By Jason C.K. Chan and Zohara Assadipour

Inserting brief quiz questions into an online lecture can boost learning and may reduce racial achievement gaps, even when students are tuning in remotely in a distracting environment.

That’s a main finding of our recent research published in Communications Psychology. With co-authors Dahwi Ahn, Hymnjyot Gill and Karl Szpunar, we present evidence that adding mini-quizzes into an online lecture in science, technology, engineering or mathematics – collectively known as STEM – can boost learning, especially for Black students.

In our study, we included over 700 students from two large public universities and five two-year community colleges across the U.S. and Canada. All the students watched a 20-minute video lecture on a STEM topic. Each lecture was divided into four 5-minute segments, and following each segment, the students either answered four brief quiz questions or viewed four slides reviewing the content they’d just seen.

This procedure was designed to mimic two kinds of instructions: those in which students must answer in-lecture questions and those in which the instructor regularly goes over recently covered content in class.

All students were tested on the lecture content both at the end of the lecture and a day later.

When Black students in our study watched a lecture without intermittent quizzes, they underperformed Asian, white and Latino students by about 17%. This achievement gap was reduced to a statistically nonsignificant 3% when students answered intermittent quiz questions. We believe this is because the intermittent quizzes help students stay engaged with the lecture.

To simulate the real-world environments that students face during online classes, we manipulated distractions by having some participants watch just the lecture; the rest watched the lecture with either distracting memes on the side or with TikTok videos playing next to it.

Surprisingly, the TikTok videos enhanced learning for students who received review slides. They performed about 8% better on the end-of-day tests than those who were not shown any memes or videos, and similar to the students who answered intermittent quiz questions. Our data further showed that this unexpected finding occurred because the TikTok videos encouraged participants to keep watching the lecture.

For educators interested in using these tactics, it is important to know that the intermittent quizzing intervention only works if students must answer the questions. This is different from asking questions in a class and waiting for a volunteer to answer. As many teachers know, most students never answer questions in class. If students’ minds are wandering, the requirement of answering questions at regular intervals brings students’ attention back to the lecture.

This intervention is also different from just giving students breaks during which they engage in other activities, such as doodling, answering brain teaser questions or playing a video game.

Why it matters

Online education has grown dramatically since the pandemic. Between 2004 and 2016, the percentage of college students enrolling in fully online degrees rose from 5% to 10%. But by 2022, that number nearly tripled to 27%.

Relative to in-person classes, online classes are often associated with lower student engagement and higher failure and withdrawal rates.

Research also finds that the racial achievement gaps documented in regular classroom learning are magnified in remote settings, likely due to unequal access to technology.

Our study therefore offers a scalable, cost-effective way for schools to increase the effectiveness of online education for all students.

What’s next?

We are now exploring how to further refine this intervention through experimental work among both university and community college students.

As opposed to observational studies, in which researchers track student behaviors and are subject to confounding and extraneous influences, our randomized-controlled study allows us to ascertain the effectiveness of the in-class intervention.

Our ongoing research examines the optimal timing and frequency of in-lecture quizzes. We want to ensure that very frequent quizzes will not hinder student engagement or learning.

The results of this study may help provide guidance to educators for optimal implementation of in-lecture quizzes.

Jason C.K. Chan is a Professor of Psychology, Iowa State University and Zohara Assadipour is Graduate Student in Cognitive Psychology, Iowa State University.

The Conversation

By Levy Masiteng

The Federation of Governing Bodies for SA (Fedsas) has sounded the alarm on the state of education, following only three of the nine provincial education departments making compulsory payments to schools.

Fedsas CEO Jaco Deacon said this week that the deadline for the payments was 15 May. The payments help schools cover basic costs and are legally mandated.

The only education departments that adhered to the statutory deadline were the Western Cape, Free State and Limpopo, he said in a statement.

Deacon expressed outrage at the situation, saying that the departments were “trampling children’s constitutional right to basic education”.

He criticised the lack of accountability, noting that no one has ever been held responsible for these failures. 

No-fee schools are the hardest hit because they do not charge school fees and are entirely dependent on the two annual payments.

Annual funding works out to R1754 per learner or R8.77 per child per school day. 

Deacon said fee-paying schools also struggled when parents could not pay fees or when education departments failed to reimburse them for exemptions.

Deacon said the organisation made a request to the Basic Education Department two months ago to ensure that all departments would adhere to the regulations.

“We also wrote to provincial departments to remind them of their statutory obligation to schools,” he said.

However, promises made have been broken by the six provincial education departments. 

Fedsas wants Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to intervene.

“Ultimately it is her duty to see to it that children’s constitutional rights are respected,” he said.

Deacon said the departments missed the deadline every year.

“It is time that this be placed high on the agenda of the Government of National Unity,” Deacon said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

In an important national dialogue on skills development, stakeholders and leaders from the government, industry, academia and civil society convened to confront one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges: youth unemployment and the growing skills gap.

Hosted by the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) in partnership with Inside Education, the event, held at the Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership, marked a major step towards reshaping the country’s workforce development agenda.

Framed under the theme “Bridging the Skills Gap: Advancing Workforce Development for a Sustainable Future”, it was opened by Inside Education executive chairman Matuma Letsoalo, who urged delegates to take bold action in tackling the mismatch between economic investment and job creation.

“This dialogue is more than symbolic, it’s about planting seeds of knowledge and collaboration to close this gap and build a workforce that supports sustainable livelihoods,” Letsoalo said.

He questioned why R500 billion in investment, largely directed towards capital-intensive sectors like energy, had not translated into significant employment gains, suggesting a critical shortage of appropriately skilled workers as a root cause.

In his opening remarks, CHIETA CEO Yershen Pillay echoed this call for alignment across sectors.

“It’s not just about jobs, but livelihoods—skills that don’t just meet market demand but respond to human needs,” Pillay said.

He emphasised three strategic imperatives, namely cross-sector collaboration, disciplined execution and ecosystem alignment.

Notably, he highlighted the role of the CETA CEO Forum’s Strategic High Impact Programmes Committee in unifying and accelerating efforts across all 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Pillay also drew attention to CHIETA’s impact, with over 241,000 youth trained in the past five years. A total of 80% of them were under 35.

He called for “transformational training”, and not just job readiness, but “life readiness”.

The day’s keynote address by Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane set a decisive tone.

Drawing from the government’s Medium-Term Development Plan (2024–2029) and the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training, the minister framed skills development as a national imperative to reduce poverty, promote inclusive growth, and build a capable developmental state.

Nkabane spotlighted the crisis facing South African youth, with over 62% of those aged between 15–24 unemployed, and 3.8 million not in education, employment, or training (NEET).

She stressed that the crisis was not just a number but a national emergency, urging SETAs to prioritise digital, green and industry-aligned skills, such as cybersecurity, AI and cloud computing.

CHIETA’s work was singled out for praise.

Its SMART Skills Centres, which are digital-enabled training hubs with a focus on rural outreach, have trained more than 30,000 individuals and will expand to all provinces in 2025.

A recent multi-SETA partnership to establish a Green Hydrogen Centre of Specialisation at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research was hailed as a forward-looking model for inter-SETA collaboration in emerging sectors.

Nkabane emphasised the global and continental context of South Africa’s skills strategy, aligning it with Africa’s Agenda 2063, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s G20 presidency.

Higher Education and Training director-general Nkosinathi Sishi concluded the leadership segment by reaffirming the state’s commitment to local level implementation and community resilience, noting upcoming investments in university expansion and innovation-focused campuses.

He said the dialogue was expected to produce a roadmap of actionable outcomes, with stakeholders unified in their resolve to move beyond policy into measurable, sustainable impact.

As South Africa grapples with economic recovery and technological transformation, he described the dialogue as representing a turning point that centred skills not only as a tool for employment, but as the foundation for a more just, inclusive and prosperous society.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has commended the community in helping ensure the arrest of an alleged rapist accused of sexually assaulting six learners at the Bizimali High School in the Nkandla area.

“When I learned of the devastating incidents that had engulfed Inkosi Bizimali, I felt saddened and largely disappointed, I could only imagine the pain and horror felt by learners, hence I had to come see you and ensure that you are safe.” Hlomuka said in a statement on Friday.

The suspect was apprehended on Wednesday morning in Durban after a coordinated effort by the Nhloshane community, law enforcement agencies and various stakeholders.

The MEC commended both the community and traditional leadership for their active involvement in school governance, saying their leadership had demonstrated that education was a societal responsibility.

“Traditional leadership of the Ingono Tribal Authority in particular, Chairperson of the Amabhele Chieftaincy, Mr Ntuli, Inkosi Dlomo of Amakhabela and Inkosi Xulu, Gxabhashe! We are humbled under your leadership and confident that the schools are safe in your respective areas,” he said in honour of the Amakhosi.

The MEC was accompanied by officials from the departments of social development and community safety and liaison, who pledged to provide ongoing support to the school.

“We are pleased of the perpetrator’s incarceration. I will be in court when he makes an appearance in support of our learners, and hence, call for justice, that he be denied bail,” he said.

The department further assured the public that teaching and learning at the school had resumed as normal and that a sense of calm had been restored.

In response to the trauma experienced by the learners, the department said earlier this week that it had deployed psychologists to provide psychosocial support to the affected pupils and their families.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Amy Musgrave

The deadline for nomination of the new Sector Education and Training Authority board chairs is 12 June, according to a Government Gazette.

The gazette was signed by Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane on Wednesday. It follows the minister reversing her the appointment of 20 board chairs in what she said at the time was in the interest of good governance and transparency to ensure accountability of the appointment process.

Some of the appointments were criticised, with political parties accusing the African National Congress of political interference.

“I have decided to recalibrate the process – which was overseen by an independent panel. I call on all relevant constituencies to nominate candidates,” the minister said earlier this month.

“The integrity of the process for appointments will be made in terms of the guidelines as outlined in the Skills Development Act, 1998 as amended. I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns.”

The withdrawal of the appointments was welcomed across the board.

According to the gazette, those interested must have a NQF level 8 qualification, and a “blend” of knowledge, skills and experience for the effective function of the SETSA and the skills development system.

Candidates must preferably have an intensive wealth of sectoral knowledge, technical experience and leadership capability.

The two-page document lists the 21 SETAs in the country.

Nkabane has said she intends to present the new board chairs in the shortest period possible.

She will appear before the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education at the end of the month to answer questions on the appointments.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Limpopo leg of the G20 Education Working Group Indaba discussed a roadmap for inclusive foundational learning and future-ready education professionals.

Held under the themes of “Quality Foundational Learning” and “Education Professionals for a Changing World”, the provincial indaba brought together delegates representing national and provincial government, education experts, academics, unions, NGOs, traditional leaders and private sector stakeholders.

Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba called on society at large to unite behind education as the cornerstone of national development.

“This indaba must serve as a catalyst. The resolutions we adopt here must bring about real, tangible change. The challenges we face are immense, but so too is our collective strength,” Ramathuba said.

Her agenda included digital skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, investment in rural infrastructure and curriculum alignment with Limpopo’s economic strengths namely agriculture, green energy, tourism and mining.

Mdumo Mboweni from the University of Limpopo (UL) described early childhood care and education (ECCE) as a “non-negotiable birthright”, essential for nurturing literacy, reducing dropouts and building resilient communities.

Mboweni called for community-based ECCE models, mobile learning units, play-based caregiver training and mandatory ECCE in public schools.

“If we don’t get ECCE right, who will?” he challenged.

Andre Viviers of Unicef delivered a presentation on the foundational learning crisis in South Africa.

His research revealed that only 55% of children aged 4–5 are on track in literacy, 33% in numeracy and just 19% of Grade 4s can read for meaning.

Viviers outlined strategies to turn the tide, including raising qualifications and professionalising ECCE, assisting parental support and allocating 4–7% of GDP and 15–25% of national budgets to education, with ECCE prioritised.

“Strong foundations in the first nine years define not only learning but future national productivity,” he said.

Mpho Papale from the Basic Education Department highlighted the centrality of parental support in early learning.

She presented the National Parenting Programme, covering health, HIV awareness, play-based development and positive discipline.

Thandiwe Dlodlo of the Limpopo education department called for ECCE delivery that reflected local realities and existing policies like White Paper 5, the National Curriculum Framework and the ECD 2030 Strategy.

She highlighted four key pillars, namely skilled parents, teachers and empowered learners; inclusive and culturally relevant ECCE initiatives; bringing ECCE to communities, homes and informal venues; and multi-sectoral cooperation, especially with NGOs and higher education institutions.

“Every home is a potential learning space. We must inform with integrity and serve with dignity,” she said.

Victor Pitsoe of Unisa framed education reform through the lens of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, highlighting South Africa’s G20 leadership role.

He emphasised curriculum innovation, digital literacy and flexible qualification frameworks that promoted global mobility and lifelong learning.

He analysed South Africa’s Three Stream Model, which separates academic, vocational and occupational pathways.

“Innovation, equity and intersectoral collaboration are the cornerstones of a globally competitive, context-responsive education system,” he said.

UL’s Sello Mokwena focused on school administration, presenting findings from research on the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS).

While technology was freely available, resistance stemmed from a lack of support and integration.

He urged education departments to invest in leadership and user training and noted that administrative tech research must be expanded beyond e-learning.

The university’s Phala Masoga addressed the modernisation of science and maths education.

Highlighting contrasting NSC 2024 trends, a slight dip in Physical Science but improved Maths results, he stressed the need for ICT integration, blended learning and virtual simulations.

He advocated for policies supporting teacher innovation hubs, public-private ICT partnerships and digitally fluent educators.

Servaas van der Berg of Stellenbosch University argued that continuous professional development (CPD) was essential for improving outcomes in rural provinces like Limpopo. A 2024 evaluation found that 57% of schools had no CPD activities.

Teachers prioritised practical teaching methods over content, particularly in under-resourced areas.

Van der Berg called for CPD to be impact-driven, locally relevant and supported by sustained investment in teacher wellbeing and infrastructure.

Nonhlanhla Ntshangase of the DBE outlined national strategies to support diverse learners, including those with disabilities and multilingual backgrounds.

She reported that 141,394 teachers were trained in inclusive education in 2024/25.

Ntshangase highlighted initiatives which included training in sign language, Braille and autism support; differentiated instruction; and curriculum development for learners with profound intellectual disabilities.

Manamela Matshabaphala of Wits University urged education reform alongside public sector transformation.

Using the Appreciative Inquiry 5-D model, he outlined a vision for future-ready public service driven by digital competence, emotional intelligence and ethical leadership.

Whether through foundational learning, ECCE expansion, digital empowerment, or inclusive teaching, the panelists stressed that the province was stepping into the future.

“The future of education is not on the horizon, it is already here,” Ncwana concluded.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The basic education system remains marred by deep inequalities in funding and resources, despite decades of policy adoption aimed at redress.

This was revealed during a strategic engagement on school funding norms in Parliament.

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Khomotjo Maimela, opened the session on Tuesday by reaffirming the government’s commitment to access, citing pro-poor policies like no-fee schools, scholar transport and school nutrition programs. 

“Our observations are that with the immense strides that we’ve made in ensuring that we open access, there is still the aspect of quality of this education that is still an issue,” Maimela said.

The Department of Basic Education presented an overview of how funding was determined. According to CFO Patrick Khunou, the current per learner allocation for 2025 stood at R1754 for no-fee schools, R879 for quintile 4 schools and R301 for quintile 5 schools.

However, several provinces were unable to meet this national target. 

“KZN, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape are contributing less than the agreed norm of R1,754,” Khunou acknowledged. 

Notably, KwaZulu-Natal’s allocations have remained unchanged since 2015 and are below the national target since 2011, affecting 2.2 million no-fee and 532,000 fee-paying learners.

In Mpumalanga, the 2025 allocation for no-fee learners is R1,450 and still well below the threshold. The Northern Cape dropped drastically from meeting the 2024 target to just R836 per learner in 2025, funding less than 50% of the requirement.

Chairperson of the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), Patience Mbava, emphasised the consequences of underfunding. 

“Many under-resourced schools continue to operate below the minimum per learner thresholds, undermining the very equity goals the norms seek to achieve,” she stated.

The FFC presentation revealed that the national learner-educator ratio has worsened, rising from 29.8 in 2017 to 31.0 in 2024. 

“Public educators are managing significantly larger class sizes than their counterparts in the private sector,” the FFC reported, warning of growing class sizes and strained learning environments in provinces with high in-migration.

Infrastructure deficits also emerged as a major concern.

The FFC noted that schools in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng face the most severe infrastructure backlogs, often operating from inappropriate buildings and lacking basic amenities like sanitation and electricity. 

These deficiencies negatively impact educational outcomes, particularly in lower-quintile schools.

The FFC recommends a shift from community-based quintile classifications to individual learner-based assessments. 

“Funding norms and standards must follow function. We need to improve educational outcomes of each learner, regardless of which quintile and which school a learner attends,” Mbava said.

Maimela echoed this urgency, calling for a deeper assessment. 

“We wanted to have a strategic engagement… on the comprehensive expenditure that the government applies per learner, per year, so that we’re able to determine if we have policy gaps in terms of the funding,” she said.

The session concluded with a call for another round of engagements, during which the department is expected to present a full breakdown of annual per learner expenditure across all critical services, starting from teaching materials and nutrition to infrastructure and teacher compensation.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The African National Congress’ study group on women, youth, and persons with disabilities has condemned what it calls a “national crisis” in the country’s special needs schools, following disturbing revelations about conditions in several KwaZulu-Natal institutions.

Group whip Tshehofatso Chauke-Adonis described a bleak picture of chronic underinvestment, staff shortages, poor infrastructure and systemic neglect of learners with special needs, not just in KwaZulu-Natal, but across South Africa.

“These are not isolated cases. They are a national crisis. The alarming finding that 80% of hostel-residing learners are on chronic medication without adequate medical oversight is a chilling reminder of how these children are being failed by the very system meant to protect and nurture them,” Chauke-Adonis said in a statement.

Reports from parents, educators and advocacy groups have highlighted overcrowded dormitories, broken sanitation facilities, inaccessible learning environments and a lack of trained support staff, including nurses, therapists and special education professionals.

The ANC emphasised that the continued regression in special needs education directly contradicts Section 29(1) of the Constitution, which guaranteed the right to basic education for all, including adult basic education.

The group also invoked the Freedom Charter’s promise that “the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”.

Chauke-Adonis described the ongoing neglect as a betrayal of South Africa’s democratic foundations and hard-won freedoms.

“These are not aspirational ideals. They are binding blueprints for justice, and their continued neglect amounts to a dereliction of duty,” she said.

In particular, she criticised the lack of implementation of White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System and the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Both documents provide a policy framework for dismantling segregation, supporting full-service and special schools, empowering educators and ensuring equitable infrastructure and resource allocation.

In response to the escalating crisis, the study group issued a series of urgent demands.

It appealed to the KZN education MEC Sipho Hlomuka as well as all premiers to immediately fill vacancies, improve infrastructure and strengthen support systems in special needs schools.

Chauke-Adonis called on both the departments of Basic Education and Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities to facilitate rapid alignment of practice with policy, urging them to enforce, monitor and fund inclusive education frameworks.

In terms of municipalities and local governments, the group said a prioritisation of support for the schools across every district was needed, ensuring they were adequately resourced and maintained.

The group requested collective solidarity and public mobilisation to demand a national overhaul of special needs education, as well as encouraging parents and guardians to hold authorities accountable, raise their voices and organise in defence of their children’s rights.

The whip emphasised that the plight of learners with special needs was not a marginal issue, but one that was at the heart of South Africa’s commitment to justice and human dignity.

“We must restore the dignity, rights and futures of learners with special needs — not as a favour, but as a fundamental obligation rooted in our Constitution, our liberation history, and our shared humanity,” Chauke-Adonis said.

As public outrage grows and scrutiny intensifies, she highlighted the group’s call as a turning point in the fight to ensure that every child, regardless of ability, has the right to learn, grow and thrive in a safe and supportive environment.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Yershen Pillay

Green hydrogen is no longer just a buzzword. It’s a real and urgent economic opportunity for South Africa — one that could drive reindustrialisation, generate new jobs, and help meet our climate obligations.

But there’s a catch: we don’t yet have the skills base to support it. Without addressing this invisible crisis, South Africa risks missing the green hydrogen moment altogether.

Our natural endowments — abundant sun, wind, land and mineral resources — position South Africa to be a global leader in green hydrogen production. Estimates suggest we could produce up to 13 million metric tons of green hydrogen by 2050, accounting for roughly 10% of our national energy mix.

While green hydrogen won’t replace all energy sources, even a proportional shift could bring massive benefits in jobs, export and decarbonisation.

Importantly, hydrogen is not new to South Africa. It has been used since the 1920s, primarily in fertilizer and explosives manufacturing. For decades, companies like Sasol have produced grey and brown hydrogen. But green hydrogen — clean, renewable and carbon-free — is now taking centre stage as a climate-resilient fuel of the future.

This resurgence of interest follows South Africa’s commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement and growing global momentum around net-zero transitions. Yet despite the hype, implementation has been sluggish. Why?

Because five persistent barriers stand in the way.

Skills Deficit: The green hydrogen economy demands new occupations — electrolyser technicians, green hydrogen production practitioners, green hydrogen logistics specialists, fuel cell engineers — that currently don’t exist in sufficient numbers within our training systems.

High Operational Costs: Green hydrogen remains expensive to produce, store and transport compared to fossil fuels.

Infrastructure Gaps: Massive capital investment is required to build pipelines, refuelling stations and electrolysis plants.

Water Scarcity: Electrolysis requires water, and South Africa is a water scarce country. While solutions such as direct air electrolysis (DAE) and treated wastewater exist, they require innovation readiness and scale.

Project Delays: Many hydrogen projects are stuck at feasibility stages. Fewer than 1% of hydrogen infrastructure projects in Africa have reached final investment decision (FID).

Of these, the skills gap is the most foundational and the most often overlooked. Without the right human capital, no technology or capital injection will succeed.

This is why CHIETA (the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority) is actively prioritising green hydrogen. We are working to define new occupational profiles, develop curricula, establish Centres of Specialisation and integrate hydrogen-related learning into TVET and higher education institutions. 

We have made considerable progress in leading the green hydrogen revolution. CHIETA has registered three new skills programmes with the Quality Council on Trades and Occupations (QCTO) – the green hydrogen production practitioner, green hydrogen technology practitioner, and the green hydrogen storage and fuel transporter. These skills programmes will provide the much-needed support in closing the green hydrogen skills gap.

In addition, CHIETA will be pioneering a state-of-the-art Green Hydrogen Skills Academy. This will serve as a hub for producing excellence in green hydrogen skills. 

Our goal is clear: we must ensure that the emerging green hydrogen economy is South African-led, South African-owned and South African-skilled. We cannot afford to import technologies while exporting opportunity.

This is not about hype — it’s about green justice. Green hydrogen presents a rare chance to unlock transformative local benefits.

They include jobs for youth in technical, engineering and artisanal roles, and enterprise development through SMME involvement in fuel cell manufacturing, electrolyser production and green ammonia.

Other benefits are inclusive industrialisation in underdeveloped districts and municipalities, and climate leadership aligned to our Just Energy Transition.

Let’s be clear: green hydrogen alone will not solve South Africa’s unemployment or energy poverty. It is not a silver bullet. But it is a catalytic lever if we have the foresight to align policy, investment and education.

The window of opportunity is narrow. If we fail to build the skills pipeline now, South Africa’s green hydrogen future will be built elsewhere.

We must act boldly, urgently, and inclusively. Because without skills, there is no future.

Yershen Pillay is the CEO of the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has expressed confidence in strengthening institutional governance and student support at the University of Limpopo (UL) in the coming months.

This is despite concerns of a lack of transparency, infrastructure challenges and concerns regarding mismanagement.

Nkabane conducted a ministerial oversight visit to UL on Tuesday as part of her department’s ongoing engagements with public universities across the country.

“This visit provides an important opportunity to engage the university’s leadership on the progress they are making and the challenges they face in delivering on their mandate,” Nkabane said.

The visit, which took place at the Turfloop campus in Mankweng, comes amid renewed national focus on the quality of governance, infrastructure readiness and academic performance within the higher education sector.

Nkabane was joined by director-general Nkosinathi Sishi, deputy director-general for university education Marcia Socikwa and other senior officials from the department.

She was formally welcomed by the chairperson of the university council, Pandelani Nefolovhodwe, and the Vice-Chancellor Mahlo Mokgalong, along with members of the university’s executive leadership.

Discussions included institutional governance, academic performance, financial sustainability and the pace of ongoing infrastructure development projects.

The oversight visit is part of a broader monitoring and accountability framework being implemented by the department, which aims to ensure public universities are operating efficiently, transparently and in alignment with national priorities.

UL has faced several challenges in recent years, particularly in terms of infrastructure delays, strained student accommodation and governance concerns.

While it has made strides in academic output and research productivity, infrastructure backlogs have often hampered service delivery and student experience.

Earlier this year, Deputy Minister Buti Manamela also visited the campus to assess its readiness for the 2025 academic year.

His visit highlighted concerns around delayed completion of key infrastructure projects, particularly student housing, laboratory upgrades and digital connectivity, which are all essential components in modern higher education environments.

Tuesday’s visit sought to build on those engagements and address some of the recurring issues.

“We need to ensure that the infrastructure challenges do not affect the quality of education or the dignity of students. We must also ensure that governance structures are functioning optimally and that institutional autonomy is balanced with public accountability,” Nkabane said.

In a statement, the university welcomed the minister’s visit, calling it an opportunity to showcase the work being done and the strides made despite systemic pressures.

“UL is honoured to welcome minister Nkabane and her team. This engagement promotes transparency and mutual accountability between the institution and the department,” the university said.

Nefolovhodwe echoed these sentiments, saying: “We view the minister’s oversight as a vital mechanism to strengthen public confidence in our operations and our ability to serve our communities.”

The oversight visit included a tour of ongoing infrastructure development sites and student facilities, as well as closed-door discussions between department officials and the university’s management.

The minister is expected to report back to the department and relevant parliamentary committees on her findings and any recommendations.

INSIDE EDUCATION