THE University of Johannesburg has appointed former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as its new chancellor.

Her five-year term will run from 1 October 2022 until 30 September 2027.

Mlambo-Ngcuka is the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women and former deputy president.

She will succeed Professor Njabulo Ndebele, whose second five-year term as chancellor ends on 30 September.

Mlambo-Ngcuka was a member of the first South African democratically elected Parliament in 1994, first as deputy minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1994 – 1996) and as minister of Minerals and Energy (1999 – 2005).

She is currently engaged and affiliated with organisations committed to education, women empowerment, and gender equality. Such affiliations include the Umlambo Foundation, the Global Partnership and Fund to End Violence Against Children, African Leadership Academy and the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.

UJ Registrar, Professor Kinta Burger, said Mlambo-Ngcuka’s will be inaugurated later in the year.

“UJ’s approach to impact reflects the UN Sustainable Development Goals – something that Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka, in her capacity as Executive Director of UN Women, has cherished and led. Indeed, she embodies all the UJ values and aspirations, values, where equality, diversity and inclusivity have been part of the University’s success story.”

 

THE Department of Basic Education has announced that matric exam results will no longer be published on media platforms, in line with the recently introduced Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

In a statement, the department said that publishing personal information online would be a contravention of the Act. It confirmed that matric results are still scheduled to release on 21 January 2022 and that results would still be available from schools.

Historically, the matric results have been made widely available with students identified through their ID numbers.

“In order to comply with the provisions of the POPIA, the usual practice of publishing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on public platforms (media platforms) will not occur for 2021,” it said.

“As was also the practice in previous years, all learners will be required to obtain their statement of results from the schools they attended. In this way, every learner’s personal information with regards to the outcome of their National Senior Certificate exam will be protected.”

Education experts have already warned that the difficult circumstances faced by matriculants are likely to result in a drop in marks. In 2020, the overall matric pass rate was 76.2%, substantially lower than the previous year’s 81.3%. It was also worse than 78.2% in 2018.

Speaking to Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, Basil Manuel, managing director of education union Naptosa, said that it was highly unlikely that 2021’s matric pass rate would be better than 2020, and that the best to hope for was a similar set of results.

He highlighted many of the same factors as Mweli which led to the 2021 cohort being put at a distinct disadvantage compared to previous years.

A total of 733,746 full-time students registered to write the 2021 NSC examination, the largest full-time cohort over the last few years. A total of 123,487 more full-time candidates and 46,942 part-time candidates registered to write the examination.

Of the candidates who registered for the examination, 700,604 wrote the examination, which reflects the lowest percentage of “no shows” (4.5%), over the last few years.

The national matric results for learners in public schools are expected to be announced on 20 January 2021 by Basic education minister Angie Motshekga, with individual results to be made available online at schools and electronically on 21 January 2021.

WENDY MOTHATA|

THE Department of Basic Education said on Monday that they are ready to receive over 12 million learners for the 2022 academic year, as learners across the country report for the start of the new school year between 12 and 17 January.

Pupils in inland provinces are expected to return to school on Wednesday while schools in coastal areas will only resume a week later.

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said on Monday that government is committed to every learner receiving the best possible education.

“We call on families to assist learners by providing support systems. It is essential that we encourage learners and instil in them the importance of education,” GCIS said in a statement.

Last week, the Department of Basic Education announced that this year, schools will follow a staggered calendar.

Learners in the inland provinces of Gauteng, the Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West will be the first to return back to school this Wednesday.

On the other hand, learners in the coastal provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape will only go back to school a week later, on the 19th of January.

Basic Education Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “This time we believe that we’ll be able to start in time and be able to cover the entire work that’s in the curriculum schedule for this year.”

In an interview with Radio 702, Mhlanga urged parents to work together and prepare children for the third year of COVID-19.

“We need to work together. We need our parents to prepare their children for the third year of COVID-19 protocol implementation in schools,” he said.

He further challenged people to vaccinate so that once teaching and learning start it is not interrupted by COVID-19 issues.

“In 2022 we want more people to be vaccinated so that we can create stability in the sector. It’s not just about opening schools, but it’s also about once we start, teaching and learning must continue uninterrupted.”

Government has also called on everyone to play their part to ensure the safety of learners and educators in schools.

“COVID-19 is still with us. Vaccination remains our best defence and we urge all learners aged 12 and older to vaccinate as soon as possible. Wearing of masks remains mandatory and all learners, teachers and other school staff must continue to do so. Together, we can make our schools safer for all,” the GCIS said on Monday.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is expected to hold a media briefing on the opening of schools for the 2022 academic year and give an update about government’s vaccination drive among learners.

Schools are set to reopen from Wednesday, 12 January.

The briefing is scheduled to take place from 10:00 at the Ronnie Mamoepa Press Room, Tshedimosetso House, in Pretoria.

Members of the media may view the briefing via live stream on the South African Government and Department of Basic Education social media channels.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said it’s ready to start teaching and learning from the first day of reopening.

MEC for Finance and e-Government, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko will also be embarking on schools’ visits in KwaThema to inspect schools’ readiness and offer support to pupils before the academic calendar commences on Wednesday.

Motshekga will also embark on a roadshow to engage Delmas communities on the Second Chance Matric Support Programme and the migration of the Early Childhood Development function to the DBE.

The Department of Basic Education said Second Chance Matric Support Program provides support to learners who could not meet the pass requirements of the National senior certificate examinations.

“It affords young South Africans a second chance of acquiring a National Senior Certificate (NSC), which will be much needed for participating in the mainstream economy or furthering their studies in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).”

Inside Education

THE Department of Basic Education has published a list of new subjects implemented in schools in South Africa over the last five years.

Many of these subjects are aimed at directly helping those school-leaving pupils who will not necessarily complete Grade 12, or enter university.

The subjects cover a wide range of fields, including agriculture, art, and various technology-related subjects:

1. Art and design

The primary purpose of the subject is to develop learners as creative, imaginative individuals who appreciate the arts and who have the basic knowledge and skills to participate in arts activities and to prepare them for possible further study in the art forms of their choice in Further Education and Training (FET), the department said.

2. Agricultural studies

Agricultural sciences is the study of the relationship between soils, plants and animals in the production and processing of food, fibre, fuel and other agricultural commodities with an economic, aesthetic and cultural value.

3. Ancilliary healthcare

Ancillary health care aims to teach students the meaning of health care and wellness and how these skills can be applied in everyday life. This includes helping students care for themselves, their families and communities, and the workplace.

4. Aquaponics

Aquaponics aims to reach students about aquaculture with hydroponics, and the ultimate goal of growing plants. The subject also focuses on how aquaponics technology can be used as a possible food source in communities.

5. Aviation studies

Aviation studies cover general aviation theory to prepare students for work in the aviation sector.

6. Civil technology

Civil technology aims to develop the skills levels of learners from grades 8 – 9 to such an extent that they will be able to enter a career pathway at a further education and training college or a university immediately after obtaining the National Senior Certificate.

Learners will then be ready to enter into apprenticeships to prepare them for a trade test.

7. Consumer studies

Some of the issues that learners will learn in grades 8 and 9 consumer studies include:

Consumer rights and responsibilities;Consumer Protection Policies;Channels for complaints;How to evaluate food outlets, clothing outlets, furniture and appliances;How to evaluate design features of interiors, furniture and appliances;Responsible buying behaviour;Responsible use of resources such as water and electricity;Ways to curb global warming.

8. Digital technology

Digital technology is the use of computers, applications and internet technologies to enable users to communicate, create, store, distribute and manage information and solve real-life problems using appropriate tools and techniques.

9. Early childhood development

Under early childhood development (ECD), the learner will be able to do the following:

Understand how ECD centres are managed;Maintain a healthy and safe environment;Develop teaching and learning resources;Understand how babies, toddlers and young children develop;Demonstrate how to care for babies, toddlers and young children.

10. Electrical technology

Electrical technology aims to equip the learner with a firm foundation in electrical electronics and digital principles.

It provides a foundation of quality, standardised general education which will suit the needs of the learners and help prepare them for life after school and enable them to access particular employment or occupational workplace-based learning.

11. Hospitality studies

In grades 8 and 9 hospitality studies, the learner will study:

The sectors in the hospitality industry;Career possibilities in the different sectors;Entrepreneurial opportunities in the hospitality industry;Responsible environmental operation;Principles for safety, security and hygiene;Menu planning and costing;Kitchen and restaurant operations.

12. Maritime sciences

Maritime sciences comprise four pillars: marine biology, oceanography, ocean ecosystems and humans and the ocean. The subject comprises 85 topics, including marine phyla, the chemistry of water, gas laws used for diving science, sustainable seafood, aquaculture and marine protected areas (MPAs).

13. Maintenance and upholstery

Maintenance covers the skills and knowledge required to perform elementary repair and maintenance work at a basic level focusing on the household and small construction environments.

Maintenance skills are used by handymen who prevent equipment from breaking down and materials from deteriorating to solve minor problems before they become more serious ones.

14. Mechanical technology

Under this subject, a learner will be able to:

Adhere to and identify safe working practices and demonstrate safe working conditions daily, also adopting proper safety and first aid procedures;Demonstrate knowledge of the mechanical industry and its productivity requirements by applying appropriate work procedures;Understand and interpret work instructions and drawings for the completion of projects;Apply mechanical technology, techniques, processes and skills, as applied in the fabrication and mechanical industry, using appropriate tools and measuring equipment.

15. Mining sciences

Cover the metals and minerals found and mined here in South Africa and the general science around mining in South Africa.

16. Personal care

This qualification recognises learners’ basic skills, knowledge, and values to operate within the personal care industry. It aims to develop learners who, after completion, will be skilled efficiently to prepare for entry into the industry.

17. Technical mathematics

Technical mathematics aims to apply mathematics to technical fields where the emphasis is on application rather than abstract ideas. Mathematical modelling is also an important focal point of the curriculum, and real-life technical problems are incorporated into all sections whenever appropriate.

18. Technical sciences

The main aim of technical sciences is to support learners in the three focus areas of technology, namely mechanical technology, electrical technology and civil technology. Learners will have an NQF level 4 competence in technical science.

Learners at technical high schools will be able to integrate scientific knowledge in a more informed way in their subject offerings in technology. Scientific concepts and skills are also more accessible to learners with a technical orientation in schooling.

19. Wholesale and retail

Under this subject, a learner will be able to:

Explain the role of all role players and stakeholders in the industry;Analyse an income statement;Identify the requirements of outlets in terms of their service levels and product offering according to their target market;Receive stock and explain requirements for the dispatch of stock;Explain the concept and methods of merchandising products on shelves along with the importance of displaying prices and methods of ticketing displays;Explain why businesses promote, how to reach targeted markets and how to display promotional items;Explain how to record sales, accept and record payment and cash up and deposit takings.

New subjects incoming 

South Africa’s inland schools will reopen on Wednesday (12 January), while the country’s coastal schools cluster will return a week later on 19 January.

Several new subjects are expected to be trialled and introduced in the coming year, including entrepreneurship and coding, and robotics.

The department said that 540 schools would be monitored nationally for implementing compulsory entrepreneurship education. The initiative is being driven by president Cyril Ramaphosa and is expected to officially form part of the curriculum by 2024. Ramaphosa has previously emphasised the importance of South Africans embracing a culture of entrepreneurship as the country aims to attract R1.2 trillion in investment over five years.

54 schools are also being monitored for piloting and implementing the coding and robotics curriculum. The subjects will form part of the curriculum at different school levels from grade R to grade 9.

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga has also announced the  Incremental Introduction of African Languages (IIAL), which will target schools that did not offer a previously marginalised official African language.

The minister said that her department is also pushing forward on its plans for ‘mother tongue teaching’, with students allowed to both study and write exams in their home languages.

* BusinessTech

THE Department of Basic Education has published an explainer after repeated complaints about South Africa’s 30% matric pass requirement.

When the National Senior Certificate pass rate is announced each year, concerns arise around whether this can be relied on as an indicator of progress in the sector, the department said.

“Outrage is often expressed over the fact that the lowest possible pass mark per subject is 30%, however, what is not fully understood is that no candidate can obtain a National Senior Certificate if he/she passes all seven subjects at 30%. The learners must pass at least three subjects at 40%,” it said.

The department said that it is aware of arguments that raising this threshold to 50% would improve the education system; however, it said that this change would not be made as the system aims to encourage ‘different levels of achievement’.

“The 2014 ministerial committee, which recommended several changes to the National Senior Certificate, many of which have been followed through, did not recommend changing the lowest threshold. It is acceptable assessment practice to ensure that provision is made for different levels of achievement. All education systems have different levels of passes, not just one pass mark.”

University admission

For a learner to gain admission to a bachelor programme at one of the country’s universities, they must attain a minimum of 50% in four subjects, the department said.

Similarly, a learner will need to attain a minimum of 40% in four subjects to enter a Diploma programme, it said.

“Hence it needs to be understood that candidates scoring 30% in most of their subjects will not qualify for admission to a Higher Education Institution. However, not all learners are expected to qualify for Higher Education admission,” the department said.

In 2020, approximately 62.4% of learners (361,240) obtained admission to bachelor and diploma studies and only 79,178 learners obtained a lower level of achievement, the department said.

GE and Junior Achievement Ivory Coast hosted a “Girls in STEM” event for 100 secondary school girls to build foundational science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge.

The programme was organised as part of GE Gas Power’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, to inspire the next generation of women engineers and innovators. The aim of the programme is to help shape the perception of STEM careers and shift the gender gap in these key fields.

The programme featured leadership and educational panel discussions, mentoring and career insights sessions from renowned STEM leaders in the region as well as visits to STEM related sites including the Azito power plant in Yopougon, GE’s simulation centre in Bingerville and the CIPREL power plant in Vridi.

The site visits were aimed at creating an immersive experience into potential careers that can be explored in STEM.

According to the World Bank and the 2020 Global Gender Gap Index by the World Economic Forum (WEF), there are fewer women than men who are STEM graduates in most economies and although progress is being made to increase women’s participation in many fields, they still make up a minority of the world’s STEM workforce which experts say is impeding progress in solving Africa’s complex development problems.

Women’s workforce participation has been demonstrated to be a potent driver of the economic growth and development of a country with research showing a significant association between a country’s GDP and female labour force participation.

“To improve economic inclusion and narrow the gender gap, companies, schools, relevant government agencies and institutions need to launch new programmes and expand existing efforts to attract more female talent into STEM fields. These efforts must start early, such as encouraging more girls to pursue STEM subjects in school and consider STEM fields as they move through their education cycle. Our goal is to enable and encourage the next generation of women engineers and innovators that will transform Africa,” said Elisee Sezan, CEO for GE’s Gas Power business in sub-Saharan Africa.

Muriel Banny M’Bow, the Board’s Chair from Junior Achievement in Ivory Coast said: “We are pleased to collaborate with GE Gas Power for today’s Girls in STEM event as it aligns with our overall mission to significantly contribute to a better workforce of tomorrow by preparing students for jobs of the future. Tackling the gender imbalance within STEM careers through enabling more girls and women is important for innovation.”

 

THE Cape Town Youth Cup is an inaugural multi-sport tournament consisting of Football and Netball u/19 sports codes to be hosted by Pure Travel. Football will feature both boys’ and girls’ categories.

The tournament will take place over three days from 31 March to 2 April 2022 at Reddam Constantia School.

The stadium will host 3 football fields and 4 netball courts.

The current number of teams in each division is 12, but our goal is to increase it each year moving forward.

We will be partnering with SA Schools Netball and South African Football Association Western Cape to ensure a prestigious event.

Secure your spot now – youth@pure-travel.co.za

UGANDA ended the world’s longest school closure on Monday, ordering millions of students back to the classroom nearly two years after learning was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 15 million pupils have not attended school in Uganda since March 2020 when classrooms were shuttered as Covid-19 swept the world.

Education Minister John Muyingo said all students would automatically resume classes a year above where they left off.

“All schools have implemented guidelines and standard operating procedures to ensure the safe return of children to schools, and measures have been put in place to ensure those who don’t comply do so,” he told AFP.

Muyingo said any private schools demanding fees above pre-pandemic rates would be sanctioned.

The rush to return children to school clogged traffic in the capital Kampala.

Child rights groups had criticised Uganda’s decision to keep schools fully or partially shuttered for 83 weeks, longer than anywhere else in the world.

“We can’t let this happen again. We must keep schools open for every child, everywhere,” the UN child rights group UNICEF said on Twitter.

The charity Save the Children said students would struggle to adapt after falling so far behind, and warned there could be high dropout rates in coming weeks without urgent intervention to support learners.

Uganda has recorded 153,762 cases of Covid-19 and 3,339 deaths, according to the latest government figures issued on January 7.

* AFP

THE South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) announced last week that teachers nationwide can now register their learners for the country’s two best-known mathematics competitions. For the first time in the Foundation’s history, both competitions have full digital capabilities for the registration and payment processes and the first-round papers.

The NESTLÉ NESPRAY South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC) is open for all grades 4 to 7s, and the Old Mutual South African Mathematics Olympiad, co-sponsored by the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA), welcomes all Grades 8 to 12s.

Both contests are open to all schools in South Africa and neighbouring countries. Schools that rely wholly on the government for funding – known as Quintile 1 and 2 schools – can register their learners free of charge.

Quintile 3, 4 and 5 schools and private schools pay a nominal registration fee. For the first time, schools will have an option to write the first rounds of both competitions online.

“Education is an integral part of our Responsible Business strategy at Old Mutual. Our holistic support spans the entire education value chain, from early childhood development to comprehensive Financial Education programmes targeted at a wide range of audiences.

“Our support for STEM education is part of this approach, and one of the ways we are working to improve maths literacy is by collaborating with the South African Mathematics Foundation. We are exceptionally proud of the initiatives in place to strengthen maths education amongst our youth, and we remain confident that we can jointly drive high impact in the space,” says Celiwe Ross, Human Capital Director at Old Mutual.

“One of the biggest challenges South Africa faces is that our education system does not produce enough learners with acceptable levels of mathematical proficiency to support the country’s dire skills shortage in scarce skill careers such as medicine, actuarial science, chartered accountancy to name a few.

“As a critical stakeholder in South Africa, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) plays an active role in improving mathematics education across the country through initiatives such as the South African Maths Olympiad in order to aid the country’s economic growth through the development of young professional who are able to enter these careers,” says Robert Zwane, SAICA Executive: Learning, Development and National Imperatives.

Parents who want to register their children must reach out to the school’s mathematics teacher. The entry forms will be available on www.samf.ac.za. Registrations for the Olympiad closes on 21 February 2022 and for the Challenge on 24 February 2022. For more information, send an email to info@samf.ac.za.

THE matric class of 2021 was disrupted in their schooling over the last two years, and the impact of the loss of more than 50% of their Grade 11 year presented serious consequences for the class.

Speaking at the Umalusi standardisation meeting held on Thursday in Pretoria, the Department of Basic Education Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli, said the important foundation that Grade 11 work builds in preparation for Grade 12 was weakened.

“We will therefore see the deleterious effect of lost teaching time, in particular on those subjects that are time intensive such as the languages, and subjects that are heavily dependent on language for utility, such as Mathematical Literacy,” he said.

The Director-General said the standardisation of the 2021 NSC examinations is a special meeting that deserves distinctive attention for a number of reasons.

“These learners not only had to deal with a reduced exposure to face-to-face teaching and learning but they also had to contend with the anxieties and trauma of COVID-19. Countless families have been pushed to the limits of financial endurance from lost jobs and income.

“Not only this but also many families have lost family members and friends due to the pandemic,” Mweli said.

He said when looking at the principles of the science of how pupils learn, the cohort of 2021 was heavily impacted during their Grade 11 year due to reduced teaching time.

Mweli emphasised that learning is strengthened through the retrieval practice, which must be done multiple times and over time, including revisiting subject content across multiple sessions with good, specific and focused feedback from teachers and others, such as peers.

“The class of 2021 was deprived of this advantage. The unique learning context necessitated a robust, targeted and differentiated learner support programme for this cohort. The sector increased not only the learner beneficiaries and scope of the interventions but also the number and type of interventions offered to this class,” he said.

Mweli said the class of 2021 is also the first class to be presented with amendments to Section 4 of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), which impacted on 20 of the 67 subjects of this class.

“A further unanticipated hurdle that confronted this class was the load shedding that would have adversely affected their final preparations for the examinations.

“A total of 733 746 full-time candidates registered to write the 2021 NSC examination — the largest full time cohort over the last few years. A total of 123 487 more full-time candidates and 46 942 more part-time candidates registered to write the examination,” he said.

The Director-General said of the 733 746 candidates that registered for the examination, 700 604 candidates wrote the examination, which reflects the lowest percentage of “no shows” (4.5%) over the last few years.

“The increase in the number of full-time candidates can be attributed to a number of factors and one of the key factors is the change in the assessment regime, in Grade 10 and 11, which was prompted by the need to create maximum time for teaching and learning,” he said.

He added that the school based assessment in Grade 11 was increased from 25% to 60% and examinations were replaced by controlled tests.

“Hence, the change in assessment practices resulted in a different outcome. These learners would therefore have written their first fully-fledged examination in their Grade 12 year, which was part of the preparatory examination,” Mweli said.

Mweli said one of the purposes of standardisation is to ensure fairness from year to year and the disadvantages suffered by the class of 2021 cannot be ignored, as part of “our social justice obligations”.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is expected to announce the outcome of the results of the 2021 NSC examinations on 20 January 2022.

* SA News