By Edwin Naidu

One in five children has experienced sexual violence in schools throughout South Africa. 

“This is higher than the global estimates where 18% of girls and 8% of boys have experienced child sexual abuse,” according to Likho Bottoman, the Director for Social Cohesion at the Department of Basic Education.

“One in three children (34.4%) experienced child physical abuse compared with 23% of the globalaverage.”

In South Africa, Bottoman said physical abuse was more likely to be reported by girls and by coloured and Black children than by boys, white, or Indian children.

During a briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education this week on progress made in ending school-related gender-based violence (GBV), the department said GBV was pervasive in South Africa, impacting all aspects of life. 

The committee heard that women were disproportionately affected the most. However, the burden was often twofold – affecting the victim, with a ripple effect of violence on the family – in particular, children.

Bottoman told MPs that the 2020 Review on Violence Against Children in South Africa found that 19.8% of children had experienced sexual abuse.

Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) chairperson Advocate Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale told the committee that the commission was involved in several ongoing court cases and others that had resulted in successful convictions. 

She spoke about a 2015 case in which an accused had forcefully married a 14-year-old girl and trafficked her to Cape Town. 

He was charged and convicted of rape, human trafficking and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. 

He was found guilty at Western Cape High Court and sentenced to 22 years imprisonment but appealed his conviction, arguing that he had married the girl legitimately through the customary practice known as uKuthwala, and the court should have considered the practice of uKuthwala when deciding whether his action was unlawful. 

The court heard that an integral part of uKuthwala was that the “bride” may be coerced and that the practice required her to pretend to object. 

The court dismissed the appeal, emphasising the need for consent by both parties to conclude a legitimate marriage and noted that customary practices such as uKuthwala could not be utilised as a legitimate defence for criminal offences. 

Sepanya-Mogale told MPs that the commission’s legal department was investigating several complaints of gender discrimination received from the public or initiated by the body. 

Mostly they were related to the fact that there was no guiding policy issued by the education department dealing with LGBTQIA+ learners.

The CGE is currently seeking an order that both the Western Cape education department and the national department issue regulations ensuring that transgenderlearners can fully express their gender identity. 

It is also investigating an allegation of discrimination concerning six learners who identify as members of the LGBTQIA community in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.

The province has concluded investigations into complaints where school-related allegations were referred to the South African Council for Educators (SACE) for intervention. This resulted in the suspension of the involved teachers. 

Other complaints are still pending in court and the CGE is actively monitoring proceedings.

Sepanya-Mogale said the commission, acting on behalf of a learner from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga who was prevented from sitting for exams because she was pregnant, was immediately allowed to write the tests. 

Again, in Mpumalanga, she told the committee that a 13-year-old learner at Vulamasango Primary School was impregnated allegedly by a 21-year-old neighbour. The case is still before the court. 

The commission has been developing the GBV Index to assist in tracking trends and measuring the country’s GBVF indicators. The United Nations Population Fund istechnically supporting the process, which is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.

During the 2022/2023 financial year, the CGE conducted a project on school dropouts of adolescent girls during pregnancy and postpartum in selected provinces.

The commission said there was a higher teenage pregnancy rate in more rural provinces like Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape compared to urban provinces such as Gauteng and the Western Cape.

On measures by the department to promote gender sensitive classrooms, acting Director-General Dr Granville Williams said this was addressed by providing comprehensive sexuality education.

It included access to sexual and reproductive health services (secondary schools), including a focus on the prevention of alcohol and drug use and learner pregnancy as risk factors for GBV. 

In primary schools activities mainly focused on raising awareness of social justice and vulnerabilities, such as reporting abuse and support for GBV-affected learners.

In addition to the curriculum interventions, the department also implements the Girls and Boys Education Movement (GBEM) through the support of Unicef, a learner participation movement. 

The aim of GBEM is to encourage girls and boys to work together as equals and to foster respect for all genders’ human dignity and rights. 

The GBEM programme is also part of the co-curricular offering in the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) framework, which coordinates multi-sectoral support for schools. 

Another key pillar in the CSTL framework relates to the promotion of social cohesion, social inclusion and human rights, particularly children’s rights.

Whittle told the committee teacher unions had signed an agreement through the Education Labour Relations Council that when teachers were found guilty of sexual offences, they would be automatically blocked by the South African Council of Educators to ensure that they never taught again in the country.

He said the department would continue to collaborate with sister departments and agencies to implement measures to create awareness and stop GBV. 

Through the “Let’s Talk” programme, it would also continue to engage communities on social matters that required a partnership.

Whittle emphasised that anti-GBV messages needed to start as early as possible, both at home and school. 

In August, during an induction session with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and her deputy, Dr Reginah Mhaule, the committee expressed concern about various matters, including the safety of learners and teachers in schools.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has admitted that there are dismal failures and challenges within the post-education and training sector, saying her ministry is prepared to tackle them head-on in an attempt to turn the situation around.

Nkabane, who was joined by top officials from the education sector, held the first of a series of meetings to discuss the reality facing the post-school educational landscape in Ekurhuleni on Friday.

South African Union of Students secretary general Lukhanyo Daweti raised several concerns that students faced in relation to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

He said NSFAS remained a critical problem for the department and it needed to be prioritised.

“NSFAS is the biggest elephant in the room. We cannot and will never allow it to fail, but it remains unfortunate that people view it as a gravy zone,” he said.

Another issue he raised was the utter failure of ICT systems within the sector, despite the injection of R116 million funding from the National Treasury in order to facilitate upgrades and development.

Daweti also said student accommodation was a problem. Despite receiving funding of up to R12 billion, students were still sleeping in libraries and there was a shortage of approximately 500,000 beds within institutions of higher learning.

In light of the recent escalation of crimes specifically against women students, he said the government’s failure in adequately ensuring secure and safe accommodation had reached a point of crisis.

“Our students are dying and it’s painful. Student safety is one of the issues that we need to prioritise and more effective work needs to be done in ensuring their protection,” he said.

Daweti further discussed the issue of transitioning between learners from TVET colleges to universities, and the failures of the latter to recognise the qualifications from the former. 

He called for an alignment of curriculum between the two in order to facilitate a smoother transfer of students who were seeking to improve their qualifications.

Meanwhile, Nkabane recognised that there were issues that needed attention.

She highlighted the inability of NSAFS to oversee the payment of student allowances timeously in a way that could effectively assist students in their daily lives and experiences.

The minister said that the systems were not only dysfunctional, but that backlogs continued to compromise how quickly appeals from students were addressed.

Nkabane said that these institutions were themselves under-performing and regressive. Also, corruption needed to be dealt with.

She admitted that despite previous initiatives and funding, the ICT infrastructure remained outdated and was clearly no longer serving the people.

The meeting concluded with a reiteration of its purpose as an initial account of the issues, with the minister promising that more meetings will follow.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Simon Nare

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane and Cosatu have called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to disregard the noise and threats around the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill and sign it into law on Friday as planned.

Chiloane and the federation both hailed the bill on Thursday, saying it would strengthen and improve the education sector, and accused some organisations who were opposed to it of spreading lies about the proposed law.

“The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) welcomes the Bill as it will empower the head of department (HOD) to make critical decisions regarding school admissions and language policies.

“This is crucial in assisting the department to manage school admissions effectively and address resistance from certain school governing bodies (SGB) that oppose transformation,” said Chiloane.

Cosatu said that the Bill, which would become law when Ramaphosa signed it, contained long overdue progressive provisions that would help protect the rights of learners to dignity and protection.

“It is a tragedy that in the course of the public debate some have chosen to deliberately distort some of its provisions and others have simply decided to fabricate things which are actually not in the bill,” it said in the statement.
Some of the key amendments in the Bill include:

 Making Grade R compulsory and ensuring that all children receive early childhood education so that they are better prepared for formal schooling
 Holding parents accountable for ensuring that their children are enrolled in school
 Criminalising the disruption of school activities and ensuring that learners can study in a safe and focused environment
 Compelling SGB members to declare personal or financial interests to promote transparency and prevent conflicts of interest in school governance

 Empowering an HOD to investigate the financial affairs of schools when irregularities are suspected and ensuring that school funds are managed properly and benefit learners directly
 Imposing penalties for submitting false or forged documents during the admission process, protecting the integrity of the admissions system and ensuring that all learners are treated fairly

The MEC also spoke about concerns raised by some political parties on the language they were taught in.

“We fully support the president in signing this Bill into law. Changing demographics in our communities mean that it is unacceptable for schools to deny learners access to schools closer to their residence based on language,” he said.

Chiloane argued that if numbers dictated that a school must be changed to be a dual-medium school, that should happen without interference.

“Public schools serve the public and no learner should be excluded. The HOD will be empowered to ensure that language policies are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the community,” said Chiloane.

The signing of the Bill threatened to collapse the government of national unity, with Democratic Alliance leader John Steeinhuisen calling for an urgent meeting on Wednesday with Ramaphosa to discuss the matter.

But on Thursday DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp told Newzroom Afrika that the signing of the Bill is not a deal breaker and the party would rather go to court to stop it from being implemented.

“It’s very important to realise that the DA is not threatening to exit the government of national unity; the threat currently is from the president’s side.

The president knew how we and other parties feel about this and he decided to carry on irrespective of our feelings.

“So, it is the ANC that is in their action being a threat to the GNU. We must protect this GNU at all costs and the Democratic Alliance will look at all options available to us should it be signed into law. We will take this court, we will take this to the Constitutional Court,” threatened Aucamp.

ActionSA is also considering taking the matter to court.

The president is set to sign the Bill into law at the Union Buildings.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Nkhensani Chauke

The Gauteng education department is expected to start sending placement offers for Grade 1 and 8 learners to parents and guardians on Monday.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said on Friday that Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloana would outline the details for the placements on Sunday.

Once the applications haven sent, they must be completed by the parents and guardians.

Chiloana will highlight what is expected of parents during this process.

“Among others, the MEC will highlight the important details applicants must be aware of during the placement period, starting from the 16 of September 2024.

“This where placement offers will be sent to parents and they will then have to go to the system and accept the offers that would been sent to them,” Mabona said.

In previous years, parents have faced a number of challenges while trying to secure a placement in the province’s public schools.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Simon Nare

The Presidency has poured cold water on any threat to the multi-party government of national unity (GNU). This follow concerns raised by key partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to sign the Basic Education Law Amendment Bill into law.

“The president is not concerned about the GNU collapsing. When South Africans see statements and hear leaders issuing threats to the stability of the GNU, it is the incumbent upon the president to continue to lead. He leads the GNU on behalf of political parties,” said Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

“And so, it is a responsible thing to do for him to continuously provide assurance that the GNU is stable. That when there are issues of concerns and dispute those issues will be resolved constructively.”

Magwenya, who was updating journalists on the president’s public programme on Wednesday in Cape Town, said there were mechanisms in place within the multi-party agreement to address any differences, and the GNU deal was premised on the supremacy of the country’s Constitution.

He added that Ramaphosa remained committed to the GNU and he was satisfied with its work and ministers from rival political parties working together and collaborating.

DA leader John Steenhuizen earlier in the day announced that he wanted an urgent meeting with Ramaphosa before he signed the Bill on Friday.

“If he proceeds… he will violate both the letter and spirit of the joint Statement of Intent that forms the basis of the GNU,” said Steenhuisen.

Magwenya said it was the president’s constitutional responsibility to sign a Bill into law.

“Section 79 (1) of the Constitution states that the president must either assent to and sign a Bill passed in terms of this chapter or if the president has reservations about the constitutionality of the Bill, refer it back to the National Assembly for reconsideration.

“According to the Constitutional Court case in Doctors for Life International vs Speaker, the president cannot refuse to sign the Bill for political reasons. The only ground upon which the president can refuse to sign the Bill is constitutional reservations.

“This means that the president needs to apply his or her mind to evidence and submissions before him and make an independent determination on the constitutionality of the legislation,” he said.

But the DA, other parties and the Basic Education Minister are opposed to the Bill in its current form.

Steenhuisen said: “During the (GNU) negotiations, the DA made it clear that the BELA Bill was unacceptable to us in its current form, because it has constitutional implications for the right to mother-tongue education, amongst other issues. The DA urged President Ramaphosa to send the Bill back to Parliament for a few simple amendments to bring it in line with the Constitution.”’

He said that that despite this, and in “violation of the provisions of the Statement of Intent, the president seems intent on pushing ahead unilaterally”.

The president will be hosting a gala dinner for all leaders of the GNU where they will be afforded an opportunity to raise their issues of concern as well as give feed back to him.

“The president is also enthused with the level of dedication and commitment that has been demonstrated by members of his national executive, as well as the level of collaboration that ministers from different parties have applied in resolving challenges facing the government and the country,” Magwenya said.

He also announced that Ramaphosa had received a report by Justice Minister Thembi Simelane on the VBS loan saga and would not be making any public announcement on the matter just yet.

“The president appreciates the importance of the Justice Ministry in the leadership of the Justice, Security and Crime Prevention Cluster and contribution to the successful functioning of the cluster. The president is committed to ensure the highest levels of integrity within the national executive. He will consider all the facts on the matter before making any determination,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

Limpopo health MEC Dieketseng Mashego had led a health screening and testing initiative for learners at Thabina Primary School in Ga-Rakoma following a hike in bilharzia cases in the province.

The first outbreak recorded was from 142 learners at the Malwandla Primary School in Petanenge village.

Other cases were also reported in areas including Nkowankowa township, and Khujwana and Dan villages.

Wednesday’s visit comes after a rise in the number of confirmed cases to 155 in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality.

Limpopo acting premier Basikopo Makamu confirmed that the government had already set up a task team to coordinate efforts to tackle the outbreak, provide medical care to affected individuals and prevent a further spread of the disease.

“We urge all residents in the affected areas to exercise extreme caution, avoid direct contact with potentially contaminated water sources and seek medical attention if symptoms arise,” Makamu said.

While addressing learners and community stakeholders at the school, the MEC also stressed the importance of health screenings, prevention and education. 

“We are working with the local water service authorities to conduct water quality tests as one way of preventing the disease because as much as screening, testing and treatment is important, it is even more important to work towards prevention,” Mashego said.

She added that the screening campaign would be extend to other villages and schools in the region to ensure learners received any necessary treatment.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised the provincial government for being incompetent and negligent.

DA Limpopo health spokesperson Lindy Wilson said that the government’s intervention of forming a provincial task team was a little too late.

“This negligence by municipalities coupled by their failure to provide safe potable water has led to water systems that are badly polluted and a danger to communities,” Wilson said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Jonathan Paoli

South Africa is set to host the prestigious IberCup International Youth Football Tournament, marking a groundbreaking moment for the country’s youth football scene.

The event will take place in Gauteng from 12 to 18 December, drawing elite youth teams from around the globe and promising to transform the landscape of South African football.

Established in 2010, the IberCup has become a major force in youth football, attracting over 10,000 teams and 150,000 players annually from more than 170 countries.

It serves as a vital platform for players aged 9 to 18, many of whom have gone on to shine at elite clubs and international competitions.

This year, the tournament’s expansion into South Africa represents a new era of opportunity for local aspiring footballers.
Scheduled to take place at Johannesburg’s top facilities, the IberCup will feature 156 teams.

They include powerhouse clubs such as Benfica from Portugal, River Plate from Argentina, Paris Saint-Germain from France, RCD Espanyol de Barcelona from Spain, Arsenal from England, Ajax from the Netherlands, alongside South African teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Supersport United, as well as Tecno Football Academy from Liberia.

The event is set to attract over 3,000 young players and numerous scouts from top-tier clubs.

Michael Bender, CEO of IberCup South Africa, expressed his enthusiasm for the event and the role it plays in developing football in the country.

“IberCup’s global reach brings young footballers, scouts, clubs, and academies together from every corner of the world. South Africa has not previously been able to participate due to the costs of traveling abroad.

“So, we decided to bring ‘overseas’ here. This tournament is about exposing our local talent to international standards and styles, but it’s also about building a legacy that benefits the youth in Gauteng,” Bender said.

The Gauteng government’s alignment with the IberCup’s mission underscores a commitment to leveraging football as a vehicle for socio-economic development.

Through the tournament, local players will not only compete at a world-class level but also benefit from community development programmes, football clinics and educational workshops.

“We are working hand in hand with the Gauteng government to ensure the long-term success of this event. Football can be a catalyst for change, and we aim to create a platform that not only develops young athletes but also empowers communities and creates opportunities for those previously excluded from the sport,” Bender added.

In addition to the tournament, IberCup will partner with local non-profit organisations to promote values of teamwork, discipline, and social responsibility.

Outreach programs will engage underprivileged communities, using football to inspire and uplift the next generation both on and off the pitch.

A bursary programme will allow selected Gauteng schools and clubs to participate, and one lucky team will win an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the IberCup Cascais in Portugal in 2025.

Gauteng Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreatio MEC Matome Chiloane praised the event, saying it promised to enhance local football standards and contribute significantly to regional social and economic development.

“The IberCup is an important tournament which the Gauteng government believes has a lot to offer in inspiring our young talent to greater levels.

It has the capacity to instil confidence in the minds of the players to realise that they too have enough talent to play and succeed in the big leagues and clubs anywhere else in the world,” Chiloane said.

As anticipation builds, South Africa is ready to showcase its passion for football, proving once again that it is a premier destination for international sport, with the IberCup set to leave a lasting legacy, echoing far beyond the final whistle.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johannah Malogadihlare

Miss SA Mia le Roux and Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Art, culture and Recreation Matome Chiloane teamed up on Tuesday to promote sign language at schools.

Chiloane told a sign language mini festival at Transoranje School for the Deaf in Pretoria that to support hearing and deaf learners, the department had introduced the Basic South African Sign Language (SASL) to hearing learners starting from Grade 5.

Since sign language was declared the 12th official language in 2019, the MEC said teaching it would enhance interaction and social inclusion.

Le Roux was thrilled to see the government taking more of an initiative on the matter. She said that by promoting SASL, learners would be keen to pursue studies in the field of deaf education and interpreting. 

Speaking to the learners, Le Roux said: “I believe that the deaf community, including me, we are so well capable of achieving our dreams if we are to believe in ourselves”.

While the MEC said: “We are building bridges and breaking barriers of teaching and learning.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Durban University of Technology vice-chancellor and principal Thandwa Mthembu has filed an application in the Durban High Court to interdict the university’s executive council from suspending him.

The council announced its intention to Mthembu last week, following recommendations by a forensic investigation last year into delays of the DUT 355 project.

The project was to construct its new engineering building and lecture halls at the Indumiso campus, as well as the construction of a student centre, multipurpose halls and parking garages at the Steve Biko campus.

The forensic report recommended that Mthembu be suspended and consequenced, however, three legal opinions have subsequently found the recommendations to be irrational, unjustifiable and illegal.

Nevertheless, the executive committee said the suspension was to allow the university to investigate possible charges of, among other things, gross negligence, substandard work performance, dereliction of duties, possible misappropriation of
funds and causing the institution financial losses relating to the project.

In addition, Mthembu is seeking an order interdicting the committee from institutingdisciplinary action against him.

He approached the court after the council resolved to suspend him at the beginningof the month.

Mthembu claimed that the external council members had excluded internal council members from both meetings to push through the resolution to implement the recommendations, and any decision was questionable in light of the failure to
achieve a quorum.

“The exclusion of internal council members, without affording them a right to be heard, on that exclusion in itself is unlawful, and any decision taken by the council in this regard is unlawful,” Mthembu said in his founding affidavit.

He claimed that the decision to exclude certain members from the decision-making process was a clear indication of bias on the part of a faction within the university that wanted to see him removed.

“In circumstances where the external council members deliberately exclude internal council members so that they may force the resolution through demonstrates that they are biased against me or at least demonstrates that there is a reasonable suspicion of bias against me,” Mthembu said.

Those wishing to oppose the application have until Friday to do so.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Edwin Naidu

Academic freedom is said to be sacrosanct. Why aren’t more South African academics using their voices to speak out against the genocide in Palestine?

Are they concerned that expressing themselves could land them in hot water with donors or people who could thwart their academic ambitions?

Sometimes, it feels like there are more questions than answers. But while some sit on the fence there are brave voices that continue to call for an end to the Israeli attacks on Gaza. I won’t name them to draw attention to their powerful voices because that’s not why they’re doing it.

There’s a few in South Africa that daily keep their followers updated through social media platforms. However, it is not enough. In South Africa, and globally, there seems to be a pattern by universities to muzzle such voices or use silent bullying tactics to threaten university staff with sanction if they expressed views in the name of the university.

It does not make sense, however, expecting one to express their views in a personal capacity when tied to an organisation as a university, the embodiment of free speech, expression of ideas and pursuit of justice.

In South Africa, it is not as overt at the clampdown on voices in Britain and America, however, in some instances it is a question of “he who pays the piper, calls the tune”. Some people at universities in South Africa have been told to pipe down or face disciplinary action.

The genocide in Palestine was discussed during the recent 26th annual International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) conference under the theme “Navigating Internationalisation in Challenging Times”, in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

The academics and staff from university international offices gathered to examine a variety of issues, among them whether intercultural competence and “dialogue” should occur instead of taking a stance to immediately cease all partnerships, research activities, exchange programmes, etc.

There were questions about the academic freedom of the individual researcher versus the collective freedoms of academics, researchers, staff and students in the Palestine-occupied territories, which were also debated.

Academics and practitioners pondered how to balance values, ethics and human rights in contexts where universities are not taking a firm stance in support of the International Court of Justice ruling on 24 July that declared Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank was unlawful.

In her presentation, “Power: Of Speaking Truth in International (higher education) Relations”, Professor Ylva Rodny-Gumede, the Head of the Division for Global Engagement at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), said the main aim of higher education institutions should be to educate students about democracy and community and global engagement, in the interest of finding solutions to common problems and fostering solidarity and unity.

“What is emerging is a stronger emphasis on diversity and equity in international relations globally and within the global South, a voice that is becoming increasingly stronger and empowered to speak the truth,” she said.

While it might be trite to say that speaking truth to power is an act of bravery, Prof. Gumede said in international relations, diplomacy often trumps the ideal of truth-speaking. 

“Where in the mix does academic freedom sit and what is the state of academic freedom in our institutions amid increasingly fraught geopolitics?” she asked.

Prof. Gumede was clear that academic freedom is an as unbreakable covenant of the business and ethos of higher education. But in later years actions as well as talk of academic freedom have increasingly touched upon issues of how to deal with academic partnerships with states accused of domestic and/or international war crimes or human rights abuses.

For example, she said there were debates among and between academics and university leadership of whether to continue partnerships and whether an institution should follow its own ideas and ideals, i.e. exercise their right to academic freedom or align to government policy on issues of international relations.

She highlighted the views of 12 conversations with a select group of academics (ranging from full professors to lecturers) from five different universities, including the University of Johannesburg, University of South Africa, University of Cape Town, University of the Free State, and Stellenbosch University,

The conversations provided some illuminating responses.

“What are we if not a public good, the question is what public good we are, who we serve?” (Lecturer, University of Stellenbosch)

“We might have become lapdogs of government.” (Professor, University of South Africa)

“I don’t think our Senate debates are as open and free as they should be.” (Professor, University of the Free State)

“The level of debate within our universities could and should be much higher.” (Professor, University of Johannesburg

“Do academics see themselves as truth speakers and do they exercise their right and standing to be public intellectuals in their own right?” (Senior Lecturer, University of Cape Town)

“Does our academics understand their own role and how to exercise academic freedom?” (Senior Lecturer, University of Johannesburg).

In April, the United Nations expressed concern over the pattern of attacks on schools, universities, teachers and students in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, describing the systemic destruction of the Palestinian education system as ‘scholasticide’.

Palestinian academic Amani Al Mqadma implored: “Please don’t lose hope in us. We started universities from tents and even without buildings. We will continue to provide education because education is part of our existence in Palestine, and we are doing a lot of things to be educated, providing education in Palestine in the Gaza Strip because without education, we will not have a future. So please don’t lose hope. We will continue to provide education. We need your support to continue.”

In a presentation entitled “The Role Paradox: Speaking Truth to Power or Soft (Power) Diplomacy?”, Anisa Khan, the Director of Academic Services in the Global Engagement Division at the University of Johannesburg, said some universities took distinct approaches to dealing with the genocide.

Coordinator of the Right-to-Education campaign, Birzeit University, Sondus Hamad, said education has become a casualty, with 17 higher education institutions in Gaza paralysed by the bombings which have claimed the lives of countless professors and students.

A day after the conference, she issued a statement saying that Birzeit University was raided again on Tuesday. The carnage continues.

If the pen is mightier than the sword, it’s time the voices of academia were louder than bombs.

Edwin Naidu is editor of Inside Education.