THE Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is this week hosting the 8th annual Winter School Camp programme.

The purpose of the winter school is to promote careers within the built environment sector and create a solid foundation for a high pass rate in Mathematics and Physical Science. 

This aims to enable learner’s access into careers within the built environment, while prioritising the attendance of learners from disadvantaged communities and females.

“The camp forms part of the department’s mandate to transform the built environment sector by providing support to educators through enrichment programmes that help teachers become better Mathematical and Physical Science educators,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement. 

The camp will have interactive exhibitions and expose the learners to career opportunities in the built environment sector while addressing the challenge of scarcity in educational resources that lead to poor performance in schools.

Since the programs’ inception in 2013, 42 schools have participated, while there are 22 schools currently enrolled this year, with 48 learners participating.

The prerequisites for learners to participate are:

-Each school needs to have an average of 40% of their Grade 10 – 12 scholars doing Mathematics and Physical Science and for Grade 9 – 12, and for

-learners to achieve a minimum of 60% for Mathematics and Physical Science.

IVOR PRICE  

INSPIRED by his grandparents, South Africa entrepreneur Shivad Singh founded Head Start Education, an online platform providing digital educational material for teachers and learners, when he was only 19.

Singh, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, launched his business, formerly known as Presto, after graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Cape Town. His aim is to equip learners and teachers with essential digital skills that will lead to an improvement in their overall skills development and employability.

Head Start Education serves as a gateway to Africa for educators to promote the advancement of education across the continent. The company is a reputable ed-tech provider, holding exclusive licenses for over 20 educational products world-wide. They supply these products to schools and large corporates that are then able to provide these services to their teachers, learners or customers.

“The focus for our business is to help learners leave high school with a quality education,” says Singh.

“The education sector in Africa and other developing countries continues to face serious challenges with poor quality of resources, irrelevant curriculums, poor learning outcomes and lack of infrastructure. These challenges have led to 1.2 million learners in South Africa entering Grade 1 with less than half of them completing high school.”

E-school platform on Head Start

Head Start has a “Netflix for Education” e-school platform that aggregates over 1 000 videos and affordable PDF content for their customers. The content is relevant to the school syllabus, and promotes financial education, entrepreneurship, coding, personal growth and emotional well-wellbeing.

Singh has received various forms of support to ensure the success of his business. Notably, he has received business skills training, mentorship and access to finance through his entrepreneurial journey with the SAB Foundation, one of the leading South African organisations in the social innovation space.

He started his journey with the foundation when he was selected for the University Seed fund. He was then announced as a winner at the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards and is now receiving support from the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Fund.

Through the support of my mentor provided by the SAB Foundation, we closed our first big deal,” he explains. “We also signed an agreement with an established financial institution and partnered with a leading school franchise in South Africa.”

According to Singh, the biggest highlight on his journey has been launching his Mobi Class education platform with the cellular provider, MTN.

With this support, he has provided educational content to over 300 000 learners. Originally Singh was running the business on his own, but this has grown and he now has five employees. His annual turnover has increased to almost R1 million per annum.

In 2017, Singh was recognised as a News24 Young Mandela of the Future, and received the “Leading South African Award” by One Young World. He is also the youngest member of South Africa’s Tai- Chi demo team.

Apart from running a global business, Singh still taps into his inner child and engages in digital social media platforms like TikTok. His passion and drive for entrepreneurship was inspired by his grandfather, Benny Singh.

“My grandparent’s life journeys are my inspiration,” shares Singh. “My grandfather lived in a one bedroom flat and couldn’t afford to go to university. However through sheer grit and determination, he made a success as an entrepreneur.”

Singh was further inspired by his great grandfather, who was the first South African Indian to pass high school in 1925, and the first person of colour to become principal of Sastri College in Durban. 

“I see myself as a combination of these two great men,” he said.

“My message to other entrepreneurs is to always be on the lookout for training and skills development opportunities,” added Singh. 

“It is vital that you have these tools in order to establish and grow a sustainable and successful business.”

Founded in 2010, the SAB Foundation provides grant funding for small, medium and micro-sized enterprises in order to contribute to the economic and social empowerment of historically disadvantaged persons through entrepreneurship development. More than R425 million to date has been invested in social innovation, disability empowerment and SMMEs.

Ventureburn 

WENDY MOTHATA

A TVET college lecturer in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, was on Saturday attacked and burnt to death by unknown suspects while transporting goats.

The man was accused of stealing goats.

The 43-year-old college lecturer, Siphiwe Zondo, bought goats at Ga-Mphahlele village.

According to the police, Zondo was stopped and pulled outside of his vehicle by a rampaging mob, accusing him of stock theft.

The Limpopo police have since launched a manhunt for the suspects.

The police urged the public to come forward with any information relating to the murder of the TVET college lecturer.

Recently, four men were also burnt to death in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, after they were suspected of burglary.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has condemned the latest mob killing the college lecturer.

“The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo strongly condemns the latest mob killing in Lebowakgomo on Saturday. He was severely assaulted and burnt to death in his bakkie,” said DA Provincial Spokesperson on Transport and Community Safety, Katlego Suzan Phala.

Phala said that they are concerned about the sudden spike in mob justice killings in the province.

This year alone, 10 victims brutally fell to the hands of mob justice in the province.

“The DA has sympathy with frustrated communities who do not feel safe in their own homes and whose property are at risk, but we call on communities not to take the law into their hands. We do believe that lack of police visibility and the lack of police stations in rural villages contribute to incidents of mob justice in our province,” said Phala.

On 10 June 2022, the DA wrote to the Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Thembi Hadebe, to provide them with a report on mob justice acts in the province and the measures put in place to prevent such incidents, “we have yet to receive a response.”

“The DA hopes the newly appointed MEC for Community Safety and Transport, Polly Boshielo, will show
more interest, than her predecessor, in holding the police accountable to protect and serve the people
of Limpopo.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

A start-up entrepreneur, hailing from South Africa, has changed the perception of considering caterpillars as a worm by turning them into a snack.

Though it sounds unbelievable, the African chemical engineer, Wendy Vesela, said she found the black caterpillar packed with protein and iron. While speaking to South Africa-based NTV, the engineer said she planned to turn the inchworm into flour that can be later utilised in preparing savoury biscuits, sweet chocolate protein bars, cereals or smoothies.

Not only this, but she claimed Caterpillars can also be used in pizzas as toppings after steaming them at high temperature.

While narrating the reason behind the “incredible” idea, Vesela said she found several domestic and international customers eagerly seeking to use caterpillars as a source of protein.

She also cited how edible insects and worms are gaining popularity in Western cultures.

Besides, the chemical engineer revealed she belongs to Limpopo Limpopo and added his community use mopane as a staple food, cooked in a sauce of onions and tomatoes. “Caterpillars are a healthier option of protein. And it’s not a worm. So people have just to get over that fear,” she told the local media outlet.

She said mopanes are environmentally friendly and require no extra space or water for their survival. He said it is generally found on mopane trees, which grow in hot and dry regions of southern Africa.

“It’s high in protein, in essential fats and minerals, especially iron. It has more iron than the most expensive piece of steak,” she said.

Further, Vesela said she had started a big venture nearly seven months ago and added the business is thriving well.

She said she would expand her business in the near future. The young South African chemical engineer said she is now hiring women from rural backgrounds in order to support them with money.

COPY SUPPLIED| Republicworld.com

THE recent QS Best Student Cities 2023 ranking did not include any Moroccan city.

The ranking, issued by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), lists the world’s best cities for studying abroad, taking into consideration numerous factors including desirability, affordability, and the opinions of current students.

This year’s ranking investigated 110 cities, 58 of which improved their positioning while 46 dropped in their global ranking.

In Africa, Cape Town topped the regional ranking with an overall score of 56.1 out of 100; the South African city ranked 78th worldwide.

Cairo and Johannesburg were the only other two African cities to feature on the list, with a respective overall score of roughly 50 out of 100 and a worldwide ranking of 94th and 97th.

For the Middle East region, the Emirati cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi provided the best conditions for studying abroad, ranking 51st and 71st worldwide. Abu Dhabi tied with Daejeon, South Korea’s fifth-largest city.

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh came 99th in the global ranking and third in the ME ahead of the Jordanian cities of Amman (113th) and Ibrid (139th).

As the Middle Eastern cities had to compete against each other for a leading position, the QS put them under the Asia region, placing them against South Korea’s capital.

Seoul notably aced the regional and global ranking as it has proven to be the second-best student city in the world in a tie with Munich, Germany.

The two cities scored 95.1 out of 100 in the QS ranking. Munich outshined the Korean capital this year in the student voice indicator which measures the student experience in a city.

Meanwhile, Seoul received a perfect score in the index measuring the number of “outstanding institutions” hosted by a city.

Still, London dominated the ranking for another year with “exceptional scores” for student mix at 94.9 and desirability at 94.9.

England’s capital also provides a “high concentration of world-class universities [which] also helped boost its position, achieving the world’s second-best score in the Rankings Indicator,” QS said.

Commenting on London’s performance as a student city, Ben Sowter, QS Senior VP, said the city “offers outstanding cultural, economic, and educational opportunities.”

He continued, “With two of the world’s ten best universities situated in the city, it remains a world-leading educational hub.”

But London’s increasingly high cost of living is raising concerns about whether the city would remain a favorable destination for students. This phenomenon extends to other major educational hubs.

“Worryingly, cities are broadly becoming less affordable for students by QS’ measures, with just under 90% declining in our Affordability metric,” Ben concluded.

MOROCCO WORLD NEWS

CONRAD HUGHES|

COVID has left a lasting impact on education in a number of ways. Deficits in learning may never be fully redressed; backlogs, delays and more complexity in university admission will continue to be felt down the line; anxiety and depression are more prevalent.

But the pandemic has also given educators a chance to think about doing things differently. With the experience of lockdowns and social distancing, but also the opportunities offered to use technology more creatively, schools and universities can view the pandemic as a chance to recalibrate systems, processes and the whole philosophy of education.

Often experiences tell you not only what is present, but what is not present, and why whatever is missing is indispensable.

One of the core takeaways from COVID has been the centrality of well-being and human relations in learning. Through confinement and distancing, it became clear to students, teachers, parents and administrators that rapport and emotional connection, community and presence were all fundamental.

Learning is not a dry, technical exercise. It is an emotional, social phenomenon. This is something that psychologists have known for a long time.

Discipline

A number of articles are pointing out that serious disciplinary issues are arising in schools post-COVID. In the US, schools are reporting an increase in fights, vandalism and unruliness, causing teachers to quit. In South Africa, severe discipline problems have spiked post-COVID with cases of harassment, verbal abuse, physical attacks, intimidation and even stabbings.

Specialists are saying that there are more cases post-COVID than there were in the past.

I’m the head of a large K-12 school (from kindergarten to 12th grade). We have soldiered through COVID and it feels like we are coming through to the other side.

I’ve seen student anxiety, learning gaps and disciplinary issues arising in the way that young people respond to what has been a worldwide trauma. But whenever we look at discipline, certain universal principles come to the fore and should be considered.

Educational psychologists know that discipline issues are linked to the family context. Positive parental behaviour, daily routines (like having dinner every night as a family) and social support (listening, conversing, spending time together) have an enormously positive effect on students.

But not every student has the family backing needed to offer full emotional and psychological support.

Mentoring and one-to-one discussions

As a head of school, I’m a strong believer in establishing rapport with students on a one-to-one basis. Most schools are big places and it is easy for individuals to fall through the cracks. Every student should know that there is one trusted adult in the building and every teacher should be the coach of a given number of students. The smaller the group of students followed by a teacher, the better.

If every child has a chance to sit down with a teacher and talk about how things are going, it helps consolidate rapport and express any tensions that might be welling up. Every year I meet with my students and ask a few core questions. Teachers can do the same, taking on a coach position in these discussions, asking powerful questions such as:

How are you?
Tell me your story.
What would you like to talk about?
How are things in your life?

These questions allow students a chance to open up and express themselves. They also improve relationships between faculty and students over time. This becomes important because people are less likely to fall into antisocial behaviour when they are in the company of those they know and trust, particularly if those people are figures of authority.

A mentor programme built on rapport and meaningful growth conversations is a sure way to reduce tensions and promote well-being. This might not be enough to eradicate discipline problems altogether, but it means that students can be called to reason more quickly. There is already some social capital to work with to restore calm when that is needed. And the open door of conversation – with a known adult – is there as a pressure release, replacing violence.

Societal renewal

A school is a microcosm of the society around it. This does not mean we cannot change society through schools.

Rather than merely expressing the hardships of the adult world, schools are also sanctuaries for young people to learn and flourish in peace.

The teachers who put themselves on the front line every day for this vital public good deserve recognition and thanks.
With even more care given to building one-to-one relations, schools can help create a more peaceful world based on listening and appreciation of others.

(Conrad Hughes Campus and Secondary Principal at the International School of Geneva’s La Grande Boissière, Research Associate at the University of Geneva’s department of Education and Psychology, Université de Genève, Université de Genève)

THE CONVERSATION

VINCE VAN DER BIJL

Sport is an enigma. It permeates all aspects of society. It is played in the streets and on the biggest stages of the world. It is often a hobby or merely viewed as entertainment on TV. It divides or unites nations. It can build or sever great friendships, or ignite tensions between countries.

As a top player, however, it is a way of life. It consumes you. Apart from your family, it takes centre stage as you go about your day. Sports scientist Tim Noakes once said: “To win an Olympic gold medal you must focus on that goal every second of every waking day. If you are not willing to do that, don’t bother. There are so many others who will.”

Experiences in sport remain etched deep inside you. They teach you life’s lessons of discipline, teamwork, respect, leadership and sacrifice, as well as  how to overcome despair and humiliation. It focuses your mind like no other activity. All sports people experience the full spectrum of emotions. One of the lessons it taught me was how to plan well in advance, thereby allowing me to frame my future.

When I taught and coached at Maritzburg College, I played Currie Cup cricket. Later, I realised that a week before a match, I would shut down as my subconscious worked on strategies, my opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, and technique. I operated on auto in other aspects of my life, such was my obsession to play great cricket.

Colleagues taught me many life lessons.

Bruce Fordyce was unique in that he trained ferociously for a single event that occurred only once a year — the Comrades Marathon. His self-motivation presentations revealed that early on he realised that to win, he needed to calm his mind during the race. To do that he would listen repeatedly to a particular U2 album until the songs were firmly embedded in his head. During the race he would “listen” to those U2 songs reverberating in his mind. This was long before the Walkman was invented!

When we invited him to dinner, say a month before Comrades, Bruce would ask me to phone each person who was joining us, to check that they did not have a cold or cough. If they did, he could not attend, as he needed to be in perfect health. He planned in minute detail.

At the end of a long training run, he would imagine he was running the last 5km in Comrades, tired, exhausted and having to shoulder on with determination. John Burgess, a training partner, said that Bruce, towards the end of such a run, would sometimes start to sprint, as subconsciously he was running the Comrades. As he broke away from the training group, John would have to clap his hands to bring Bruce back to reality. That commitment and planning was absolute.

I asked Jacques Kallis what was going through his mind when he walked out to bat in front of the baying 110,000 Indian spectators at Eden Park. He replied: “I never heard the crowd, I just repeated to myself, ‘Watch the ball’!” Such extraordinary clarity of purpose.

Once, when heavy rain cancelled a practice round for a Golf Academy USA event, the players were waiting on the bus for a young Tiger Woods. The academy director found him, in his rain gear, hitting balls on the practice range in pouring rain. “What on earth are you doing?” he asked, exasperated.

“Practising for the British Open,” was the reply. Tiger looked surprised at the question.

These stories all vary; yet focus and dedication are the binding principles.

Every sportsperson is talented to a degree. Only those who are truly committed nurture that talent to greatness. Legendary players value preparation and future-orientated thinking. It gives them the edge. They work harder and mentally prepare better than others. That gives them the ability to calm their minds to make the right choices, under pressure. They then develop the aura of BMT (big match temperament), which the opposition fear. BMT is not a God-given gift. It is a learnt art of future orientation and planning. There is no magic recipe to success.

Life’s lessons are acquired by experience. They cannot be taught in a classroom. Sport allows children to absorb life skills as they play.

SA needs to reach out to the 94% of schools without after-school sport and provide these opportunities — 94% is the damning statistic for the effectiveness of a holistic education in SA.

Sport will greatly assist the next generations to prepare for life. Education alone is not enough and never will be.

Vince van der Bijl is a retired South African cricketer.

ANGRY Central University of Technology (CUT) students in the Free State are planning to boycott exams in solidarity with the arrest of five students from the Bloemfontein-based campus.

The five students were expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

CUT’s South African Students Congress (Sasco) pledged to stand in solidarity with the SRC president from the Welkom Campus, who they allege have been been bullied by management following his suspension from the institution.

According to a statement issued by Sasco secretary, Neo Ranyane, the SRC assisted the arrested students with food, clothing and other things they needed this past weekend – through student intervention.

CUT students had requested campus management to move their assessments online.

They also continued to raise issues of unpaid students allowances and accommodation, including allegations of corruption and maladministration against the institution.

Meanwhile, EFF Student Command (EFFSC) has also urged students not to succumb to alleged threats of management of the institution, and declared that provincial employees of the EFF will now join students on the ground as part of resolutions from a meeting the EFFSC had with its branch leadership at both Bloemfontein and Welkom campuses on Friday.

“We as the EFF Student Command Free State would like to let all students know, we are in solidarity with them and would do everything and use anything in our disposal to make it a point their cries are heard, issue attended to and needs catered for, since that’s the whole purpose of our existence as the Movement,” the EFF said in a statement.

INSIDE EDUCATION

THE National National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) supports fewer than 1 800 students living with a disability.

Briefing the media last week, Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande said the department and the NSFAS would continue to support 1 770 students with disabilities – who received a comprehensive set of allowances from the scheme – for the current academic year.

“We have committed that students with disabilities will qualify for NSFAS if they come from families who are not only earning up to R350 000 (a year), but who are earning up to R600 000 per annum because of this government’s commitment to assist those of our people and students with disabilities,” Nzimande said.

The NSFAS Disability Bursary Programme provides financial support to students with disabilities who require financial aid and possess the ability to pass their academic subjects.

It is intended to open opportunities in higher education, provide the necessary additional teaching and support for students to overcome learning barriers resulting from disabilities.

Assistance provided includes assistive devices, meals, tuition, transport, human support and accommodation.

At the beginning of this year, Nzimande said additional funding would be allocated to NSFAS, following a shortfall. An amount of R47.3 billion was subsequently allocated to cover both TVET colleges and public universities.

Nzimande said NSFAS had confirmed funding for 691 432 students for the current academic year.

Western Cape Network on Disability (WCND) deputy chairperson Dr Michelle Botha said: “This is a worryingly low number of students, but there are obviously major systemic issues that prevent people with disabilities from entering tertiary education in the first place, not just the availability of funds.”

WCND chairperson Anthony Ghillino said the low figure highlights challenges and barriers faced by people with disabilities when it comes to acquiring skills that will lead to employment.

“With such a low percentage of funding going to people with disabilities, we cannot be surprised that employment targets of 2% of the workforce being people with disabilities are being missed.

“People with disabilities must have the opportunity to access tertiary education facilities so that they too can reach their full potential, become economically active and contribute to the growth of our economy and society as a whole,” Ghillino said.

STAFF REPORTER

SIPHOKAZI MAKHANDA

MINISTER of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams officially launched the Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator at Walter Sisulu University’s Zamukulungisa site in Mthatha on the 24th June 2022.

The Centre is a partnership between the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) through Seda, and the Walter Sisulu University (WSU).

The centre exists to assist up-and-coming entrepreneurs to overcome barriers identified in their entrepreneurial journey as well as reduce youth unemployment.

The centre is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, an ideas lab, and a makerspace, and is aimed at providing support to youth-owned enterprises, which often have little to no capital or funding.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said, “through this centre, young people will be assisted to deliver economic freedom through leveraging technology trends and doing things differently.”

Ndabeni-Abrahams further added that the launch is a significant milestone toward meeting the objective of pushing back the frontiers of poverty and unemployment in the country and creating a nation of entrepreneurs.

The WSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Institutional Support, Dr Prince Jaca, said, “the university prides itself on creating work-ready graduates and those with skills to create jobs.

The mandate of SEDA and DSBD is in line with that of the university, to sustain business growth and ensure that they do not fail.”
He emphasised the fact that the CfERI is a source of hope for the young people, and a tool to fight unemployment, poverty and inequality, which is a serious problem in this country.

WSU built the Centre to the value of approximately R6 Million and the Department of Small Business Development collectively contributed R3 m.

SEDA, an agency of the Department of Small Business Development was responsible for the design and set-up of both the Innovation Space and Makerspace, which are situated in the facility.
Moreover, SEDA is responsible for continuous support in terms of monitoring and evaluation of the Centre.

The Department of Small Business Development covers the operational costs of the Centre, such as staff salaries, programme costs, and the development of entrepreneurs.

WSU students, promising entrepreneurs, and small business owners in Mthatha and surrounding towns were present to witness the launch of their business incubation.

Among the external stakeholders who were present during the launch was the Centre, Executive Mayor of OR Tambo District, CLLR Mesuli Ngqondwana and Executive Mayor of King Sabata Dalindyebo, CLLR Nyaniso Nelani.

Both Executive Mayors offered words of support and committed to ensuring partnership with the CfERI.

“The city will be looking at mechanisms in which they can interact and partner with the centre, so that the centre’s ideals may not perish,” said the executive mayor of King Sabata Ndalindyebo Municipality, Nyaniso Nelani.

The Centre Director Dr Thobekani Lose assured access of all stakeholders to the CfERI infrastructure, networking and mentoring in a form of support to the small development projects.

“While the CfERI will focus on the university, it will also service all sectors and small businesses in the Mthatha area to unearth new ideas and assist business ventures run and owned by the youth,” said Dr Lose.

Ndabeni-Abrahams was flanked by the King Sabata Ndalindyebo Municipality Mayor, Nyaniso Nelani; Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) Chairperson, Xoliswa Daku, the Walter Sisulu university Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr Prince Jaca and Walter Sisulu University Rectorate, Professor Nomabandla Cishe as she was cutting the ribbon and opened the doors to the centre for the first time.

SUPPLIED| WSU