania two universities each on the overall ranking index. Eight other countries, Botswana, Kenya, Uganda and the five newcomers, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe all had one university each on the list.

Further, about 60% of the universities in Africa that have been classified are in the lower rankings – as 18 of them are in the group band of 1,001-1,200 while 23 others are in the category of 1,201-1,500 and another 16 are listed in the last category of 1,500+.

But the good news is that, of 25 universities that made it into the competitive rankings and scored pretty well, eight of them, led by Muhimbili, have been ranked among the world’s top 1,000 and four others made it to the top 1,200 universities.

That group included two Nigerian universities, University of Bayero and Federal University of Technology Akure, that were joined by the University of Mauritius and the University of Zimbabwe.

In approval of the performance of the African universities this year, Baty was optimistic that the emerging academic visibility on the world stage will inevitably increase competitiveness of the universities, a move that was likely to arrest the brain drain from the continent.

“This would also ensure that international research collaborations around some of the world’s shared challenges are placed on a much more equal footing, with institutions from the Global North entering into much more truly collaborative partnerships with their African academic peers,” Baty told University world News.

Largest ranking edition up to date

According to Claire Baumforth, the marketing director at Times Higher Education, the rankings were based on five indicators that included teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.

This year, the researchers evaluated 1,799 universities from 104 countries and regions, effectively making it the largest edition in the 19-year history of the THE’s rankings.

“Our researchers provided a rigorous overview of a university’s quality, drawing on an analysis of 15.5 million research publications and 121 million citations and over 40,000 responses to an annual academic reputation survey,” Baumforth told University World News.

She also noted that researchers took into account additional data points covering a university’s teaching environment, core mission, knowledge transfer, reputation, international outlook and industry links, among other academic performance indicators.

Globally, the University of Oxford was at the top of the World University Rankings 2023 while Harvard University was placed second.

The University of Cambridge was third, followed by Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, California Institute of Technology, Princeton, University of California, Berkeley, and Yale – in that order.

University World News 

JONATHAN JANSEN

ONE of the most serious threats facing higher education and the scientific enterprise in South Africa is the rising tide of xenophobia in the halls of academia. I did not think this was possible. One could, to some extent, understand the raw competition for limited resources on the streets of Diepsloot or the farms of De Doorns, where impoverished South Africans feel they were abandoned twice – first by the apartheid regime and then by their own leaders in the democratic period.

But in universities? They are the elites of society, the well-educated. Not exactly the marginalised poor. Many of those who work in universities gained from and are connected to international networks without which their own research and statuses would suffer. After all, the very word ‘university’ suggests openness to the world, the universum.

It turns out, as I detail in my forthcoming book Corrupted: A study of chronically dysfunctional universities, the university in South Africa, as in the case of the (other) state-owned enterprises [in South Africa], is perceived by many as simply a concentrated resource to be stripped and from which to gain individual or group advantage.

One’s high-level ideals about a university as a place of higher learning open to the best talent (students, scholars, scientists) from anywhere on the planet can take a beating in a country that has long given up on such core academic values.

Concerned about anecdotal reports on the plight of African academics from other African countries in South African universities, our research team launched a study across the 26 public universities in order to generate a more systematic account of the workings of xenophobia on our campuses. It is early days in the research project but, already, our fears are being confirmed.

Limited resources politicised around national origin

In the early years of our democracy, there was an openness to ordinary people and professionals from other African countries, a recognition, perhaps, of the role of the frontline states in South Africa’s freedom and a generally pan-African view of the world carried, for example, in then President Thabo Mbeki’s vision of an African Renaissance.

As the country moved on from the heady days of the mid-1990s and social and economic hardship remained unchanged for the majority of the population, those lofty ideals started to fall away, particularly in areas of poverty and underdevelopment where South Africans struggled to survive from one day to the next.

Gradually, co-existence with migrants from other African and, indeed, Asian countries was threatened as competition for limited resources was politicised around national origins. Local and even national politicians (and a former late king) saw a political opportunity in these conditions and began to mobilise and support angry South Africans against their neighbours – with devastating consequences for, especially, African nationals from elsewhere.

Such xenophobic thinking started to reflect in certain ministries and their government departments. Leaders of science councils will tell you how they receive messages from their political heads to keep an eye on the appointment or advancement of African scientists and scholars from outside South Africa.

Similarly, university vice-chancellors would receive these political messages, sometimes subtle and sometimes direct. Employment Equity is meant for black South Africans, something to remember.

This is where institutional behaviour becomes interesting. In some universities, those political messages are taken very seriously, especially where they coincide with the xenophobic commitments of a vice-chancellor and-or her team.

For example, at one university, the interpretation of political messaging on foreigners is taken to mean that you go through several rounds of a search for an academic appointment and even when you cannot find a black South African, rather leave the position open.

In rural universities, there is a very practical logic that kicks in during deliberations on political messages from national government. Those universities would quite literally fall apart were it not for other African academics willing to work in rural areas and uphold their academic programmes in everything from undergraduate teaching to postgraduate supervision and, of course, senior administration.

A lack of understanding about what a university is

Why is academic xenophobia a threat to the future of the South African university? It’s quite simple. No university in the world ever became a global centre of academic and research excellence through nativist thinking in its academic appointments policy.

Think of what the South African academy would look like without Tebello Nyokong (Lesotho) at Rhodes University, a world leader in chemistry and cancer research; or Achille Mbembe (Cameroon) at the University of the Witwatersrand, a foremost scholar in philosophy; or Linus Opara (Nigeria) at Stellenbosch University in the agricultural sciences; or the medicinal chemist Kelly Chibale (Zambia) at the University of Cape Town. What these scholars and scientists bring to the South African academy is invaluable, world-class research that benefits all of humanity.

Together, African scholars from outside South Africa have trained hundreds of masters and doctoral students and mentored post-doctoral fellows who have, themselves, become academics in local universities. Many of those taught and supervised are black South Africans. Why, therefore, would a country struggling with the production of high-level skills shoot itself in the foot?

Because bigotry against others is blind even to its own needs, as social science research has repeatedly shown.

At the root of the problem is the lack of understanding of what a university is, and is not. I do not know of any higher education institution in South Africa that takes the time at orientation or any other forum to teach students what a university is.

That it is a place of higher learning. That it is not a religious organisation requiring commitment to a shared dogma. That it thrives on reason, not rage. That it is not an extension of the school or home. That it is a public institution open to all. That it is not a racial or ethnic or sectarian possession. That it values independence of thought.

Most of all, that a university has open borders that welcomes ideas and inventions from anywhere and by anyone in the world. When such core values fall away, a university is simply a training institute that produces automatons for the local markets without any sense of conscience towards a broader humanity.

I can assure you that the leadership of the Academy of Science of South Africa remains deeply committed to those foundational values that distinguish universities from government departments or those education institutions that discriminate on the basis of national origins.

In our work and in our membership, we will strive to ensure that the universal values of academies continue to define our work in science research and advice.

Hyperlinks have been added to this commentary to provide background information. The commentary was first published in the September edition of ASSAf’s newsletter. Academics across Africa who want to share insights on xenophobia can e-mail cornia@universityworldnews.com

Curro Holdings says it will roll out CurroPM – a new approach to teaching that aims to provide students with the opportunity to choose an alternative afternoon learning schedule.

According to the JSE-listed independent school group, from 2023, learners at Curro’s Durbanville High School will be able to choose the afternoon learning schedule and, if needed, may even combine it with a blended learning approach, “if that suit their passions and routine better”.

This means that classes are held between 13:45 and 18:30 with remote access to live lessons and the chance to review recorded classes later, it said.

“With this new offering, freeing up the morning time means that academic overachievers can sleep late after burning the midnight oil, budding sports stars can enjoy some valuable training and introverts can avoid large social gatherings like registration and assemblies,” Curro said.

“We know not all learners and their families are suited to the nature and character of a traditional school routine which is why a customisable and personalised approach to learning is so critical,” said Riaan Stroebel, the executive head at Curro Durbanville.

He said that personalised learning not only recognises that every learner is different but also gives them an invaluable say in their education journey, especially when it comes to when and how they want to learn. “Personalised learning is known to boost engagement, responsibility, and productivity while reducing anxiety and stress.”

The new offering also adds a further dimension to the Curro Choice programme, which the private education provider launched at the beginning of 2021 to give every Curro high school learner a broader range of subject choices.

A school-within-a-school

CurroPM is currently only available to learners in Grade 7 to 9 with higher grades phasing in annually. The offering is available at Curro Durbanville’s new Phesantekraal campus, so learners are still exposed to the same academic excellence that the school is known for.

Learners also have access to the school’s extensive sporting facilities, as well as the facilities at the primary school campus which includes an aquatic centre with an indoor heated pool and a high-performance centre.

However, after meeting the qualifying requirements – learners must have reached a certain academic benchmark of 60% in numeracy and literacy – this cohort of learners will take their afternoon classes in a smaller ‘school’, with a separate entrance so that they can meet like-minded people and pursue their academic goals.

The school-within-a-school model will have its own management team and will follow a more relaxed uniform and hair rulebook while learners will not be expected to participate in extra-curricular activities if it does not suit their tailored programme.

“At Curro, we are always looking for new ways to reach and support our learners and have seen some exceptionally promising learners suffer from thwarted potential simply because they are put off by the current way of doing things. For them, the liberalised, yet structural approach of CurroPM is the answer to making their school journey relatable and enjoyable,” said Stroebel.

Business Tech

A 25-year-old student from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa has been channelling her love for science into nearby communities where she is raising awareness about careers for women in science and providing information to girls about fields of study in the sciences.

Currently enrolled for her third science degree, Weliswa Kunene said she was ignorant about the scope of science qualifications and careers when she started studying.

The third-year pharmacy student’s work has been acknowledged by lecturers and high school pupils as she has used the institution’s Mini-Habitable Planet Workshop to raise awareness in local communities about careers for women in science.

The Mini-Habitable Planet Workshop is a community engagement programme that the university established in 2019. It is a platform for various projects targeting high school pupils in Claremont and KwaDabeka, Durban.

With the broad theme of ‘Inspire Township Learners to Pursue Science-related Careers’, activities vary from science club sessions, science practicals, career guidance and educational field trips to motivational talks on mental health and well-being.

Lack of awareness

Kunene said her own experience was what inspired her to raise awareness.

In 2015, she enrolled for a BSc degree in biochemistry and microbiology at UKZN. She graduated in 2018.

The following year, she enrolled for an honours degree in medical microbiology at UKZN and completed the qualification in 2019. In 2020, she began her pharmacy degree.

“I was uninformed about the various careers that existed in science. I completed [my first and second degrees] with good grades because I fell in love with lab work and my research project on HIV drugs and mutations.

“I then applied for a pharmacy degree and enrolled in 2020. It has been the best decision of my academic career,” said Kunene.

Tackling the gender and poverty gaps

Speaking to University World News, Kunene said that the objective of her project is to promote science in schools and offer career guidance while also addressing the gender gap that exists in science.

“Women, as we know, have historically been marginalised and under-represented in many spheres, especially in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], therefore, our programme encourages more female participation to bridge that gap and empower girls,” she said.

“The main thing is to create awareness of all the male-dominated science careers they could venture into and take up space. We offer a unique and innovative approach in delivering career expos,” said Kunene.

“We invite female professionals and university students in STEM to speak to the pupils about their academic journey with the hope of inspiring and imparting the realities of the working world.”

Kunene said, given stereotypes about science, such as that it is difficult and better suited to those in privileged schools, those involved in the project have identified this as a problem that contributes to the fear of pursing science for many pupils in under-resourced schools.

“We have partnered with the STEC@UKZN science centre to deliver science practicals that are in line with the CAPS curriculum [the public school curriculum in South Africa] to overcome the challenge of traditional classroom learning but no practical experience of the science taught.

“Stereotypes of careers known to be better suited to men or other races – for example, agriculture, software development and engineering – are still a hindrance in achieving gender equality.

“For that reason, our programme involves women who disrupt the status quo by occupying higher-ranking positions in STEM careers. For the girl child growing up in a township with so many social ills, including gender-based violence, it has become everyone’s responsibility to be a `Sister’s Keeper’, and mine is through education,” said Kunene.

Meanwhile, Dr Sibusiso Senzani, a lecturer at the UKZN school of lab medicine and medicinal biology, told University World News that the UKZN Mini-Habitable Planet Workshop is an important project.

He explained: “As someone who comes from a township, I am well aware that, while you are in school you are not fully aware of the opportunities available to you, and you do not really know what you can do with the subjects you are learning. This programme introduces these aspects to these kids to let them know what they can actually do with science.

“It does so, not just by telling them, but showing them examples of people who come from where they come from who can advise them how to get to where they want to go. In addition to this, it breathes a sense of excitement into these students when it comes to science through experimentation and field trips to science centres, ecological and conservation institutions which fosters better learning,” he said.

Environmental focus

Slindile Dlamini, a pupil from Buhlebemfundo Secondary School, said she enjoys attending UKZN Mini-Habitable Planet Workshop programmes, especially when Kunene and her team teach the children about the environment.

“The Mini-Habitable Planet Workshop has taught me and the rest of the Buhlebemfundo environment club to raise awareness on environmental issues,” said Dlamini.

Despite facing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kunene said they have previously won funds to sponsor the programme through an access bursary scheme and recently won the UKZN Inspiring Impact Challenge.

“Being part of the UKZN Inspiring Impact Challenge alone affirmed that the work we put in is recognised and validated.

“Winning the challenge only ignited a deeper love for servitude and made me realise that I am being entrusted to enrich and empower and make a difference that matters,” said Kunene.

University World News

The transformation of education begins with teachers. A shortage of quality teachers and the consequent ongoing delivery of poor educational outcomes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges facing basic education in South Africa.

The crisis looks set to worsen in the years ahead given that more than half of the current teacher population is over the age of 55 and will soon be heading for retirement, notes School-Days, a fundraising programme.

We’re neither creating attractive career opportunities for student teachers nor graduating a sufficient number of teachers each year, it said.

Some 15,000 new teachers currently graduate each year, and the need is for 25,000 annually in order to maintain an effective teacher-pupil ratio. However, between 18 000 and 22 000 teachers leave the profession each year, either due to retirement or to switch professions, often in search of more lucrative income.

Of particular concern is the dire shortage of specialist maths, science, technology and African language teachers and an over-supply of teachers in other areas. The shortage of specialist teachers is widely felt, said School-Days.

“Our children don’t fare much better when it comes to reading for meaning with a 2016 literacy study revealing that 78% of grade 4 learners were not able to read for meaning.”

There has been enough talk about how dismal the results are, and this is despite the fact that South Africa’s basic education sector is sufficiently funded, at least comparable to equivalent-sized economies, spending around 6% of GDP on education.

Why, then, do we have such a huge problem?

Paul Esterhuizen, CEO of School-Days, believes it’s time to raise the bar and ensure the education sector starts focusing on attracting higher-quality candidates.

“Recent reports indicate that only one-fifth of Bachelor of Education students achieved more than 50% for maths in matric. Another, albeit older, study found that most grade 3 teachers struggled to achieve 50% in literacy and mathematics assessments designed for grade 6 learners.

“Given these alarming statistics, it should not be any surprise that, as a country, we struggle with poor educational outcomes.”

He said we’re doing the children of South Africa a disservice and that every child deserves access to quality education that positions them to find meaningful work as an adult.

“As a country, we need to be making an urgent and concerted effort to improve education delivery standards because this impacts us all. Poor educational outcomes are a contributing factor to lacklustre GDP growth, which in turn exacerbates unemployment, poverty and inequality.”

Esterhuizen believes businesses may have some of the solutions required to save basic education in South Africa. “There are already a number of encouraging examples of previously poor performing schools that are showing that with the right interventions, learner results improve.

“Consider, for example, advertising and communications group Joe Public United’s ‘One School at a Time’ initiative that has seen considerable success. And the likes of Kagiso Shanduka Trust, the Adopt-a-School Foundation and non-profit Funda Wanda have initiated and delivered on successful partnerships with provincial education departments.”

The School-Days CEO believes it’s time to draw the business sector in to partner with schools and fund whole school development, attract more student teachers as interns at schools and do this on a platform that enables sustainability.

“The end goal has to be to continue to upskill our teachers and keep them in the teaching profession,” he said.

“Given the long-term impact of education on the economy, we need urgent interventions to improve educational outcomes. This will require the political will to implement meaningful reforms, potentially rethinking how education is delivered and moving the focus away from merely covering a prescribed curriculum to encouraging mastery of that curriculum.

“We need to be attracting high-quality candidates to the teaching profession and rethink how we train and support our teachers. We need to find ways to alleviate pressure on over-subscribed schools in the public sector and harness the power of technology to deliver quality education at scale.”

Over-crowded classrooms in many government schools prompt the need for parents to consider private education with independent education providers who have been positioning themselves to bridge the gap in the market for more affordable private schooling.

For many families, however, private education is not affordable.

Esterhuizen established School Days to help families afford school fees. Based on reward and incentive programme principles that assist parents and members of the public to pay school fees, either at their own or at a disadvantaged school, the programme incentivises members to shop with partner merchants to earn Edu-Time Points (ETPs) while still earning their normal retailer loyalty points. ETPs can be donated to a chosen beneficiary or used to pay a child’s school, college or university fees.

Business Tech