STAFF REPORTER |

THE North West Department of Education has on Friday condemned the sexual assault allegations levelled against the departmental employee on learners at Ikalafeng Special School.

The department said it is ‘angered’ by the sexual assault allegations.

“The North West Department of Education angered by the allegations of sexual allegation levelled against the departmental employee on learners at Ikalafeng Special School, Potchefstroom on Thursday, 10 March 2022,” said the spokesperson Elias Malindi.

It is reported that, on Wednesday, a male employee at Ikalafeng Special School ordered the learner to collect clothes at his house.

It is alleged that the male employee violated the girl upon entering his house.

On the next day at school, the learner confided to the class teacher, who reported the matter to the nurse and the principal.

The learner was rushed to a nearby Thuthuzela Care Center wherein a case was opened with the police.

MEC for Education in the North West Mmaphefo Matsemela warned the departmental employees against learner violation.

Matsemela said that she wants law to take its full course against behind the allegations.

“I hereby strongly condemn this horrible incident. I want the law to take its full course against anyone behind this unacceptable act. I am calling to all our officials to desist from any form of abuse to the learners”, said MEC Matsemela.

The department said that they will visit the learner’s home and provide the learner with the psycho – social support to the learner and family.

-Inside Education

STAFF REPORTER |

THE Department of Basic Education said that it’s working with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to offer driver’s and learner’s licences at schools across the country.

The minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, was answering to parliamentary Q&A. She revealed that the Learner Road Safety education has been incorporated in the Open Source Life Orientation textbooks.

“Learner road safety education has been incorporated in the open-source Life Orientation textbooks. The Department is collaborating with Road Traffic Management Corporation in ensuring that learners can exit the schooling system having obtained a learner driver’s licence,” she said.

She said that the collaboration will include both classroom lessons as well as formal accreditation through the RTMC.

Motshekga alluded that due to budgetary constraints the rollout process is delayed, however it’s still a top priority.

The minister said that the RTMC is the authority in the issuing of learner and drivers licences.

“The RTMC is the authority in the issuing of learner and drivers licences, and they have limited budget and resources to implement this programme. The two departments share plans as required by the protocol, and this is a priority in the joint programmes,” Motshekga said.

-Inside Education

BASIC Education minister Angie Motshekga says her department will move forward with plans to incorporate mother-tongue languages at the country’s schools.

Answering in a parliamentary Q&A on Wednesday (9 March), Motshekga said that one of the biggest reasons why South African children have such poor reading comprehension skills is that they are essentially learning in a ‘foreign language’ by being taught in English.

She said that the government had already held successful mother-tongue pilot projects in the Eastern Cape, and was looking to expand these to schools in other provinces.

As part of the pilot, 2,015 schools are using IsiXhosa and Sesotho as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) beyond the foundation phase. Learners in these schools are taught Mathematics, Natural Science and Technology in their home languages IsiXhosa and Sesotho. “The bottom line is that we need to adopt mother-tongue instruction in South Africa,” she said.

However, the minister acknowledged that there were issues with moving to a purely mother-tongue-based system, noting that it was likely impossible to have a pure class in Sotho or Xhosa in Gauteng the way similar classes have been held in the Eastern Cape.

She added that in classes teachers use multiple different languages to help children learn and get their point across. However, when it comes to assessments – which are typically done in English – they are once again forced to grapple with a language they did not understand while learning.

“They are no longer being tested on their cognitive development or understanding (0f the work). You are now testing their language abilities, which is a problem.

“Government has begun the process of changing this and the next step is to assess them in the language they are taught – so that we are able asses performance and not language proficiency.”

She added that government would have to use technology and other systems to effectively translate complicated scientific and mathematical concepts into languages which do not necessarily have the same terminology.

– Business Tech

STAFF REPORTER |

SOME South African students who fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion say they are happy they managed to get home safely.

The students described the hardships and agony they had to endure when attempting to flee Ukraine, under siege from Russian forces.

The students say they spent long hours on the train without proper food.

Fourth-year medical student, Nkateko Blessing Muyimane said he did not think they would make it home,  “Our trip home took five or six days. We were not able to sleep, but I’m really glad to be back home.”

“It was difficult for us to get proper food and water. In the trains, people were pushing each other because we were all trying to save our lives. I’m still overwhelmed, we didn’t think we will make it,” said Muyimane. 

Muyimane further said that as a fourth-year medical student he will try to find schools locally to continue with his studies. 
“Our school has deteriorated; we don’t know what’s going to happen to us. Our city is dire.”

Muyimane said that they travelled over eight hours to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital,” the conditions in the train were terrible, but I’m glad my fellow students were able to get on the train. It was difficult to get into the train as we were fighting to get in and secure space.”

Another medical student Mandisa Sthabile Malindisa said that at some point she ended up sleeping on the street, 
“I ended up sleeping on the street because I had no strength anymore.”

Amid the chaos, Malindisa said it was difficult to get help from the South African embassy in Ukraine. 

“We did not receive clear evacuation guidance. We didn’t know where to go. However, we were later notified to go towards the borders and that was it,” said Malindisa.

In his weekly letter, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that he hopes that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine yield positive outcomes that pave the way for an end to the conflict.

“Even though the pace of negotiations may proceed slowly, there is progress nonetheless. Every effort of the international community should be oriented towards supporting these talks, and to bring the two
sides together,” said Ramaphosa.

The president said: “South Africa is greatly encouraged by the words of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres who said last week he would do everything in his power to contribute to an immediate cessation of hostilities and urgent negotiations for peace.”

“We all call upon Russia and Ukraine to subject this conflict to mediation and do everything in their power to reach an agreement that will lead to the cessation of hostilities.”

“The peoples of Russia and Ukraine – two neighbours whose histories, peoples and fortunes are inextricably bound together – deserve a peace that is durable, sustainable and lasting,” he said.

– Inside Education

THE Russian Union of Rectors (RUR) has issued a strong statement supporting the Russian army and President Vladimir Putin’s decision to take military action in Ukraine, and underlining a commitment to “instil patriotism in young people”.

The statement (in Russian) reported by Tass on 5 March is dated 4 March, the day the European Commission announced a suspension of science cooperation with Russia.

It repeats Putin’s position that the invasion of Ukraine is a “special military operation” required to “achieve the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine”, end the conflict in Donbass and protect Russia from “growing military threats”.

It says: “The long-term tragedy in the Donbass resonates with particular pain and bitterness in our hearts.

“It is very important these days to support our country, our army, which defends our security, to support our President, who, perhaps, made the most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life.

“It is important not to forget about our main duty – to conduct a continuous educational process, to instil patriotism in young people, the desire to help the Motherland.”

The statement says Russia’s universities have always been the backbone of the state.

“Our priority goal is to serve Russia and develop its intellectual potential. Now more than ever, we must demonstrate confidence and resilience in the face of economic and information attacks, effectively rally around our President, by our example strengthening the optimistic spirit and faith in the power of reason among young people, instilling hope for an early peace.”

Professor Jan Palmowski, secretary-general of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, said via Twitter: “Russian Rectors’ Union on Ukraine has it deeply wrong: the role of universities can never be to instil patriotism; in history such attempts have always led to disaster.”

He said Mariya Gabriel, the European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, was “completely right to stop Horizon Europe collaboration”, referring to her 4 March decision to halt EU cooperation with Russia in research, science and innovation.

The RUR’s 4 March statement marks a distinct hardening of the line taken two days earlier after a meeting of the expanded council of the RUR.

That 2 March statement (in Russian) mentioned that Putin had “exhaustively explained the reasons for the difficult but forced decision to conduct a special military operation”, but did not overtly support it or repeat his justifications for the action.

It said the present situation calls for the consolidation of the university community. “The most important thing is to maintain the unity of the university community and its culture of trust, the high quality and accessibility of higher education, and the atmosphere of mutual assistance and understanding among students and professors.

“We must support each other and those who need it most – our students. Particular attention should be paid to international students studying in Russia and to Russian students who have encountered unexpected difficulties in a number of foreign countries. Our country’s leading universities are ready to accept Russian students from abroad to study.”

The rectors said: “We have a clear action plan to help Russian universities steadfastly overcome all difficulties, including those related to the implementation of international projects, the development of scientific infrastructure, and the publication of articles in foreign scientific journals. We must be close to each other, feel each other’s shoulder; then we will overcome all difficulties.

“Russian universities should not break their international ties, which have been formed over decades, convincing reliable partners of the need to continue working together to find answers to global challenges and in the name of preserving the world scientific heritage.”

– University World News

A research engineer at a Renfrew manufacturing institute has shared her experience on being a woman in science to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Sairah Bashir works as a research and development engineer at the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre, part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Group, operated by the University of Strathclyde.

To mark this year’s theme #BreakTheBias for International Women’s Day, Sairah has shared a personal view on the impact of misleading stereotypes on a career in the science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing (STEM) sectors, and why we must educate young people on the fulfilling career paths within each.

Sairah said: “I was recently asked what International Women’s Day means to me.

“As a female working in an industry that male workers have historically dominated, I am passionate about encouraging more women to follow their dreams.

“Tomorrow (March 8) marks a movement to empower that change.

“The theme for this year is #BreakTheBias; imagining a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination, and it is upon all of us to create a space to allow for this.”

She said the lack of women in the industry was noticeable, and at one point she was the only woman in her office.

She is calling on more changes to be made to help support more women into the STEM industry.

She added: “When I was younger, I never imagined myself as an engineer. I was drawn towards biology and chemistry and at that time, physics was a subject where the classroom was mostly made up of boys.

“I went on to study a Masters Degree in chemistry at the University of Strathclyde and it wasn’t until my fourth year that I met PhD students who told me about their time in the engineering department.

“Nearing the end of my degree I began exploring career opportunities and found myself drawn to a PhD in engineering. At that time, I was the only female – not just within my research group but within the entire office.

“Still deemed a male dominated industry, it was a struggle to attract more females – we can still see this to this day, albeit to a lesser extent.

“It wasn’t until my third and final year as new researchers were welcomed in the group, that it become more balanced.

“There has been a lot of investment in recent years to try and break that bias. A report by Engineering UK last June found that women make up 14.5 per cent of engineers.

“This represented a 25.7 per cent increase in women in engineering occupations since 2016 and I am proud to be one of the female engineers who has contributed to that increase. Yet, more must be done.

“Women are still underrepresented in these roles globally and to create an industry that is truly gender equal, the engineering sector as a whole must take a joined-up approach to educate young people, no matter their gender, on the vast number of fulfilling career paths.

“There are already more than 30,000 STEM ambassadors across the UK, from a range of disciplines in engineering, design and science, who are working hard to debunk the myths of these sectors and shed light on what a career can really look like.

“Engineering as a profession is often perceived as the sole role of a ‘mechanic’ and is notoriously associated with being a position more apt for a man, with the workload deemed as hard, dirty and laborious.

“However, this is simply not the case.

“At school, I never imagined that studying biology or chemistry would lead to me becoming an engineer.

“I thought that the subjects were distinct and that there wasn’t much crossover, however as a research and development engineer at the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC), part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), I believe that my background in chemistry has enhanced my role.

“My job doesn’t look like the stereotypical ‘mechanic’ – I study the materials and testing that comes before manufacture and my chemical understanding brings a lot to the table.

“I get to work on projects that my younger self wouldn’t believe, and I am currently leading a collaborative research and development project called FutureFibre.

“Here we are combining the experience of academics and industry professionals to provide the environment, infrastructure and resources to delve deeper into alternatives to the traditional fibre manufacturing process.

“We are aiming to develop sustainable ways of making fibre composites and our end goal is to use these within sectors such as automotive and aerospace.

“It is an incredibly exciting project to be a part of and most days my hands do not get ‘dirty’ at all.

“At the LMC, four out of the team of seven are women, while in wider NMIS, women make up nearly 30 per cent of the workforce.

“Within NMIS senior management, three out of the team of seven are women who have carved out successful careers in the manufacturing space, which sends a positive and inspiring message to us all.

“So, what does International Women’s Day mean to me? I was given the space to develop my experience and try new things to follow my passions and I think it is about ensuring that all females are encouraged to do the same.

– Daily Record

AT the end of the current season, the last-placed side on the combined 2021-22 FNB Varsity Shield log will drop out of the tournament.

While FNB DUT remain in this precarious position after Sunday’s win, they have reduced the gap between themselves and FNB Rhodes to a solitary log point.

This bottom-of-the-table game was an error-strewn affair. Both teams buzzed with attacking intent, yet their execution and discipline let them down at key moments.

Neither side managed to seize control of the game. DUT conceded a yellow card either side of half-time, as did Rhodes. The extra space on the field did little to assist either team’s attack, as they continued to spurn scoring opportunities.

DUT eventually held their shape to score through the fiercely determined flank Menzi Nxumalo in the 61st minute. Thereafter, an overly robust defensive approach resulted in two more yellow cards as well as a red for Thabani Mnisi.

Rhodes crashed over in the 69th minute to get themselves back into the contest. They had a chance to score the winning try in the final minute, but flank Bradley van Heerden dropped the ball with the line at his mercy.

DUT finished the game with 12 men on the field yet managed to hang on and claim their first victory in the Varsity Shield.

WSU ALL BLACKS CLAIM WIN OVER TUT

Earlier, the WSU All Blacks fired late to claim a 25-20 victory over the TUT Vikings.

The WSU All Blacks earned this win on the back of a determined showing in the closing stages. The Vikings, by contrast, relinquished their grip on the contest via a limp performance in the second stanza.

The TUT forwards set the platform for a dominant display in the first half. Captain Laro Delport shifted from No 8 to hooker, and the move ensured that the Vikings pack outmuscled their more fancied opponents at the scrums, lineouts, and mauls.

WSU’s discipline was poor, and scrumhalf Eric Mcaphukana was shown a yellow card for a reckless tackle after seven minutes. The WSU All Blacks managed to score a try against the run of play, and the boot of Lwandile Mapuko kept them in the game.

Delport crashed over for his second try in the dying minutes of the first half. The well-executed Vikings maul ensured that they went to the break with a handy seven-point lead.

They lost momentum, however, when lock Kazadi Mukendi was sent to the sin bin at the start of the second half.

WSU All Blacks started to make an impression via their mobile pack as the contest entered the fourth quarter. They may have taken a substantial lead if not for their poor finishing and four missed penalty attempts.

Their territorial dominance eventually told when flanker Ayabulela Zono touched down into the left-hand corner.

The Vikings won a penalty after the final whistle but proceeded to lose possession at the ensuing lineout. Ultimately, the WSU All Blacks hung on to claim their first win of the campaign.

BLUES DEFEAT UKZN IMPI

In the first match of the day, the UFH Blues scored three tries in their 30-12 win against the UKZN Impi.

Blues flyhalf Keith Chiwara missed an early sitter, but he made no mistake with his second penalty goal attempt and when No 8 Yamkela Mzozoyana crashed over from close range for a converted try they led 13-0.

Straight after the first-half strategy break, UFH outside centre Ryan Maree beat an Impi defender before bouncing off another to score their second try.

UKZN opened their account with a 24th-minute penalty try after Mziyabulela Bathu held back Impi winger Devandré Adendorf. The Blues No 14 was yellow-carded, but his team didn’t concede any points while he was off and Chiwara’s third penalty made it 23-7 at half-time.

UKZN scrumhalf and captain Johan Maritz got his side back into the game when he darted over in the 53rd minute but the Impi were unable to add to their tally.

UFH Blues wing Senanelo Ndlazi was yellow-carded with 10 minutes to go, but that didn’t prevent his team from scoring a third try through lock Ayabulela Xhosana.

VARSITY SHIELD ROUND 2 RESULTS AND SCORERS

CPUT enjoyed a bye in round two.

UFH Blues 30 (23) – Tries: Yamkela Mzozoyana, Ryan Maree, Ayabulela Xhosana. Conversions: Keith Chiwara (3). Penalties: Chiwara (3).

UKZN Impi 12 (7) – Tries: Penalty try, Johan Maritz.

FNB Player That Rocks: Keith Chiwara (UFH Blues)

TUT Vikings 20 (20) – Tries: Alwyn van Niekerk, Laro Delport (2). Conversion: Mauritz Maritz. Penalty: Maritz.

WSU All Blacks 25 (13) – Tries: Miyelani Ngobeni, Asekho Marubelela, Ayabulela Zono. Conversions: Lwandile Mapuko (2). Penalties: Mapuko (2).

FNB Player That Rocks: Miyelani Ngobeni (WSU All Blacks)

DUT 8 (3) – Try: Menzi Nxumalo. Penalty: Noah Pekeur.

Rhodes 5 (0) – Try: Uza Nyanda.

FNB Player That Rocks: Menzi Nxumalo (DUT)

VARSITY SHIELD TEAMS (Round 2)

Don’t miss the bumper Varsity Shield festival at Tuks Stadium on 18 and 20 March! All six matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport channel 207.

ROUND 3 FIXTURES (Friday, 18 March), Tuks Stadium

Rhodes v UFH Blues (15:00)
CPUT v FNB TUT Vikings (17:00)
UKZN Impi vs DUT (19:00)Bye: FNB WSU All Blacks

ROUND 4 FIXTURES (Sunday, 20 March), Tuks Stadium

DUT v CPUT (15:00)
UFH Blues v WSU All Blacks (17:00)
TUT Vikings vs UKZN Impi (19:00)
Bye: Rhodes<

–  Supersport

INDIAN and African students studying in Ukraine have appealed for help to get them out of the country and home to safety.

As Russia launched its military attack on Ukraine on Thursday 24 February and the government closed its airspace to civilian flights and imposed martial law, African student unions raised fears over the safety of thousands of African students studying in Ukraine’s higher education institutions.

Students from India earlier appealed to their government for help to leave the crisis-hit country as tensions over a possible Russian invasion mounted, but no official plans for an evacuation materialised.

About 18,000 Indian students – making up a quarter of some 76,500 foreign students from 155 countries, according to Ukraine Ministry of Education statistics – are presently stuck in Ukraine, worried about their safety.

Three African countries made up nearly 20% of all foreign students in Ukraine as of 2020, according to Ukraine’s ministry of education and science. Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt are in the top 10 list for countries whose students are studying in Ukraine, accounting for 8,000, 4,000 and 3,500 students respectively.

On what Western leaders said was a “dark day” for Europe, Kamal Ashear, Moroccan student atDnipro State Medical University  in Ukraine told University World News in a recorded message via WhatsApp: “Moroccan students are now in shelters in a dilemma, panic and great fear. We do not know how to return to our country … No airports. No trains, no cars, no taxis. The cities are closed, the streets are empty, and the movement is paralysed.”

Also a hashtag dubbed ‘Egyptian students in Ukraine’  said: “Please raise our voice, we are in terror. We want to return safely to our country. We do not know what to do.”

On Thursday, after Russia declared war on Ukraine, students in Kharkiv reported explosions in the city. In Ivano-Frankivsk, where many Indian students are studying, there were reports of the airport being bombed, confirmed by the Ukraine interior ministry, and shelling elsewhere in the city.

Study in Ukraine, the official Ukrainian government source of information for international students, issued a 24 February statement  saying: “Tonight, Russia attacked Ukraine. Martial law has been declared in Ukraine. Follow the news and stay in touch with your university! Remember, safety is the priority now!”

In response, several African embassies in Ukraine including Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Ghana issued statements to guide their communities including students.

The Egyptian embassy in Kiev issued a 24 February statement calling upon Egyptian citizens there “not to leave their homes, to keep identification documents, and to follow the instructions issued by the Ukrainian authorities until the situation stabilises”.

The Nigerian embassy urged Nigeria nationals resident in Ukraine, including students, to “remain calm but be very vigilant and be responsible for their personal security and safety”.

Ghana’s foreign ministry urged Ghanaian students in Ukraine to seek shelter in their homes or in designated government places of shelter. More than 1,000 Ghanaian nationals are currently studying or working in Ukraine, the ministry said, adding that it is “gravely concerned” for their safety.

Peter Kwasi Kodjie, secretary general of the All-Africa Students Union (AASU), told University World News: “AASU is deeply concerned by the Russian Federation’s military attacks against the Republic of Ukraine and is gravely disturbed about the security and safety of several thousand African students caught in the conflict.”

AASU urged the United Nations, African diplomatic missions and other relevant humanitarian missions to provide unrestrained shelter and security for them.

Serhiy Kvit, head of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance of Ukraine, confirmed to University World News on 24 February that all university activities were suspended due to the Russian military action.

In the days leading up to the invasion, Indian students reported a tense atmosphere and India last week announced a ban on all flights between India and Ukraine, even though Ukraine had kept its airspace open.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation this week lifted that ban under an ‘air bubble’ arrangement with Ukraine, and discussions were underway between the ministries of external affairs and civil aviation and several airlines about increasing the number of flights to bring back Indian citizens, but the cost of those flights was a concern for students.

However, in the early hours of Thursday Russian forces began attacking targets all over Ukraine and by Friday Russian forces were moving into the country from across the border in the north, east and south.

Indians, students advised to leave

An advisory by the Indian embassy on 20 February announced that in view of “continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties with respect to Ukraine, all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily. Available commercial flights and charter flights may be availed for travel, for orderly and timely departure.”

Some students subsequently received an embassy advisory specifically targeting students, advising them that it would be “in the interest of their safety to leave Ukraine temporarily, rather than wait for official confirmation from universities”.

Three quarters of the Indian students currently stranded in Ukraine are studying various courses in medical colleges. The country is a popular destination for Indian students pursuing medical, dental and nursing courses as fees in Ukraine are a quarter of the fees of private medical colleges in India.

Some students who had already managed to return to India from Ukraine prior to Russia’s full-scale attack said that border cities were being evacuated by the Ukrainian government as tensions mounted. Most of those students were able to return aboard Air Arabia flights via Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Others left on Turkish Airlines flights via Istanbul, and then to Delhi via Qatar Airways. But they constitute a minority as thousands of their classmates remain stranded in Ukraine, they said.

A special Air India flight was sent to Ukraine on 22 February. Although not billed as an evacuation, over 250 Indians, including students, returned from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city in its northeastern region, just 25 kilometres from the Russian border. The embassy of India in Ukraine said at the time that four flights would operate on 25 February, 27 February and 6 March from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to Delhi.

Kharkiv has two institutions popular with international students: VN Karazin Kharkiv National University with some 4,277 international students; and Kharkiv National Medical University with 4,215 students from overseas, according to 2020 figures.

Soaring airfares

Vivek Sharma (22) from Karnal in India’s northern state of Haryana is currently in his first year at Lviv University of Business and Law in western Ukraine studying business management, having only arrived in Ukraine three months ago.

“I want to leave Ukraine by any means,” he told University World News in the build-up before the invasion. “But at this time the air tickets from Ukraine to India cost more than INR70,000 (about US$930). It was only INR30,000 in normal times. I don’t have that much money. Even our family members have not been told the real situation or else they will be anxious.”

Sharma and other students in Ukraine are from middle-class families and came to the country to study for a better future but many had used up family savings or have taken out loans to be able to study in Ukraine and could not afford an emergency air ticket out. Sharma said he would be spending around INR600,000 (US$8,000) for the full four-year course. He said students like himself have only UAH4,000-5,000 (US$135-170) left.

Pawan Meshram (22) from Nagpur in India’s western Maharashtra state is enrolled in an undergraduate MBBS medical programme at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University in Ivano city, northwestern Ukraine. Currently in his second year of study, he wanted to leave Ukraine before the invasion, but soaring airfares made it impossible.

“The embassy has announced flights for returning to India, but the tickets are so expensive that we cannot afford them,” Meshram told University World News before the invasion, adding that he wanted the Indian government to evacuate its citizens at the earliest.

Some universities were not allowing foreign students a leave of absence despite mounting tensions in the country. Speaking before universities closed down due to the invasion, Meshram said if a single class was skipped the university imposed a fine equivalent to INR550. In this way, INR2,200 (about US$30) could be levied for skipping four classes in a single day, which made it difficult for students to leave Ukraine.

Campaign for students stuck in Ukraine

Indian families of students in Ukraine had urged the government to bring Indian students back home as soon as possible.

Charmesh Sharma, a student and Congress Party worker in Bundi in India’s northern desert state of Rajasthan, who assists Indians in distress abroad, had been campaigning for the students. He was in touch with the Indian foreign ministry as well as the Indian embassy in Ukraine and had written a letter to the president of India demanding assistance for them.

He told University World News: “It is the responsibility of the government to bring these children from Ukraine safely. They are scared. Their lives are in danger. Their families in India are having sleepless nights.”

Before the invasion began, the embassy said the mission was continuing to function normally to provide all services to Indian nationals and it had asked Indian nationals to keep it posted about their status in Ukraine, to enable the mission to reach out to them when needed and facilitate their evacuation in case a conflict flared up between Russia and Ukraine.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs had established a control room and issued contact and helpline numbers for its nationals trapped in Ukraine.

– University World News

SCIENTIFIC research over the past 30 years has shown that the most important period of human development is from birth to eight years old.

In the first few years of a child’s life, more than one million neural connections are formed each second, a pace that will never be repeated.

Proper early childhood development (ECD) stimulates brain growth; sparks creative thinking; improves communication, vocabulary and language. This is according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) research that also shows that early childhood development promotes impulse control and emotion regulation.

Although learning takes place throughout life, the pace of learning in early childhood will never be equalled again.  To maximise this pace of learning, the independent education provider, Curro Holdings has implemented the Curiosity Approach programme across four of its nursery schools.

The Curiosity Approach considers the crucial component of early childhood learning – free and uninterrupted play. An early childhood education setting should be a place where children discover a love for learning through a variety of play experiences.

The programme stems from the UK and has grown to become a world-wide education solution. Its methodology encompasses the latest global trends in ECD, where it has proven to be more successful than traditional teaching methods currently being followed by most ECD centres.

Locally, the programme was first implemented in 2019 by Curro Rosen Castle which is now the only official Curiosity Approach School in South Africa. To date, three more schools have joined this programme – Curro Fourways, Curro Chartwell and Curro Bryanston.

According to Sally Langerman, Operational Head at Rosen Castle, the Group adopted this approach because of its exceptional global results in developing children holistically.  “All children deserve a  learning environment where play is recognised as important, where nature is weaved throughout the learning process, where learning also takes place outdoors with the use of all senses and where the focus of the school is on the individual child,” she adds.

“We have seen dramatic results in many areas. Our environment is much calmer with all the bright colours and restricting furniture being removed. It’s unbelievable how this immediately calms the classroom environment. Children don’t run around in the space, they lose that edge, and instead become more intentionally engaged in the environment and the learning process,” says Langerman.

The Curiosity Approach is based on four pillars:

Uninterrupted free play;Changing traditional school settings to a more natural, comfortable and engaging environment that has the child at its centre;Reducing visual over-stimulation and instead increasing multi-sensory learning utilising and incorporating nature throughout the day;Ensuring children maximize every day of their early years – it’s precious. It should not be spent full of adult directed routines.

Langerman says Curro’s Grade R teachers are thrilled with the quality of learners who are coming through to them and have commented very favourably on their readiness to learn.

The Lego Foundation reports that 94% of businesses say they expect people to learn new skills on the job, and the skills they most want to see are critical thinking, problem-solving, active learning, resilience, stress tolerance, creativity, and flexibility. These skills are closely linked to the five super skills that children develop naturally when they learn through play, which makes it a no-brainer when considering ECD options for your child. 

STAFF REPORTER |

THE Democratic Alliance has called for stricter safety measures around the schools across Gauteng. 

This after a matric learner was attacked and stabbed on Friday by unknown people outside the Langenhoven High School in Pretoria.

The matric learner was stabbed multiple times by unknown suspects and has since been admitted to the hospital and is said to be fighting for her life.

The Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the incident took place outside the school on Friday afternoon when unknown people targeted the learner.

Mabona said the department of Education condemns the incident.

The DA’s Gauteng Community Safety Spokesperson Crezane Bosch said that the incident comes after numerous incidents have been reported of learners, teachers, security guards and general workers being brutally attacked and assaulted outside the school premises.

 “These cases have been reported to both the Wonderboom and Central police stations and, still to date, there is no police visibility around the school to prevent crime and ensure the safety of the school and the surrounding community,” said Bosch.

Bosch said that even though the cases were reported to the police, no arrests have been made in connection with the incidents.

“The perpetrators are believed to have settled on top of the mountain in Capital Park, from where they prey on their victims,” Bosch said.

The DA said that it has inspected the area and demanded a joint operation to monitor and clean up the area.

“The DA has inspected the area and demands that the Department of Community Safety launches a joint operation to monitor and clean up the area of any criminal elements,” Bosch said.

“The department must also implement footpath patrols with horses during the week when children are at their most vulnerable.” 
The DA also demanded an urgent intervention by the Gauteng Department of Education to ensure the safety of the school.

– Inside Education