By Akani Nkuna

The Department of Social Development has thrown its support behind the growing Justice for Cwecwe campaign, which has sparked nationwide outrage and calls for justice.

The movement, marked by demonstrations and protests across the country, has gained momentum, seeking accountability and fairness for a seven-year-old pupil, who has been named Cwecwe. She was raped at Bergview College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.

“From shocking revelations currently emerging in the Joshlin Smith’s case to the mind-numbing brutal rape of a seven-year-old Cwecwe, alleged at Bergview College in the Eastern Cape, child protection is higher than ever on the public agenda and in the public conscience.

“We join the nation in calling for justice for Cwecwe and emphasising that justice delayed is justice denied,” Social Development Minister Nokuzula Sisisi told reporters on Wednesday.

Sisisi was addressing the media on the upcoming Africa Children’s Summit in Johannesburg later this week.

She said that the department recognised the growing support from South Africans for the Cwecwe family, and that social development had been working with the family since October last year when the rape happened.

“All the necessary psycho-social support services were rendered to both the child and her family. Social workers including a forensic social worker are working closely with the South African Police Service to bring the culprit to book and all relevant involved stakeholders,” she added.

Sisisi urged Police Minster Senzo Mchunu to take immediate action to ensure that the perpetrator was swiftly brought to book and faced the full extent of the law.

The minister said this must not only apply to the Cwecwe case, but to all gender-based violence.

Meanwhile, Sisisi said the department was honoured to co-host the second Biennial Summit with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

She said the social sector cluster believed there was no better way to celebrate Mandela’s legacy than by elevating Africa’s children’s voices under the theme: “Seen, Heard and Engaged in Education.”

The main objectives of the summit are to promote child-centred dialogue and advocacy, empower children as agents of change, ensure inclusive and equitable participation, provide evidence-based policy recommendations, strengthen collaboration across sectors and regions on the continent, review and advance progress, raise awareness, and mobilise for national and regional action.

The minister said child participation was the core right that enabled the realisation of other rights.

Both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Children’s Charter mandated society and the state to uphold children’s rights to influence decisions affecting them.

Furthermore, the child-led summit that would advocate for children’s involvement in policymaking, aligned with the AU Agenda 2024 and the Bogota 2024 Global Commitment to end violence against children.

“The summit creates a platform to agitate for accelerated action needed to realise the full enjoyment of the human rights and freedoms of all children on the African continent. Because it is led by children themselves, it gives them a collective voice to share their views and hold African leaders and governments to account on key issues affecting them,” said Sisisi.

“These include democracy, emerging technologies and climate change, promoting inclusive education for all children, [the] role of artificial intelligence in education, addressing school violence, gender-based violence and violence against children, amongst others.”

The event will host 17 African states and includes the participation of 1300 children aged from 10 to 17, in person and virtually.

“We have taken great care to ensure the inclusion of about 50 children with disabilities in the summit. As you are aware, children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable people on the continent,” Sisisi said.

“Recent reports point to the harsh realities of their daily lives and that children with disabilities are twice as likely to be victims of sexual abuse as their non-disabled peers.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba 

Cell C and the Inscape Education group have joined forces in an innovative two-year collaboration aimed at empowering talented youth through creativity, innovation and career development.

It is aimed at empowering youth to bridge the gap between education and industry to unlock real-world opportunities.

Running from March 2025 to December 2026, central to this partnership lies the first design brief for this year, providing students with an immersive challenge to conceptualise innovative design solutions.

It encourages students to explore sustainability, local manufacturing and ethical design principles, fostering responsible innovation.

The initiative will culminate in the selection of bursary recipients based on academic and portfolio performance, ensuring that top talent receives the necessary support to thrive.

It will also offer internships to two top-performing individuals, equipping them with the hands-on industry experience needed to transition seamlessly into the professional world.

The focus included bringing education and industry, ensuring that students gain practical exposure and a strong professional foundation to translate classroom learning into real-world applications.

“By working alongside young, talented individuals, we are not only shaping the future of design and innovation but also creating meaningful opportunities that drive economic empowerment and transformation,” Cell C brand marketing managing executive Oyisa Besman said in a statement.

Inscape Education postgraduate manager Peter Harrison echoed these sentiments, saying he was thrilled about the collaboration.

“The project affords our students’ rich exposure to the exciting creative opportunities that exist for design, branding and real-world problem solving in social contexts which are relevant globally and locally,” said Harrison.

“This exciting opportunity from Cell C, dovetails beautifully with Inscapes approach of getting our graduates #societyready #lifeready #challengeready and #workready.”

This partnership would pave the way for young South Africans to become leaders in design, technology and business.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Alicia Mmashakana

As calls increase for justice following the rape of a seven-year-old girl at Bergville College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola has tasked the head of the family violence, child protection and sexual investigations (FCS) unit to bolster and oversee the ongoing investigation.

FCS head Major General Mmantsheke Lekhele met the investigating team on Tuesday to ensure due diligence was conducted and the chain of evidence was properly preserved.

“Major Gen. Lekhele will meet with persons of interests and key stakeholders such as the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) to ensure justice and the finalisation of the matter. Bringing criminals to book and putting perpetrators of crime behind bars remains a key priority for the SAPS,” police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said in a statement.

She said the police wanted to assure the nation that justice would prevail and those who were found to be guilty of any offence would be brought to book.

Also, a comprehensive report would follow once the work of the team had concluded.

Meanwhile, 702 reported that the board of trustees at the college has launched an application for an urgent interdict against Eastern Cape education MEC Fundile Gade over his decision to withdraw the school’s registration.

It is asking the high court in Makhanda to suspend the process by the MEC pending a review application to set aside the decision.

Board chairperson Daniel van Zyl says in court papers that that South African Schools Act states that the withdrawal of the registration of an independent school is not valid unless the owner has been furnished with a notice and reasons by the head of department.

It also prescribes that the owner must be granted an opportunity to make written representations to the HOD about why the registration should not be withdrawn.

The assault of the young girl, identified as Cwecwe, has sparked national outrage, with various political and civil society groups demanding immediate action.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

The National School of Government (NSG) and Microsoft South Africa have joined forces to revolutionise the public sector’s digital landscape. 

During the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, they said the collaboration aimed to empower 100,000 government employees with cutting-edge skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital literacy.

“Through this partnership, the NSG is aligning perfectly with priority number three of government, building a capable, ethical and developmental state,” said Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi.

“This partnership in not an investment on technology alone, but on the people on South Africa.” 

He said the partnership was a significant step towards realising President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision of a digitally transformed South Africa, as outlined in an address at Microsoft last month.

“For a country such as ours, with such a high youth unemployment rate, this comprehensive training will not only prepare young people for jobs in high-tech industries, it will also facilitate self-employment,” the minister said.

“It will contribute to a new generation of tech and software entrepreneurs that will bring innovation and high-tech solutions that support economic growth and enhance our country’s competitiveness”. 

Department spokesperson Dikeledi Mokgokolo said in a statement that the MOU focused on providing comprehensive training programmes, workshops and resources to equip public sector employees with the skills needed to harness AI for societal impact. 

It also included advanced training in AI and cybersecurity, leveraging the NSG’s Learner Management Platforms.

“We have forged partnerships locally and internationally to diversify our programmes and strived to be responsive to the public sector needs.

“Our collaboration with Microsoft provides us with the opportunity to empower our public sector employees to embrace digital transformation and drive positive change in governance and service delivery,” said NSG principal Busani Ngcaweni.

Microsoft Africa president Lillian Barnard said that through the AI Skilling Initiative the partnership with the NSG, the company was investing in the future of South Africa’s public sector”

“Providing government employees with advanced training in AI and cybersecurity is not only critical for safeguarding digital infrastructure, but also for fostering innovation and improving service delivery,” she said.

Mokgokolo said over 400 senior government officials have already received training in AI in leadership, AI fluency and cybersecurity, with more training sessions planned for the next two months.

“Our collaboration with Microsoft provides us with the opportunity to empower our public sector employees to embrace digital transformation,” Ngcaweni said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

Tertiary institutions in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened in Johannesburg to start collaborating on co-creating a curriculum that aims to transform entrepreneurship through education.

The strategic partnership between eight institutions in South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, was launched by the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) to enhance graduate employability in southern Africa.

Funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) programme, the University-Industry Co-Creation (UNIICo-create) aims to tackle the pressing challenges of low job creation, limited start-up success and graduate unemployment in the SADC region, according to project lead Dr Sershen Naidoo.

Unpacking the initiative during the week-long event, Naidoo said the collaboration recognised the role of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and addressing Sub-Saharan Africa’s priority action on sustainable growth and jobs.

The collaborative approach adopted will ensure that the project’s impact is systemic and sustainable, with strong support from academics and policymakers.

UNIICo-create unites a diverse range of stakeholders, including higher education institutions, education ministries, EU partner institutions from Ireland, France and Finland, and key higher education authorities and consortia.

This includes the Southern African Regional Universities Association, the SA Qualifications Authority, the Association of African Universities, the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa and Universities South Africa.

Naidoo said the project’s key objectives were the co-creation of curricula by training academic leaders to collaborate with industry and societal partners in developing curricula that promoted entrepreneurship and innovation.

Secondly, the plan was to establish co-creation units and pilot the integration of these units within university technology transfer offices to facilitate collaborative projects between students, staff and industry.

As drivers of an ecosystem, they will create a network of advocates who can influence policies related to university-industry cooperation, curriculum design and joint qualifications.

Through this initiative, Naidoo said participating universities would be equipped with the tools, resources and partnerships to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets among students and staff.

Dr Anna Matros-Goreses, the executive director of the directorate for research, innovation and partnerships at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, said the institution was already strengthening its role as an entrepreneurial university through the University-Industry Co-Creation Project.

A key component of the initiative is the Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Service course offered under the Faculty of Commerce, Human Sciences and Education.

“Our goal is to drive meaningful impact and establish Namibia as a hub for African entrepreneurship and technological advancement,” said Matros-Goreses.

She said this initiative targeted students, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, reinforcing the university’s commitment to bridging the gap between academia and the market while contributing to Namibia’s socio-economic development.

Chakela Thaba, lecturer at the Lerotholi Polytechnic in Lesotho, said when he joined the higher education sector some 20 years ago, he was appalled at how disconnected institutions were from societal needs.

“They functioned like isolated ivory towers, rarely translating into job creation or offering direct solutions to the challenges faced by people in the villages of my country. It frustrated me to see knowledge locked away in silos, with little collaboration and even less tangible impact. This project promises to change that,” he said.

Thaba said higher education should not be a series of lone efforts. Instead, all stakeholders should work together—not just to create curricula, but to offer them, shape them, direct them, review them and ensure they are effective.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a unified, coordinated effort to transform a nation through education.”

Mboni Dlamini, the executive director of eSwatini Qualifications Authority, believes that the UNIICo-create Project presents a significant opportunity for students in Eswatini by fostering closer collaboration between universities and industries.

He said the co-creation of curriculum would ensure that education programmes aligned with the real-world needs of the job market. This would reduce the skills mismatch that has been a challenge in Eswatini, where graduates sometimes struggled to find jobs due to outdated or theoretical training.

For the industry, this means having access to a workforce that is job-ready and innovative, thereby reducing the time and resources spent on retraining graduates.

Dlamini said the regional approach to higher education could help enhance competitiveness in the global economy.

“The UNIICo-create Project promotes a shift from a traditional academic model—which is often lecture-based and theoretical—to a dynamic, interactive and experiential learning model,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Edwin Naidu

Whatever one may think about US President Donald Trump or, for that matter, the expelled South African ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, it is no longer relevant.

What matters is the impact of these two on ordinary citizens in South Africa and the world.

One can argue they are already paying the price for the intransigent bully from the US or from the learned Cape Town politician whose diplomatic training amounted to preschool training.

Trump’s four years cannot go fast enough, while Rasool and his supporters, who cannot organise a piss-up in a brewery, gave him a tame hero’s welcome recently. They could not even dial a crowd for the revived politician, now back to playing in the Democratic Alliance backwater after showing that he could not swim with the big fish.

Rasool did not stand up to Trump on a public platform to warrant such adulation.

His views were presented during a webinar think-tank. So much for bravery. But there was no thinking when Rasool opened his mouth. Even former president Thabo Mbeki seems to think that the former premier of Cape Town got it wrong.

What would he have done had he been schooled like Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukraine leader, in a recent White House broadcast? It is a moot point. Rasool can be feted as the man who got kicked out of Trump land because he could not shut up. That’s good on the CV for a politician officially off to pasture. Why should he care about his actions?

But the impact of his foot-in-the-mouth calamity was felt swiftly on the currency, which took a tumble. Far worse, the Health Minister may downplay the US donor funding for HIV/AIDS projects, however, when you annoy a bully and his wealthy sycophant with roots in Pretoria, be warned, it will get worse.

Attending a higher education conference the other evening, I heard from an African academic in Ghana that US-based recipients of funding, whose operations are in South Africa, are extremely worried that they may soon feel the chill.

Donor-funded programmes based in South Africa are at risk. There is a view that those who receive US funding should consider opening offices in other parts of the continent.

It will get worse if South Africa becomes persona non grata. Academic and science-funded US programmes will go. Some already hang in the balance, despite having been approved.

Last week Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism reported in University World News that all South Africa’s US-funded research grants may be on hold. This is alarming news.

The article reported that some experts estimate that as much as 70% of South Africa’s medical research – or up to US$400 million (about ZAR7.2 billion) will be lost.

Rasool may not care that he is persona non grata in Washington. He should shove that arrogance, the same conduct which has led to a tenuous Government of National Unity, because of three decades of ANC arrogance.

Because of him, South African academia, science and research are pariahs in the eyes of the United States. Throughout Africa there is a fear that their interaction with Pretoria may cost it American dollars.

If South Africa’s commitment to clean governance ensured that monies allocated for education reached their intended recipients, the country could easily tell Trump to shove off.

However, with corruption a feature of ANC rule, and poor governance manifesting itself in wastage, the country’s science and technology and education sector benefit from the largesse of the United States, European Union and other benefactors.

Trump deserves to be told to shove off – but that is the prerogative of American voters – not Rasool, who must be back to reality in Cape with two David Bowie songs: This is not America.

The second, performed with Nine in Nails, is far more nervy fare: I’m Afraid of Americans.

What next? That’s what academia is holding its breath for?

Edwin Naidu is Editor of Inside Education.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli and Lungile Ntimba

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has strongly condemned the recent sexual assault of a seven-year-old child at Bergview College in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, emphasising that schools should be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not places of violence and fear.

Speaking during the annual Uyinene Mrwetyana Memorial Lecture at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, Gwarube expressed her outrage and heartbreak, calling for collective responsibility in addressing the scourge.

“Uyinene was to all of us, a call to action, a moment to reflect on the unacceptably high levels of violence against women and children in our country and a moment to acknowledge that the government failed her as it fails countless women and young children on a daily basis.

“She was also a moment for us to commit ourselves, as a society, to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to live a life of safety and dignity and to thrive,” the minister said.

Gwarube’s speech resonated deeply with the audience as she acknowledged the government’s repeated failures to protect children and women from gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), underscoring that the latest incident was a painful reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by young girls across the nation.

The lecture was held in memory of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a young woman whose brutal murder in 2019 became a rallying cry against femicide and served as a platform to inspire young women to step into leadership roles and claim their rightful space in society.

Gwarube announced that she, alongside Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Nkhensani Kubayi, were spearheading legislative changes to tighten protections for children in schools.

Key among these measures was strengthening the National Register for Sex Offenders to ensure that no individual with a history of sexual violence could work in any education institution.

She held that every single person who came into contact with children in schools must be vetted against the sexual offenders’ register, emphasising that vetting should extend beyond teachers to include school administrators, janitors, transport drivers and all other staff members.

The department also pledged to implement strict policies that enforced mandatory reporting of sexual abuse in schools, with severe consequences for institutions and individuals who attempted to cover up cases of misconduct.

The assault of the young girl, identified as Cwecwe, has sparked national outrage, with various political and civil society groups demanding immediate action.

The Economic Freedom Fighters and the Select Committee on Education have both criticised law enforcement and school authorities for their sluggish response, with EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo calling it “a betrayal of their constitutional duty to serve and protect”.

Thambo lambasted the principal of Bergview College for refusing to cooperate with authorities and instead seeking legal protection.

“This move is an insult to the fight against violence against children and a blatant obstruction of justice,” he declared.

Committee chairperson Makhi Feni echoed these sentiments, emphasising that “deregistration of the school does not address the sexual violation of a child”.

“Accountability means the perpetrator must be arrested and the educators’ regulatory bodies must ensure he is added to the national register of sexual offenders.”

Gwarube emphasised that the fight against GBVF could not be won by government interventions alone, and called on schools, communities and men in particular to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of women and children.

She noted that while South African girls continued to outperform their male counterparts in the National Senior Certificate results and were excelling in STEM fields, these achievements were being overshadowed by the constant threat of violence.

The department has pledged to fast-track legislative amendments to make vetting against the sexual offenders’ register mandatory for all school staff as well as improve security in schools, including CCTV surveillance, tighter vetting of non-teaching staff and safe transport arrangements.

Gwarube has also promised to strengthen GBVF education in schools, ensuring that children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to report abuse, and ensure immediate psychosocial support for victims of sexual violence, including counseling and legal assistance.

In closing, Gwarube urged South Africans to demand accountability and to ensure that no more girls suffered in silence.

“The war against women and children cannot be won by government alone. It has to be a whole-of-society approach. We must stare this scourge down until we rid our country of those who believe they can victimise and kill us,” she said.

The memorial lecture ended with a renewed commitment from government leaders, civil society and the public to make South African schools and communities safer for children.

As investigations into the Bergview College assault continue, public pressure is mounting on law enforcement to act swiftly and decisively.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Rachael Cody

Homeschooling has exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly since the pandemic. But researchers are still exploring why parents choose to homeschool their children.

While the decision to homeschool is often associated with religion, a 2023 survey found that the two top reasons people cited as most important were a concern about the school environment, such as safety and drugs, and a dissatisfaction with academic instruction.

I studied giftedness, creativity and talent as part of my Ph.D. program focusing on students who are “twice exceptional” – that is, they have both learning challenges such autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as well as advanced skills. A better understanding of why parents choose homeschooling can help identify ways to improve the public education system. I believe focusing on twice-exceptional students can offer insights beyond this subset of the homeschooled population.

What we know about homeschooling

The truth is researchers don’t know much about homeschooling and homeschoolers.

One problem is regulations involving homeschooling differ dramatically among states, so it is often hard to determine who is being instructed at home. And many families are unwilling to talk about their experiences homeschooling and their reasons for doing so.

But here’s what we do know.

The share of children being homeschooled has surged since 2020, rising from 3.7% in the 2018-2019 school year to 5.2% in 2022-2023 – the latest data available from the National Center for Education Statistics. Over 3 million students were homeschooled in 2021-22, according to the National Home Education Research Institute.

And the population of homeschoolers is becoming increasingly diverse, with about half of families reporting as nonwhite in a 2023 Washington Post-Schar School poll. In addition, homeschooling families are just as likely to be Democrat as Republican, according to that same Post-Schar survey, a sharp shift from previous surveys that suggested Republicans were much more likely to homeschool.

As for why parents homeschool, 28% of those surveyed in 2023 by the Institute of Education Sciences said the school environment was their biggest reason, followed by 17% that cited concerns about academic instruction. Another 17% said providing their kids with moral or religious instruction was most important.

But not far behind at 12% was a group of parents who prioritized homeschooling for a different reason: They have a child with physical or mental health problems or other special needs.

This group would include parents of twice-exceptional children, who may be especially interested in pursuing homeschooling as an alternative method of education for three reasons in particular.

1. The ‘masking’ problem

These parents may notice that their child’s needs are being overlooked in the public education system and may view homeschooling as a way to provide better individualized instruction.

Students who are twice exceptional often experience what researchers call the “masking” phenomenon. This can occur when a child’s disabilities hide their giftedness. When this occurs, teachers tend to provide academic support but hesitate to give these children the challenging material they may require.

Masking can also occur in reverse, when a student’s gifts tend to hide disabilities. In these cases, teachers provide challenging material, but they do not provide the needed accommodations that allow the gifted child to access the materials. Either way, masking can be a problem for students and parents who must advocate for teachers to address their unique range of academic needs.

While either type of masking is challenging for the student, it may be particularly frustrating for parents of twice-exceptional students to watch classroom teachers focus only on their child’s weaknesses rather than helping them develop their advanced abilities.

2. Individualized instruction

By the time a child enters school, parents have spent years observing their child’s development, comparing their progress with that of others their age. They’re also likely to be aware of their child’s unique interests.

While this may not be true for all parents, those who choose to homeschool may do so because they feel they have more of an ability and interest in catering to their child’s unique needs than a classroom teacher who is tasked with teaching many students simultaneously. Parents of students who demonstrate exceptional ability have expressed concerns about their child’s future educational opportunities in a public school setting.

Additionally, parents may become exhausted by their efforts to advocate for their child’s unique needs in the school system. Parents of students who demonstrate advanced abilities often pull their children out of public school after repeated efforts to improve communication between home and school.

3. Behavioral and emotional needs

Gifted students who have emotional or behavioral disabilities may find it difficult to demonstrate their abilities in the classroom.

All too often, teachers may be more focused on disciplining these students rather than addressing their academic needs. For example, a child who is bored with the class material may be loud and attempt to distract others as well.

Rather than recognizing this as signaling a need for more advanced material, the teacher might send the child to a separate area in the classroom or in the school to refocus or as punishment. Parents may feel better equipped than teachers to address both their child’s challenging behaviors and their gifted abilities, given the knowledge they have about their child’s history, interests, strengths and areas needing improvement.

Supporting students’ needs

Gaining a better understanding of the motivations driving parents to take their children out of the public school system is an important step toward improving schools so that fewer will feel the need to take this path.

Additionally, strengthening educators’ and policymakers’ understanding about twice-exceptional homeschooled students may help communities provide more support to their families – who then may not feel homeschooling is the only or best option. My research shows that many schools can do a better job providing these types of students and their parents with the support they need to thrive.

Rachael Cody is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Education, Oregon State University.

The Conversation.

By Cara Swit, Aaron Hapuku, Helena Cook and Jennifer Smith

One year after the government banned cellphones from schools to help students focus and reduce distractions in class, we’re beginning to see how it has been implemented and how successful it’s been.

As part of that process, our new research asked young people about the ban. Unsurprisingly, they had a lot to say.

Schools around the world, including in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, China and parts of the United States, have implemented similar bans. The guiding principle everywhere has been to help students do better in school.

When New Zealand’s ban came into effect in April 2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was time to cut the distractions so kids could learn and achieve.

But studies have shown these bans often don’t work as planned. For example, recent research from the UK involving over 1,200 students found no significant difference in academic grades or wellbeing between schools with strict phone bans and those with more relaxed policies.

With so many questions at the time of the ban about how it would be enforced, we wanted to hear what was going on in schools and what young people really thought. We spoke to 77 young people aged 12 to 18 from 25 schools around the country. Some liked the bans, some didn’t and some weren’t sure.

Many students had mixed feelings about the bans. Some admitted the bans helped reduce distractions and gave them a break from using their phones. As one explained: “Otherwise, we’ll be on our phone all day, all afternoon, all night, and it won’t be healthy for our minds.”

But other students said the ban had created new problems.

First, some students felt stressed and anxious when they couldn’t contact their parents or caregivers during the day. Second, they said the rules weren’t always clear or fair. Some teachers were strict, others weren’t. And sometimes, teachers used their phones in class, but students couldn’t.

That perceived double standard – where teachers can use phones but students can’t – left many of our respondents feeling frustrated and unfairly treated. In some cases, it even made them more secretive about their phone use. One student said: Even though we’re not allowed to use our phones, everyone is sneaky and uses it anyway.”

A lack of consultation

A lot of students said they weren’t asked what they thought before the bans were introduced. They felt as if adults made the rules without asking them or listening to them. One of our interviewees said: “It feels like they just ban everything, thinking it will fix the problem.”

Many didn’t understand the purpose of the ban, especially since they still have to use laptops and other technology in class.

Recent research found more than 80% of students in Aotearoa New Zealand say technology in class is distracting – not just phones.

Already, some students have found clever ways around the phone ban. At one Auckland school, students started using walkie-talkies instead of phones to stay connected with their peers.

Examples like this show bans don’t always change behaviour the way they’re intended to. It can simply make students feel as though adults underestimate how tech-savvy they really are.

Young people as active problem solvers

The young people in our research offered some alternatives to the ban.

Many suggested allowing phones at break and lunch times. That way, they could stay connected without interrupting class. They also said adults needed to model healthy digital habits, not just set the rules.

Based on student responses, it does appear that learning and teaching how to use phones in healthy ways would be more helpful than banning them altogether.

Research from the Digital Wellness Lab supports this balanced approach, emphasising skill building over restriction. But for this to work, adults need support too. Teachers and parents need training and resources to help guide young people – and should also be surveyed on how they feel about the ban.

Banning phones doesn’t fix the bigger issue of helping young people to use technology safely and responsibly. If schools really want to support students, they need to move beyond one-size-fits-all rules.

Our research shows young people aren’t just passive users of technology. They’re active problem solvers. They want to be part of the conversation – and part of the solution.

This would involve replacing top-down bans with meaningful conversations involving young people and adults to build fair and practical digital guidelines, where everyone benefits.

Cara Swift is an associate professor at the School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury, Aaron Hapuku is a lecturer at the School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury, Helena Cook is a lecturer at the School of Social and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury, and Jennifer Smith is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Canterbury.

The Conversation

By Akani Nkuna

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a $50 million fund aimed at eliminating hunger and malnutrition among school-aged children across Africa.

This initiative, which is endorsed by the bank’s board of directors, seeks to provide sustainable solutions to food insecurity, ensuring that millions of children receive proper nutrition to support their education and overall wellbeing.

The fund marks a major step toward tackling child hunger on the continent.

The End School-Age Hunger Fund aims to bolster school meal programmes in targeted African countries by expanding existing initiatives and creating new ones so that more children in Africa have access to nutritious food while attending school.

At the same time it will boost rural economies through agricultural productivity, AfDB spokesperson Alexis Adele said in a statement.

The fund will be implemented in partnership with the African Development Fund, which is the concessional arm of the AfDB.

In addition, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has pledged its support by signing a $50 million commitment letter to help establish and launch the initiative aimed at tackling child hunger in Africa.

Adele said the fund will finance initiatives that directly supported school feeding programmes across the continent, with the aim to provide nutritious meals to children while fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises involved in delivering services for these programmes.

“Where appropriate, it is expected to provide essential technical assistance to governments, encouraging them to prioritise nutritious school feeding programmes as a vital mechanism for enhancing socio-economic development, ensuring student retention in schools and improving learning outcomes and social protection,” he said.

In September 2024, the CIFF and the AfDB signed a letter of intent, with the foundation pledging up to $50 million to establish the fund. Witnessed by King Lestie III of Lesotho, CIFF also expressed its readiness to contribute an additional $50 million once the bank launched its initial investment.

The AfDB is also engaging other philanthropic organisations, including the Aliko Dangote Foundation, to expand donor support.

Adele emphasised that the partnership was both strategic and essential for securing donor support.

AfDB vice president for agriculture, human and social development, Beth Dunford, said they would work to secure a five-year commitment from the target countries, which was the standard implementation period for the bank’s investment projects.

“The implementation period is long enough to establish a solid proof of concept to ensure the continuation of the initiative beyond the initial funding phase,” she said.

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