Education Reporter

South African teachers face several challenges on the personal and professional development front, hindering them from progressing as leaders and managers. Topping their challenges are time and money, both needed to further their qualifications.

ADvTECH, SA’s leading private higher education provider, is addressing this challenge. It recently launched the Occupational Certificate: School Principal, offered via its distance learning college, Oxbridge Academy.

“The importance of accessible development opportunities for South African teachers cannot be overstated,” says Siyavuya Makubalo, Marketing Manager at Oxbridge Academy.

“Our teachers are tasked with raising the leaders of the future. However, they seldom can reach their full potential and become leaders themselves. When teachers have the chance to engage in professional development, it directly impacts not only the quality of teaching and learning they deliver in the classroom but also their career trajectories and self-fulfilment.”

Makubalo says the new occupational certificate’s purpose is to prepare teachers to become school managers.

“School managers lead, plan, develop and manage developed systems for effective and efficient delivery of quality education by ensuring the implementation and support of a value-driven ethos for quality teaching.”

“Teachers need to learn to lead and manage teaching and learning in a school; plan and manage the resources of the school; establish, lead and manage the relationship between and the impact of the internal and external community for the development of the school, and develop self and others through life-long learning to deliver quality teaching and learning.”

Makubalo says the benefit of continuing professional development via distance learning is that time-and-finance-stretched teachers can affordably study at their own pace while working and taking care of their loved ones.

“We believe this will be a game-changer for teachers in general, and also the skills complement in South African schools in particular, which is so desperately needed,” she says.

The Occupational Certificate: School Principal is NQF Level 6 accredited by the QCTO and SAQA accredited.

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Inside Education Reporter

As South Africa prepares for its upcoming elections, the tail-end of May, also Africa Month, is an appropriate time for reflection.

The Africa Month theme, ‘The Year of Education: Educating an African Fit for the 21st Century’, resonates with a sense of urgency. In a rapidly changing global landscape, the future of our children and the prosperity of our nation depends on the choices we make at the polls. It’s a collective responsibility to shape an education system that prepares our youth for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. 

This 7th democratic election is not just about selecting leaders but about shaping the trajectory of our education system and, consequently, our country’s future.

According to a 2020 report by Amnesty International, the South African education system is characterised by crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and relatively poor educational outcomes. This perpetuates inequality and, as a result, fails too many of its children, with the poor hardest hit.

Given the current situation, it’s no wonder that educational outcomes are abysmal. A recent international survey revealed a shocking truth: over three-quarters of Grade 4 children struggle to read for meaning. In some provinces, this figure soars to 91% in Limpopo and 85% in the Eastern Cape. Out of every 100 learners who embark on their educational journey, only 50%- 60% will reach Matric, 40% –  50% will pass Matric, and a mere 14% will proceed to university.

According to Amnesty International’s Executive Director, Shenilla Mohamed: “South Africa has one of the most unequal school systems in the world. Children in the top 200 schools achieve more distinctions in mathematics than children in the next 6,600 schools combined. The playing field must be levelled.

“The 21st century demands paramount digital literacy, critical thinking, and innovative problem-solving. Our education system in Africa must adapt to this new reality. It must empower our youth with skills that match the needs of the modern world. This entails a focus on traditional academics, integration of technology and creativity, and fostering entrepreneurial mindsets.

“As citizens, we can influence this transformation through our votes. Each candidate’s stance on education policies will directly impact our children’s ability to compete globally. It is crucial to scrutinise each party’s plans for educational reform, funding, teacher training and curriculum development”.

Are they committed to reducing disparities in access to quality education? Do they have a clear strategy for integrating digital skills into the classroom? These questions should guide our voting decisions, posits Afrika Tikkun Group CEO Dr. Onyi Nwaneri.

Afrika Tikkun is a leading youth development organisation celebrating 30 years of providing education, social services, skills development, and training to underserved communities within South Africa through its five centres of excellence across Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Nwaneri reckons that candidates prioritising education understand that it is the foundation upon which a robust economy and a vibrant society are built. Investing in education means investing in the future of doctors, engineers, artists and leaders.

“It is essential to support leaders who recognise the importance of early childhood education, the need for continuous professional development for educators and the necessity of making higher education accessible to all,” adds Nwaneri.

She says: “The future of South Africa is inextricably linked to the quality of education we provide to our youth today. As we approach the polls, we must consider the long-term impact of our choices. An informed electorate can drive the change needed to create an equitable education system,

Currently assisting over 40,000 children and youth across the country, Afrika Tikkun’s primary goal is to create a sustainable future through economic empowerment for the youth of South Africa for 30 years and beyond.

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Staff Reporter

Universities South Africa (USAf) recently invited universities to submit case studies illustrating the positive outcomes of their research and academic work in society.

This initiative is led by the Research and Innovation Strategy Group (RISG), one of USAf’s six strategy groups mandated to advise the USAf Board on research and innovation matters in higher education. The RISG works collaboratively with stakeholders in the national research and innovation system.

According to Professor Thoko Mayekiso, Chairperson of the RISG and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Mpumalanga, these case studies will enable USAf to highlight and celebrate the impact on society derived from research conducted at South African universities.

“Recognising that an engaged university identifies and responds to societal challenges in its context, we want to illustrate the developmental and transformative value of our universities in society,” she said, adding that this is one of the many ways “to invoke appreciation for our institutions of higher learning.”

The call to universities was distributed on 29 April 2024, targeting the offices of Deputy Vice-Chancellors responsible for Research and copying Research Directors. The submission deadline is 14 June 2024.

In this project, USAf collaborates with Professor Chris Brink, a widely recognised authority in the concept of an engaged university.

An Emeritus Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom and former Rector and Vice-Chancellor at Stellenbosch University, Professor Brink was extensively involved in the conceptualisation, in South Africa, of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Framework to Advance the Societal and Knowledge Impact of Research. For the unfolding project, the RISG adopted the research impact definition provided in that Framework.

The NRF, mandated to support, promote and advance research and human capacity development through funding and providing essential research infrastructure, defines research impact as:

“A beneficial change in society or knowledge advancement, brought about as a direct or indirect result of the NRF’s research support interventions, whether planned or unintended, immediate or longer-term.”

Furthermore, top case studies could be presented at the upcoming 3rd USAf Higher Education Conference in October.

Professor Mayekiso specified that these case studies should provide evidence of already achieved and not anticipated change. “We look forward to receiving these fascinating narratives to factually demonstrate the value of our universities to the South African society,” she concluded. 

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By Inside Education reporter

A US funded grant of nearly $3 million from the National Institutes of Health to Wits and Vanderbilt
University will advance traditional health practitioner-initiated HIV testing.

The grant that sets the foundation for traditional healers to be trained to initiate HIV counselling,
testing, and linkage to care in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga builds on the success of a study called
Know Your Status.

The research for the study is located at the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions
Research Unit (Agincourt), a research unit in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga and runs under the
auspices of the Wits School of Public Health, in partnership with the Vanderbilt Institute for Global
Health (VIGH) in the US.

Dr Ryan Wagner, senior research fellow at Agincourt and co-principal investigator, with Carolyn
Audet, associate professor of health policy, and VIGH principal investigator, lead the study.

The study will compare rates of HIV testing in traditional healer trained HIV counselling and testing
communities versus control communities in a cluster randomised controlled trial in 42 clinical
catchment areas.

The traditional healer practitioners will advertise and offer free testing to their clients and clients’
partners, and take part in monthly local, community-based testing outreach activities at local events.
In addition to offering testing, the trained traditional healers will further support their clients who
test positive by accompanying them to the department of health (DoH) clinics for counselling and
antiretroviral therapy (ART), and ensure that their clients regularly take their ART.

While South Africa has made progress in reaching the United Nations’ 95-95-95 targets – (95% of
people living with HIV knowing their status, 95% of people receiving care after diagnosis, and 95% of
people achieving viral load suppression while being treated) – people of low socio-economic status,
males and those in rural areas do not test regularly.

But these groups are more likely to seek care from traditional healers making this sector ideal
practitioners to enable diagnosis and aftercare, if required.

This expanded research project is a collaboration between Wits’ Agincourt, Vanderbilt, the South
African Department of Health (DoH), and Kukula, the local traditional health practitioners’
organisation.

It is part of Ntirhisano (meaning ‘working together’ in the local xiTsonga language), a larger portfolio
of work that explores ways of engaging traditional healers to strengthen the primary health care
system.

The study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness, incremental costs, and results of the intervention and
control sites, including clinical and economic outcomes, with the goal of providing evidence to the
DoH for longer term sustainability and uptake.

“The Know your Status is an extremely innovative and important study, which offers the possibility
of targeting HIV counselling, testing and ART to those who don’t regularly access clinics. Targeting,
testing, and treating via traditional health practitioners could ultimately lead to the end of new HIV
cases in communities such as rural Mpumalanga, which has some of the largest HIV burden
globally,” said Wagner.

Reflecting on the wider application of the work, Audet said, “If traditional healers can be trained to
conduct testing, informal community leaders in the U.S. can potentially join forces to reach those at
the highest risk of HIV acquisition. Barbers, religious leaders, and teachers are examples of trusted
members within communities.”

This research is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH135738), an Institute of the U.S.
National Institutes of Health. Vanderbilt University and Wits University are Strategic Partners. To learn more
about this study and the larger Ntirhisano portfolio of work, visit: www.wits.ac.za/ntirhisano.

Sports Reporter

THE Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in partnership with the Department of Basic Education and the South African Football Association held a send-off function for the Ubuntu Academy School and Edendale Technical High School at Fun Valley in Johannesburg.

The schools will represent South Africa at the 2024 CAF Africa School Championship Cup to be played on the 21-24 May 2024 in Zanzibar with 20 participating Teams (10 Boys / 10 Girls).

The CAF Africa School Championship Cup is in its third edition after it was launched as a pilot tournament by FIFA as the “Pan Africa School Champions Cup”, aimed at promoting and developing school football in Africa.

South Africa will be represented in the boys’ category by Ubuntu Academy School from Western Cape and the girls’ category by Edendale Technical High School from KwaZulu-Natal. Edendale Technical High School will be playing in its third consecutive CAF Africa School Championship Cup.

Both schools represented the country after winning the 2023 Winter National School Sport Championships held in Gauteng, Benoni, in July 2023. They subsequently represented the country again at the Regional (COSAFA) stage held last December in Zimbabwe, which they won.

The School Sports Championships remain a natural stimulant of the rollout of the school sports league programme, where learners are provided with access to participate in an organised sport programme. This programme is a product born out of the institutional and legislative frameworks, as endorsed at the 2011 Sports Indaba.

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Staff Reporter

The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) is proud to announce its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of dedication to promoting mathematics excellence in South Africa.

Founded in 2004 by members of the South African Mathematical Society (SAMS) and the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA), SAMF has been instrumental in advancing mathematics education in the country.

Prof Kerstin Jordaan, Executive Director of the SAMF, expressed her appreciation for SAMF’s journey over the past two decades, stating, “SAMF has been a cornerstone in advancing mathematics education in South Africa. We are proud of our achievements over the last 20 years and look forward to continuing our mission of promoting mathematics excellence in our country.”

SAMF continues to play a vital role in nurturing mathematical talent, fostering a love for mathematics, and promoting excellence across South Africa.

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Inside Education

THE spectacular aurora also known as the Southern Lights, caused by a solar storm that impacted the Earth on 10 and 11 May, was seen and captured across the southern hemisphere, including in southern Africa in places such as Gansbaai and in Namibia.

A team of researchers from the North-West University (NWU) captured this rare and historic event through the university’s solar telescope observatory on the Potchefstroom Campus.

This observatory records solar activity daily, and on NWU’s Open Day on 4 May, two researchers and a student from the Centre for Space Research at the NWU noticed a particularly active region when they made their observations.

Dr Ruhann Steyn and master’s degree student Calmay Lee decided to focus the telescopes on where the activity was as part of a demonstration to prospective students and their parents.

At that stage, they were unaware they were recording one of the largest active regions in recent history. The next week, the team focused on the active region (AR 3664, shown in the image), which produced several large solar flares that caused the aurora.

Calmay recorded a sizeable solar flare produced by AR 3664 in real-time at 09:00 on 11 May – an extraordinary event to capture on the NWU solar telescope.

“Although AR 3664 has now moved out of sight, it is still producing large solar flares,” says Dr Steyn.

He says that while a repeat of the auroras seen in South Africa is not expected, the team will continue observing active regions in the hope of learning more about the Sun and the little-understood processes that generate such beautiful phenomena here on Earth.

Largest solar storm in more than two decades

During the evening of 10 May and the early morning of 11 May, people in many parts of the world were treated to a sight rarely seen outside the polar regions.

The aurora results from a solar flare transporting solar energetic particles from the Sun to the Earth along the Sun’s magnetic field. Some of the particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and are then carried to the South and North Pole.

“The particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere, emitting light with a particular colour, depending on whether it collided with either an oxygen or a nitrogen atom,” explains Dr Steyn.

He says the majority of aurora sightings in South Africa were red, which means that these collisions were mostly with oxygen atoms at an altitude between 240 and 450 km above the surface of the Earth.

On 10 May, AR 3664 spanned over 200,000 km across the solar disk. “To give an idea of the magnitude of this region: it is the equivalent of more than 15 times the diameter of the Earth.”

Prof Eugene Engelbrecht from NWU’s Centre for Space Research says the presence of solar flares is not unusual. Solar activity has increased over the past five years, with the Sun approaching the peak of its usual 11-year solar cycle.

“What was different this time was the magnitude of this particular flare, along with the sheer size of the active region it came from,” he concludes.

Staff Reporter

As the 17th edition of eLearning Africa, the renowned international conference on digital learning, training and skills development, approaches, all eyes turn to the highly anticipated annual plenary debate. Scheduled to take place from May 31st in Kigali, Rwanda, this year’s discussion promises a stimulating clash of perspectives on the future of education in the digital age.

Themed “This House Believes that the Traditional Education System Will Become Obsolete in the Digital Age,” the motion strikes at the heart of technology’s transformative impact on traditional educational models. Over 1,000 African experts and practitioners in education and training are expected to converge for the annual eLearning Africa Conference 6 Exhibition.

The eLearning Africa Debate, introduced in 2009, has evolved into the conference’s signature event, renowned for its lively, thought-provoking discourse. Adhering to a parliamentary-style format, four expert panellists will deliver impassioned opening statements, with opportunities for “interventions” – spontaneous rebuttals from their counterparts.

Leading the proceedings as chairperson is Hon. Michael Onyango, the founder of Africa’s Forgotten Bottom Millions (4BM), a programme offering digital career opportunities to youth across 47 African nations.

As digital technologies reshape countless facets of modern life, eLearning Africa’s annual debate promises an insightful exploration into whether traditional education models can adapt and integrate digital innovations or risk obsolescence. The diverse panel and interactive format ensure a thought-provoking discourse that will catalyse further dialogue on this pivotal issue.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

Significant progress has been made since the function shift from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the DBE two years ago, with four critical studies in preparation for this shift. These included the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Census, the Thrive by Five Study, the Public Expenditure and Institutional Review, and the Deep Dive Study into implementing the National Curriculum Framework.

These studies have provided a comprehensive understanding of the sector’s size, the outcomes it achieves and the challenges it faces. With this knowledge, the DBE has developed a roadmap to achieve universal access to high-quality ECD programmes.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga delivered the keynote address during the ECD Workshop convened at the Vulindlela Campus, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) in Midrand from 14 to 15 May 2024.

“We launched the new 2030 Strategy for Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programmes last month. This Strategy introduces a new service delivery model for ECD programmes, designed to enable us to achieve universal access to high-quality ECD and focus on prioritising vulnerable children.

“Accompanying the Strategy is an implementation plan, which includes clear milestones and outcomes, serving as a roadmap to realise this vision. To make early strides in increasing access to registered ECD programmes, we will launch the Mass Registration Drive for ECD programmes in 2024, aiming at bringing all ECD programmes under regulatory oversight.

“This drive, coupled with the 2023 Children’s Amendment Bill, aims to simplify registration processes and expand access to quality ECD programmes. The Mass Registration Drive will be piloted in the Gauteng Province at the end of May.”

The President Cyril Ramaphosa convened the inaugural Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on ECD on 23 April to ensure inter-governmental coordination is replicated at provincial and district levels.

The objectives of the inaugural Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting were to establish the IMC through an adopted Terms of Reference; clarify the mandates of each department for ECD delivery; agree on proposed priority areas for ECD programmes; and agree on the development and reporting against a joint outcome-based monitoring and evaluation framework for ECD to track progress against priority areas.

“The early years of every child’s life provide the foundations for their future flourishing and success. In recognition of this, in the National Development Plan 2030 (NDP), the government committed to universal access to ECD by 2030, including two years of quality preschool.

“These are ambitious goals, and their achievement will depend on new models of cooperation, collaboration and coordination, not only across departments and spheres of government, but also with the ECD sector, social partners, business and donors – and just as importantly, with families and communities.

“The purpose of the 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes is, therefore, both to provide a road map towards these goals, and to provide the basis for a new social compact between all ECD role-players, in order that effort and resources are aligned behind a common strategy,” said Basic Education Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli.

The overarching strategy is informed by the DBE’s six social justice principles, each defined to carry a specific meaning and purpose for ECD.

These include Access to ensure rapid ECD programme expansion (new facilities and workforce) towards universal access by 2030; Redress to ensure that historically disadvantaged population groups are prioritised; equity to ensure that ECD access and quality do not depend on a child’s background or location; quality to ensure a strong focus on quality and that regulatory standards and requirements reflect the known mediators of positive child outcomes; inclusivity to ensure that every child’s unique abilities and needs are accommodated in ECD programme provisioning; and efficiency to ensure that plans for quality access are realistic in a constrained fiscus and strategically leverage resources already in the system.

The purpose of this workshop was to bring together stakeholders from various sectors to discuss the implementation of the 2030 Strategy for ECD Programmes and the Mass Registration Drive. The workshop provided a platform for sharing experiences, identifying challenges and developing actionable recommendations to improve the quality and accessibility of ECD services in South Africa.

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Staff Reporter

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill took centre stage during the panel discussion facilitated in conjunction with the Catholic Education in Africa and Madagascar Conference.

In addition to acknowledging the Basic Education Sector’s efforts to maximise access to quality education, the delegation was impressed that the National Assembly has finally passed the BELA Bill.

In her response to several questions posed by some leaders of Catholic Education in connection with the Bill, Minister Motshekga indicated that implementing the BELA Bill will bring about much anticipated education reform in South African schools.

“Much has been written about this Bill, and much has been said about it. I appeal to the detractors of public schooling and the Government to desist from spreading misinformation in the public discourse to advance sectoral interests.

“Please allow me to assist you as leaders in demystifying the myths about the BELA Bill. The current version of the BELA Bill has been shaped by extensive consultations over several years.

“In its development phase, the Bill saw the submission of almost 5,000 comments from the public, alongside 144 petitions with a collective weight of 195,695 names. Such engagement underscores the deep-rooted public interest in and commitment to refining our basic education system.”

A task team convened from 19 February 2018 to 14 February 2020, for 31 meetings spanning 57 days for in-depth dialogues, often supplemented by discussions with other department officials to gain clarity on issues raised by commentators. Recognising the value of external perspectives, the team sought advice and insights from individuals outside the DBE.

Minister Motshekga added that, “The Bill addresses critical challenges that have, for years, hindered the progress of our education ecosystem. One of the primary issues it tackles is determining a school’s language policy. There is a common misconception that the Bill aims to erode the autonomy of School Governing Bodies (SGBs).

“In reality, it aspires to harmonise the powers of the SGB with the directives of the relevant provincial Head of Department (HOD). Whilst the SGB is initially tasked with setting a school’s language policy, the Bill emphasises that this authority is not unequivocal. It ascertains that such policies are adaptable, inclusive, and congruent with the constitutional right to basic education”.

Furthermore, the BELA Bill also addresses the crucial issue of managing pregnancy among pupils: “The unfortunate reality is that pregnant pupils often face ostracism and educational hindrances. The Bill aims to guarantee that their constitutional right to education remains intact. The Minister’s regulatory power is not about dictating personal decisions or delving into health matters such as abortion. It is centred on ensuring schools adopt a compassionate and pragmatic stance towards supporting pregnant pupils.

Additionally, the BELA Bill unequivocally places the responsibility of determining the admission policy in the hands of the SGB stating: “The admission policy of a public school is determined by the governing body of such school.” Therefore, it is mischievous to contend that this power is being removed from the SGB, she said

“Within the confines of the law, the HoD will only intervene where an admission policy discriminates against a pupil, which our Constitution frowns upon. The BELA Bill neither allows nor encourages the use, transportation, or consumption of alcohol in schools”.

The Minister said that the role of the Church in education extends beyond the classroom. “It is about moulding individuals who carry forward the values of compassion, integrity, and service. As we navigate the complexities of modern society, the Church’s guidance is invaluable in promoting moral regeneration. We can address our communities’ moral and ethical challenges by reinforcing these core values. And for this, we are grateful to your leadership as a country.”

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