SOUTH Africa and Turkey have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), agreeing to advance cooperation in science and innovation.

This is according to a Department of Science and Innovation statement.

The MOU was signed by minister of higher education, science and innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, and Turkey’s foreign affairs minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

According to the statement, the signed MOU will see deepening of the cooperation relations between the two countries.

Both SA and Turkey recognise the importance of science and technology in the development of their respective national economies, and the ability of science, technology, and innovation (STI) to improve the standard of living of communities.

Nzimande believes the partnership will be beneficial to both countries, particularly in the areas of joint research, capacity building and in advancement of scholarly cooperation in areas of STI.

“The partnership will promote inter-institutional cooperation, exchange of scientists, researchers, technical experts, scholars, joint research, as well as the exchange of science, innovation, and technological policy information in advancing science diplomacy between the two countries.”

SA and Turkey have maintained strategic bilateral political, economic and cultural relations since 1991, says the statement, adding that the bilateral trade between the two countries has seen a gradual growth over recent years.

During the period April to November 2022, South African exports to Turkey increased by approximately 18%.

ITWeb

THIS report set out to understand how the wellbeing of ethnic minority educators compared with the wider population. 

This report – made possible with the generous support of Wesleyan – set out to understand how the wellbeing of ethnic minority educators compared with the wider population. The research comprised of three focus groups, which were conducted by YouGov using its panel of education professionals. These included 26 teachers, middle leaders and senior leaders who identified as having ethnic minority backgrounds.

The results confirm many of the drivers of stress in the teaching profession, irrespective of race, including volume of workload, workplace culture and Ofsted pressures. The findings also clearly illustrate the differential experiences of Black and Brown and other ethnic minority teachers and leaders in schools across the country, including barriers to progression, tokenism and microaggressions.

Developed with insights from the BAMEed Network and Black Teachers Connect, the report explores the main drivers of stress among ethnic minority teachers, their experiences in the workplace and what needs to happen for real cultural change to take place.

In section two, we have set out to amplify the voices of research participants and to allow them to tell their story in their own way.

The Chartered College of Teaching and Education Support will hold an event on Thursday 2nd March with Professor Dame Alison Peacock and charity CEO, Sinéad Mc Brearty to discuss their latest research into the wellbeing of ethnic minority teachers. Participants will also have an opportunity to participate in a live discussion.

Sinéad Mc Brearty, Chief Executive of Education Support says:

“Racism has no place in schools or colleges. We all have a responsibility to understand how racism is experienced by colleagues, and to improve the system for everyone. 

Discrimination serves only to demoralise and ultimately drive good teachers out of the workforce.  This serves no-one, least of all children and young people. These findings point the way to simple, inexpensive strategies for improvement.”

We have summarised our key findings of the report below. You can download a full copy of our report here.

Stress is a normalised part of being a teacher, regardless of ethnicity

“If I say I am stressed, I get told to leave school at 4pm – but still produce all the data analysis by 9am the next morning.”
Middle leader

Teachers from an ethnic minority background have to deal with the stress of teaching, plus the additional impact of racist and racialised experiences.

“I’ve purposely been singled out as the token Black teacher when visitors have been in school.”
Middle leader

Ethnic minority teachers call for much wider equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training to create more inclusive cultures.

“I was told that I was supporting extremism – when simply we were visiting a Mosque to learn more about the religion for RE.”
Middle leader

Line management experiences are variable but getting it right can help with stress management.

“One of my AHT [Assistant Headteacher] colleagues often tells me I need to think more carefully how I portray myself … as a Brown man. Sometimes I feel I have to work harder than colleagues to prove myself …. and actually similarly other ethnic minorities”
Senior leader

Sector Response

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

“The experiences of being overworked and undervalued are unfortunately common across the teaching profession, regardless of ethnicity. However, it is clear from this report and from what our Black members tell us that being from a minority ethnic background adds an additional layer of racist and racialist experiences in the workplace which are further undermining teachers’ dignity and morale.

“Black teachers commonly face additional barriers to pay and career progression, as well as overt and covert racism and discrimination in their daily working lives.

“For example, our most recent data from members indicates that 59% of Asian teachers and 53% of Black teachers who were expecting to move up the pay scale in 2020/21 as a result of their performance review did so in the academic year 2020/21, compared to 73% of White teachers.

“Our data indicates lower satisfaction levels among teachers from black backgrounds. While four in ten of White teachers described themselves as satisfied or very satisfied about their job, this dropped to 34% of Asian teachers and 33% of black teachers.

“The Government could take immediate action to tackle racialised pay gaps and discrimination in the workplace by strengthening regulation, but they have refused to do so.

“This failure to act is exacerbating the serious problems with the recruitment and retention of Black teachers in the profession and undermining the basic entitlement of all workers to be treated with respect and dignity.

“We are continuing our fight for racial justice for Black teachers and will be holding our Black Teachers’ Consultation Conference this coming weekend at which these and other issues affecting Black teachers’ working lives will be discussed.”

Methodology

This research study had three main aims:

Provide insight into the issues and challenges experienced by ethnic minority teachers at work and how these may impact on their mental health and wellbeing

Explore how stress impacts the mental health and wellbeing of ethnic minority teachers

Recommend the resources most needed by education organisations which would benefit the mental health and wellbeing of ethnic minority teachers at work

The research comprised three online focus groups, which were conducted by YouGov using its panel of education professionals. Three focus groups explored:

Perceptions of their teaching career

Current challenges to the profession

Specific challenges for teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds

How this impacts on their mental health and wellbeing

How best they could be supported

The specific topic of stress experienced at work was also investigated, with reference to the overall findings in the Teacher Wellbeing Index (2022). Each focus group comprised teachers working at different levels in schools.

The first group involved classroom teachers, the second group was middle leaders and the final group was senior leaders. All participants worked in primary or secondary schools (with learners aged 4-18) in different parts of England, and the majority worked in the state-funded education sector.

The focus groups were held online using YouGov’s text-based platform where the participants typed in their responses to the questions asked and discussed their experiences with each via text messages.

Many of these messages have been included in this report, so that the reader can see the teachers’ views. The focus groups were conducted by two moderators from YouGov, one of whom was from a mixed-race background and one who was white. All focus groups were held in March 2022, lasted approximately 1.5 hours, and were observed by Education Support.

FENEWS

PHUTI MOSOMANE

THE Independent Examinations Board’s (IEB) 2022 matric class has achieved a 98.42% pass rate, a slight improvement on 2021’s pass rate of 98.39%. 

About 12 580 full-time and 945 part-time candidates from 232 examination centres writing in 262 venues across Southern Africa wrote the IEB’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in October and November 2022. 

This is fewer than the 12 857 full-time candidates and 968 part-time candidates in 2021.

“The performance of the 2022 cohort of students has been outstanding. There is enough credible research on the impact of Covid-19 on the educational aspects of children to provide insight into where we are at, in coming out of the pandemic almost three years later. It is fair to say that it is the 2022 cohort of learners that were hardest hit by the impact of the pandemic when it broke in 2020 in their grade 10 year,” said IEB Chief Executive Officer Anne Oberholzer.  

“Various strategies have been employed to try and mitigate these – moving teaching online, pen and paper distance education, catch-up programs, weekend school lessons and so on – some more successful than others.”

Oberholzer said 89.32% of the cohort achieved entry to degree studies, compared to 89.2% in 2021.

While 7.52% qualified for entry to diploma studies, compared to 7.82% in 2021, and 1.57% achieved entry for study at the Higher Certificate level, compared to 1.37% in 2021.

“While the class of 2022 has seen how previous Grade 12 classes of 2020 and 2021 managed to adapt to a new reality, this was the class that missed out the most in their Grade 10 and Grade 11 years which are fundamentally important to success in their grade 12 performance,” Oberholzer said. 

The closing date for the application for remarking is Tuesday 31 January 2023.

The results from re-marking will be released on Wednesday 1 March 2023.

Applications for the learners who qualify to enrol for the May/June examinations will be open from 1 March to 15 March 2023.

“External quality assurance processes provide assurance to society that standards of demand in examinations are consistent over time and that one cohort of learners is not unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged. The quality assurance processes also ensure that the conduct of the examinations is carried out with integrity at every step.”

“The examination process is complex, and its oversight is not only extensive, but requires people who are knowledgeable and experienced in the theory and practical aspects of examination conduct,” said Oberholzer.

On Thursday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will announce the 2022 matric results approved by the quality assurer Umalusi earlier this week.

INSIDE EDUCATION 

CURRO says it is delighted that its Matric Class of 2022 has recorded an exceptional 98.63% pass rate for the 2022 academic year.

It said the achievement is based on the performance of its 1893 learners who wrote the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams last year.

Among the triumphant achievers are nine learners who each bagged a spot on the IEB’s Outstanding Achiever’s list. 

Learners who made it onto this prestigious IEB list have all achieved within the top 5% in 6 or more subjects and scored a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation.

Among the learners are Isabella Campbell from Heron Bridge College who obtained 9 distinctions, Natasha Honey from Curro Hazeldean who achieved 8 distinctions and Mohamed Ismail Salejee from Heritage House who also obtained 8 distinctions as well as a 99% for Mathematics.

In addition, 12 other Curro learners received recognition as part of the IEB’s Commendable Achievements, meaning they’ve achieved within the top 5% in 5 subjects and scored a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation.

A world of opportunity at their feet

The majority of Curro’s learners (67%) achieved a minimum of a C-average and 190 learners achieved an A average. Curro’s talented learners can now access some of the best tertiary education available to pursue their dreams and build bright futures.

Curro’s academic faculty is incredibly proud of its learners’ results.

“We commend our learners who have proven their talent and acumen to produce remarkable results.  It has been wonderful to watch our learners grab every opportunity to learn, grow and succeed in the classroom. The sheer calibre of these learners is evident in their results, and these qualities will stand them in good stead as they take on new challenges as leaders of tomorrow,” says Cobus Loubser, Curro Holdings CEO.

“We are extremely proud of our entire Class of 2022 and wish them all the best,” concludes Loubser.

Staff Reporter

PHUTI MOSOMANE

THE race to lead the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State appears to be too close to call after four different leaders representing various lobby groups lock horns to lead the province. 

The Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) convenor Mxolisi Dukwana, Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela, former Maluti-a-Phofung mayor Vusi Tshabalala, and the former Free State ANC deputy chairperson Thabo Manyoni are currently in the running in the four-horse race.

The Free State province has been in disarray for a number of years and without a chairperson since the departure of former ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, while attempts to unite the warring factions, including interventions by senior party leaders, have failed.

Following endless delays characterised by infighting and court cases, the ANC in the Free State announced this week that it was all systems go after meetings with several senior party leaders, including ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile and ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.

The long-awaited ANC Free State conference is set to kick off on Friday at the Imvelo Safari Lodge in Mangaung, Free State.

Free State ANC Interim Provincial Committee coordinator Paseka Nompondo said this week that more than 75% of branches are ready to hold the provincial conference on Friday. 

“The verification report confirmed that the branches that qualified after their Branch General Meetings (BGMs) were 242, which is about 75% of branches. This means that the Free State has surpassed 70% threshold to hold a Conference,” said Nompondo.

Both Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyana regions are expected to hold their regional conferences after the provincial conference this weekend. 

“The outcome of the verification report puts Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyana regions above 70% threshold. In the light of that report, the Interim Provincial Committee resolved that the two regions were ready to convene their conferences. Xhariep will be the last region to hold its conference,” said Nompondo.  

ANC Free State IPC spokesperson Oupa Khoabane said 242 branches have already been verified and were now ready to be part of the conference on Friday. 

“We have 242 branches which have qualified to be part of the conference,” he said. 

In an interview with Inside Politics, ANC Women’s League’s former General-Secretary, Meokgo Matuba, called on party members to rally around a woman in order to promote policy gender parity. 

Ntombela, a former Deputy President of the ANC Women’s League, is the only female candidate contesting for the position of ANC chairperson in the Free State.

“I am uncompromising on the issues of advancing women at the forefront of implementing ANC policies because it is always women at the forefront of ensuring delivery of service to the people,” Matuba said in a wide-ranging interview with Inside Politics on Monday. 

“The poor and the unemployed look to the women in the communities to provide. This is an opportunity for members of the ANC in the Free State to support and entrust women with the opportunity to lead. Where women are given an opportunity, they have shown maturity in leadership.  I am particularly biased towards women leadership, and confident that our people will benefit,” she said. 

Ntombela’s Spokesperson, Sello Peterson, said the time for a female ANC chairperson was now. 

“So far majority of branches have made their decisions. And she [Premier Sisi Ntombela] is leading. I don’t know if there is any other contestant, but as far as I know, Premier Sisi Ntombela will be elected chairperson this coming weekend,” said Peterson.

“She is working hard to ensure that jobs are created, turning around the economy and improving service delivery. Since assuming a role of Premier, she has attended to each and every service delivery issue on the spot.”

Another ANC regional leader who preferred not to be named said Ntombela’s campaign has gained momentum in the province and the number of members supporting her were increasing, especially in the province’s biggest region, Thabo Mofutsanyana.

Ntombela is the sixth Premier of the Free State.

She previously served as the Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, and the Free State MEC for Social Development.

In March 2018, she was selected by the ANC to succeed Magashule as Premier of the Free State.

She took office on 27 March 2018, and became the fourth female Premier of the province.

She was then elected Treasurer of the Free State ANC branch in May 2018.

By late night on Sunday, there was still last-minutes lobbying taking place, with each group logged in “zoom meetings”. 

The conference is sitting on Friday with the IPC facing court litigation against the regional conference of Lejweleputswa region. 

“The committee is concerned on the continued trend of referring organisational matters to the courts despite much effort done to resolve internal disputes satisfactorily. The court documents have been referred to our lawyers to prepare replying affidavits. The IPC has decided to defend the matter,” said Khoabane.   

On Monday, Mbalula, together with ANC NEC member David Mahlobo visited Mangaung to meet ANC structures including the interim provincial committee, including Councilors representing the party on the metro.   

INSIDE POLITICS 

INSIDE EDUCATION STAFF

UMALUSI has approved the release of the 2022 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

Umalusi’s chairperson, Professor Yunus Ballim, made the announcement on Monday.

Ballim said that the results of the NSC examinations administered by both the Independent Examinations Board and Department of Basic Education had been given the green light.

The DBE is expected to release the NSC results at the Mosaik Church in Fairland, Johannesburg, on Thursday.

The quality assurance body said that the examinations were administered in accordance with all required regulations.

The boy found that irregularities were not systematic and did not compromise the integrity of the 2022 NSC examinations. 

“Having studied all the evidence presented, the Executive Committee (EXCO) of Umalusi Council concluded that the examinations were administered largely in accordance with the Regulations Pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of the National Senior Certificate Page 14 of 22 Examination,” Ballim said.

“The irregularities identified during the writing and marking of the examinations, were not systemic and therefore did not compromise the overall credibility and integrity of the November 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations administered by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The Executive Committee of Council therefore approves the release of the DBE November 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations results.” 

Results for all candidates found implicated in irregularities are recommended to be blocked and further steps will be taken pending an investigation by the department of basic education and Umalusi. 

“In respect of identified irregularities, the DBE is required to block the results of all candidates implicated in irregularities including the candidates who are implicated in the alleged acts of dishonesty pending the outcome of the DBE investigations and verification by Umalusi. Particular attention should be paid to recurring matters of non-compliance. The Executive Committee of Council commends the DBE for conducting a successful examination on such a large scale,” said Ballim.

A record number of Grade 12 learners participated in the 2022 NSC examinations.

The DBE revealed that 923,460 learners, both full-time and part-time candidates, participated in the 2022 final examinations.

The DBE will release the NSC Results for the class of 2022 in a ceremony to be held on Thursday.

Said DBE about the results on Thursday: “As has been the tradition the Minister will host the learners and parents for a congratulatory breakfast on the morning of Thursday 19 January while the Director General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli will deliver a technical briefing to unpack the NSC Results in greater detail on the same afternoon.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

EDWIN NAIDU

THE apparent assassination attempt on one of South Africa’s top university leaders, in which his bodyguard was killed, has highlighted the threat of corruption that appears to have firmed its grip on the country’s tertiary education sector.

“Corruption is a betrayal of our democracy and an assault on public institutions that we established to advance the values of our Constitution and the interests of our people.”

“Our post-school education and training institutions – and the University of Fort Hare is part of those institutions – must [be] protect[ed] against any form of corruption, maladministration and capture by private interests,” said the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande on Wednesday 11 January, during a visit to the university in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Last year, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, vice-chancellor of the University of Fort Hare, who is in the second term of office, successfully asked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign a proclamation authorising an investigation probe into corruption claims at Fort Hare.

The attack on him has been linked to his role in pushing for the investigation. Buhlungu was not in the car at the time of the attack on 6 January, but his protection officer, Mboneli Vesele, who has worked with him since 2018, was shot and killed.

During his visit Nzimande said Fort Hare University has been identified as one of the institutions of higher learning that will be closely monitored and prioritised on issues of safety and security, according to a report by SABC News.

Nzimande has committed to form a national task force that will work with institutions of higher education to improve safety and security.

The minister has also encouraged these institutions to have their own structures that deal with safety issues. “We are going to leave no stone unturned to fight against corruption in our institutions and also to ensure that Fort Hare is protected. As institutions we want to say to the criminals that they won’t win. We are very determined,” said Nzimande.

Higher education sector shocked, saddened

Buhlungu has come under attack before. In March 2022 incidents of shots being fired at his residence and at the homes of two other senior officials were reported. Though no one was hurt in these attacks, it required the university to improve security at the staff village in Alice (where shots were fired). However, Petrus Roets, the university’s fleet and transport manager, was shot dead in May 2022 in a suspected hit.

Fort Hare is one of the country’s oldest universities. Its alumni include the likes of liberation heroes Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Robert Sobukwe, and Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi in South Africa, Zimbabwean leaders Robert Mugabe and Herbert Chitepo, and Kenya’s Elius Mathu and Charles Njonjo.

In a statement, Universities South Africa Chairperson Professor Sibongile Muthwa said that as vice-chancellors, the body was deeply saddened by the events at Fort Hare, which took place within the premises of a campus.

She said the reports, which indicate that this might have been an attempt on the life of a colleague, Buhlungu, are hugely shocking.

Dr Whitfield Green, the chief executive officer of the Council on Higher Education (CHE), called for decisive action from the highest levels of government and the safety and security structures that must act vigorously “to root out this growing threat to our universities”.

Ambassador Nozipho January-Bardill, the chairperson of the council of Nelson Mandela University, also based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, extended condolences to the Vesele family and the broader University of Fort Hare community.

“That murder and assassination are taking place in a higher education environment is a shocking reflection of the difficult times we live in as a nation,” she said.

January-Bardill called on authorities to support and protect whistle-blowers and those trying to root out fraud and corruption in higher education and our society broadly.

How widespread is corruption?

A former academic, who did not wish to be named, said corruption had engulfed all 26 institutions in various ways because billions were being spent on infrastructure development, with individuals running it being party to malfeasance. He pointed out multiple shenanigans at several institutions to corroborate the claims.

One of the country’s foremost academics and distinguished professor of education at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Jonathan Jansen, has lifted the lid on the goings-on at universities in a book, Corrupted: A Study of Chronic Dysfunction in South African Universities, which takes a deeper look at dysfunctional institutions in an attempt to unravel the root causes in a sample of South African universities.

The book’s publisher, Wits University Press, details these concerns in its synopsis on Amazon.com: “At the heart of the problem lies the vexed issue of resources or, more pertinently, the relationship between resources and power: who gets what, and why?

“Whatever else it aspires to be – commonly, a place of teaching, learning, research, and public duty – a university in an impoverished community is also a rich concentration of resources around which corrupt staff, students and those outside of campus all vie for access.

“Taking a political-economic approach, Jansen describes the daily struggle for institutional resources and offers accessible, sensible insights. He argues that the problem won’t be solved through investments in ‘capacity building’ alone because the combination of institutional capacity and institutional integrity contributes to serial instability in universities.”

The challenges at Fort Hare

Nzimande said on Wednesday that the events at the institution are most likely linked to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) work, which has been underway since the Presidential Proclamation of 5 August 2022 (Government Gazette 47199) authorising the investigation of allegations of corruption at Fort Hare between 2012 and 2022.

This was partly a response to forensic work that the university had undertaken, but where it had faced certain limitations as investigators needed to have the statutory powers necessary to undertake specific responsibilities.

The probe relates to: procurement irregularities in cleaning and gardening services (between 2012 and 2019); the leasing of student accommodation since 2013; the appointment of a service provider for maintenance and repair of air conditioning systems (2018); and collusion of officials and suppliers, or service providers.

It also focuses on alleged maladministration in the affairs of the university’s department of public administration in awarding honours degrees, mismanagement of funds, and sourcing public servants to study in various programmes for individual financial gain.

These allegations are also linked to the university’s suspension of Professor Edwin Ijeoma, an employee, who resigned in February 2021. The disciplinary processes continued following his resignation, and he was found guilty of all charges.

Nzimande noted that there were reports of how deep maladministration was entrenched in the institution, which Buhlungu had reportedly been actively rooting out since he assumed office. These endeavours saw several senior managers and staff members suspended, some resigning, and others dismissed.

The minister said that some of the issues investigated by the SIU were also briefly noted in an Independent Assessor Report (October 2019), an investigation authorised by the minister, in which one of the six key findings was that “there are disturbing signs of a widespread belief that the university is a kind of cash cow which everyone is entitled to milk for personal benefit”.

Amid claims that there is tension between the vice-chancellor and the ministry, Nzimande dismissed the narrative that his office has done little or nothing in response to the university’s challenges. The ministry has also supported the Special Investigating Unit’s work since it began in August 2022.

Kaizer Kganyago, the head of stakeholder relations and communications at the SIU, said investigations were ongoing at Fort Hare and updates would only be provided once they were complete. He added that the unit had received complaints about corruption claims at other tertiary institutions.

Which other institutions have been in the spotlight?

On 16 November 2022, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Education, which plays an oversight role and may request information from a ministry,
received updates of problems at several institutions, including the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), University of South Africa (UNISA), and Vaal University of Technology (VUT) – all related to governance issues.

Professor Themba Mosia, academic and former chairperson of the Council on Higher Education, was appointed by the Minister as an independent assessor, or investigator, to probe problems at UNISA in September 2022. UNISA is a distance learning institution.

The Minister engaged with the UNISA council on the findings of the Ministerial Task Team Report of 2021. Mosia’s appointment came after a conflict between trade union NEHAWU and the university leadership over allegations of mismanagement.

The Mangosuthu University of Technology was placed under administration, and an administrator, who acts in a temporary capacity as manager of the university, Professor Lourens van Staden, was appointed on 28 September 2022. This came after an investigation, authorised by the minister, by independent assessor Professor Anthony Staak was not implemented by the MUT Council.

Corruption claims have also been made at the University of Zululand and the University of Mpumalanga.

Committee members discussing events at tertiary institutions around the country in Parliament at the end of 2022 said they were not pleased with poor governance at higher education institutions because essential matters such as the curriculum, the impact of qualifications offered by the sector, and its core business should have been discussed.

“Instead, the committee is always confronted with addressing corruption allegations, maladministration, poor financial management, governance and stakeholder relations.”

University World News

SCHOOL districts are banning a new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot that can respond to prompts on demand, such as writing complex essays. The free tool powered by tech startup OpenAI is raising fears that students will use this technology to cheat.

After ChatGPT was released on Nov. 30, Los Angeles Unified District blocked students’ access to the technology on networks and devices to “protect academic honesty while a risk/benefit assignment is conducted.”

“In the meantime, we will continue to provide robust and relevant training and instruction in digital citizenship and computer science education for all school communities,” a Los Angeles Unified District spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement.

New York City, Baltimore County, Loudon County in Virginia and Montgomery County in Alabama are among the latest school districts to join Los Angeles in restricting students from accessing the chatbot.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools already bans external apps from student devices but has blocked it from being downloaded and has no plans to allow student access.

New York City, the nation’s largest public school district, cited the “negative impacts on student learning” and “concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of content,” as well as the impact that the technology could have on building problem-solving skills for academic and lifelong success.

Loudon County spokesperson Dan Adams told FOX Business that the Virginia schools’ staff are currently blocking ChatGPT on the network and student-assigned devices in order to “remain exemplary educators” and that they “expect the highest level of honesty” in the students’ assigned work.

Public schools in Alabama’s Montgomery County have blocked access as well, saying that they promote the use of technology for learning new information but that it “must be done responsibly, ethically and cautiously.” They are working on “guidance for teachers and staff as it relates to readiness in their classrooms.”

As educators weigh in on the debate about the future of AI in the classroom, some schools are taking the matters into their own hands by putting regulations and restrictions in place for now.

One public school in New Jersey is banning students from accessing it until administrators understand the program and how it could apply to curriculum.

“We want to make sure that our students are well-rounded, that they’re not taking shortcuts,” Janina Kusielewicz, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Clifton Public Schools in Clifton, New Jersey, told FOX Business.

“Our teachers have to stay on top of preventing those shortcuts so that we can teach them the right way to do things and get a complete education.”

Even executives from OpenAI are warning of limitations and abuse to the machine learning tool.

Sam Altman of OpenAI tweeted out last month that “it’s a mistake to be relying on it for anything important right now” and that the company has “lots of work to do on robustness and truthfulness.” For the meantime, it should be used for “creative inspiration” rather than factual queries, which is “not such a good idea.”

Fox Business put ChatGPT to the test by asking the bot to write an essay about the American Revolution and discovered some of the technology’s limitations.

In an essay that analyzes New Jersey’s role in the American Revolution, ChatGPT wrote that the state’s capital capitol, Trenton, New Jersey, was the site where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the Continental Army on July 9, 1776. But according to the Library of Congress, the first reading to the troops happened in New York.

David White, supervisor of language arts for grades 9 through 12 at Clifton Public Schools, has concerns about how the technology could hinder the process of learning how to write.

“We write to communicate, and students need to learn how to write and to communicate clearly that way,” White said. “They need to go through the process of actually writing and learning how to do it, and revising and making the writing clear and concise as possible to explain the way they’re thinking.”

However, the educators say that there could be potential applications for where the technology could be useful, such as being used to simplify a pre-write or as a draft to be submitted to AI for polishing.

Charles Lang, senior executive director of the Digital Futures Institute and professor at Teachers College at Columbia University, said the technology could be used to create assessments or develop skills that are specific to that software, while it could also aid those who struggle with basic skills or writing or reading.

“Just being able to personalize interactions in a way that is infinitely patient and can go on forever and talk about the same topic is actually a wildly amazing tool to have in the education system,” Lang said.

The main question concerning educators, Lang said, is how to incorporate this technology into teaching and learning such that students are in a good position once they leave the school.

In the meantime, other districts are not blocking the program.

Dallas and Houston School Districts are not changing any policies related to ChatGPT and are currently evaluating tools before making a decision on how to best proceed, according to spokespersons.

Atlanta Public Schools have “no plans to ban the platform” but takes “academic integrity and plagiarism seriously and will take the appropriate steps should this become an issue.”

In Chicago, the public school system has not blocked ChatGPT on school networks and said that it is committed to providing students with an educational experience that incorporates technological advances.

Like many other schools, White said they will be monitoring what other districts do and how the technology evolves.

Foxbusiness

EBRU OZDEMIR

WE live in a rapidly changing world where vast technological advancements are announced almost daily. The so-called fourth industrial revolution is characterised by extraordinary technology and a digital transition.

There is a rapid merging of the physical, digital and biological worlds. While this is a time of great opportunity and excitement for the future, we must ensure that we are moving forward in an integrated and inclusive way. Women must be at the forefront of this revolution and an emphasis on equality is necessary for success of this revolution.

As we take steps towards our future, it is clear our economy is set to be dominated by STEM industries at the heart of technology advancements, such as engineering and computer science. Moreover, these industries are projected to foster the fastest growth and highest paid jobs of the future. Research has found that a typical STEM worker already earns over double the amount of a non-STEM worker, and this trend is only set to continue.

Closing the gender gap

Therefore, as we move forward with STEM industries leading the way, we must ensure that women and girls are no longer a minority, but instead widely represented at all levels. Eliminating stereotypical prejudices in engineering and supporting young girls who wish to study and work in STEM fields is more urgent than ever before. In the EU, there remains a substantial gender gap as only around 19% of ICT specialists and one-third of STEM graduates are women.

Globally, it is estimated that only 20% of engineering graduates are women, and women of colour still comprise less than 2% of all engineering professionals. The lack of representation spans across all levels, but women are particularly underrepresented in leadership: in technology women comprise about 24% of leadership roles and in infrastructure it is as low as 16%. These statistics are just not good enough and we must seize the momentum of the technological revolution to also revolutionise women’s positions in STEM.

STEM role models for women

To encourage the next generation of women to enter into STEM fields, they must be presented with role models who they can look up to for inspiration and they must be provided with all the tools needed to succeed in their chosen endeavours. Women are no less capable than men in science, technology, engineering, or maths but external factors are leading to women being excluded and a reinforced gender gap.

Influences such as gender stereotypes held by families or communities on the competence of girls in STEM, a lack of role models, and cultural factors all contribute to a reduced number of women gaining a STEM education or work. It is therefore important that when supporting girls into STEM we don’t just focus on the students themselves but consider their environment, culture, and background.

STEM education programmes for women

This is the exact aim of Global Engineer Girls (GEG), which has just recently launched in Kosovo and North Macedonia. The GEG is helping to tackle the tide of inaction, inequality, and stigma. It’s a global project, now operating in four countries, that educates, enables and empowers women to explore careers in STEM. While the programme focuses on supporting girls to obtain a STEM education, as well as career mentoring, GEG also works to tackle bias among girls’ families and communities. Without tackling bias and removing stigma surrounding women in STEM, progress will be slow.

There are numerous programmes like GEG that are doing vital work to make significant changes. GirlHype is another such an organization that aims to empower girls and youth in ICT in South Africa. Similarly, Girls Who Code, are working to close the gender gap in entry-level tech jobs by 2030 in the US, Canada, UK and India. Initiatives such as these are essential to empowering girls into STEM and ending gendered bias in the industry.

What more can be done to promote STEM?

Meanwhile, employers in STEM businesses should strive to attract and retain women to increase diversity. While this offers other women and girls essential role models to demonstrate that STEM subjects are inclusive and attainable, it also has wider benefits. Diversity of people brings with it diversity of thought and experience which are critical to innovation, creativity, good decision-making and ultimately profitability. Research shows that diverse teams are better at making decisions 87% of the time and diverse workforces of a company are 70% more likely to capture more markets which in turn drives profits.

Progress on women in STEM thus far has been slow and has not achieved nearly enough. Now is the chance to capitalise upon this technological revolution and drive forward our societies together, leaving no one behind. The world needs greater commitment and action on gender equality targets. The brilliant work of organizations like GEG or Girls Who Code are conducting ground-breaking work, but these initiatives cannot change the world alone. We must invest in and promote gender equality in business, government, legislation and culture for a sustainable, inclusive and future-proof economy.

WEFFORUM