By Sharief Hendricks

My son, aged five, has just started school at Wynberg Boys Junior, a school based in Cape Town’s southern suburbs with a strong record of playing rugby.

Like most rugby-loving families in South Africa, we hope our child discovers the pleasures of the game. We would like him to enjoy the sport, but we want him to do it in the safest way possible.

As a contact sport, rugby has the potential to result in some serious injuries if players aren’t properly prepared and supervised. Full contact tackle rugby involves repeated dynamic physical-technical contests for the ball and territory, which expose players to injury.

In South Africa, the governing body, SA Rugby, has a new policy that children under the age of nine can only play non-contact rugby.

Non-contact rugby incorporates all the core elements of rugby like running, catching, passing and decision-making, but it is done without the repeated physical-technical contests of the tackle.

Age categories Under 8 and younger are not allowed to engage in the full-contact tackle rugby and should play tag rugby and SA T1 Rugby, a version of World Rugby’s globally endorsed non-contact game.

The non-contact game is designed for all ages, sizes and abilities, including children and first-time players. The new standards apply to all schools, clubs and associated members working in youth rugby. Before playing full-contact tackle rugby though, players will have to build the necessary skills and confidence to contest the tackle.

I am an injury prevention and player welfare researcher at the Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre at the University of Cape Town and a visiting professor at Leeds Beckett University.

I am also a research consultant for sport governing bodies, including SA Rugby and World Rugby. Recently, with my co-author Stephen West from the University of Calgary, I published a paper outlining the current policies in different countries for introducing contact in youth sports.

The article weighed up the potential risks and benefits of an earlier versus later introduction to contact and described what needs to be considered when designing policies for this. We concluded that the introduction to contact should be a gradual, clearly defined process. It should build physiological, psychological and technical competencies to perform contact safely and optimally.

We think the new SA Rugby policies are an evidence-based investment in our children’s long-term rugby participation. The rules are catching up with those of other rugby-playing nations. By giving young players the cognitive, physical and technical foundations they need, we are making the game more sustainable, more enjoyable and safer for the next generation.

What the research says

In the research, we highlight that exposure to a range of movement experiences early on may develop skill capacities that will facilitate the learning of more advanced skills. 

Research has shown that significant developmental improvements in cognitive processes, such as processing speed (reaction time) and executive function, occur between the ages of five and seven years, and children become more interested in structured, rule-bound play.

We argue that contact skills can be introduced between the ages of 7 and 11 years. We also highlight that before any sport-specific techniques are introduced, players need to condition themselves for contact through skills such as falling, grappling and wrestling.

These fundamental movements serve to prepare players for contact, for example, how to break a fall or physically engage (push, pull, drive, let go of) another player.

Players also need to learn how to carry the ball into contact and tackle.

Training environments should be designed to provide adequate skill development which prepares players for the demands of tackle contact rugby sport.

Coaches should understand the game demands for their age group to manipulate training to achieve specific learning objectives. For instance, in junior rugby, children tend to cluster around the ball – what we call the “beehive effect”. Our research shows this creates tackle patterns that are different from those in the adult game, with junior rugby involving more jersey pulls and arm tackles than direct front tackles.

Coaches can use this insight to adjust field size to control contact speed, and introduce rules that encourage evasion over direct confrontation.

Guidance and preparation

With input from leading researchers, practitioners and coaches in rugby, our research group developed a tackle training framework to help coaches and trainers.

For example, it provides a guide for how coaches can progress players from environments that are low-speed, controlled and structured to environments that are more representative of the game situations.

Families can also help prepare children for the joys of tackle rugby:

give them the opportunity to participate in a range of sports

expose them to forms of physical contact such as wrestling and grappling in the form of play, and activities that develop their landing, falling and rolling skills

encourage collision play with padded or cushioned equipment

explore sports that specifically promote body control and awareness in controlled contact situations, such as karate.

Of course, children develop at different rates, and many factors influence when a child is ready for contact. This is why a standardised, progressive approach benefits everyone.

Sharief Hendricks is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Cape Town.

This article was first published by The Conversation.

By Charmaine Ndlela

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides daily meals to more than 9.6 million learners nationwide.

Gwarube made the announcement during an oversight visit to Fezeka Primary School in Peddie, within the Ngqushwa Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, on Friday.

“This programme has significantly improved school attendance and academic performance. It underscores the critical role that nutrition plays in supporting learner well-being and academic success,” Gwarube said.

During the visit, the Minister toured the school and engaged with learners across various grades and classrooms. She also visited the computer laboratory, where she observed teaching and learning in progress and interacted with learners using digital tools. Gwarube further read to learners, promoting a culture of reading and highlighting the importance of early literacy.

“The rollout of compulsory Grade R is proceeding apace across the country, allowing more learners to enter the schooling system earlier to improve literacy outcomes,” she said.

“We are also closing the digital divide, as learners in rural schools are increasingly accessing education through digital devices.”

The Department of Basic Education said the engagements reflect government’s commitment to strengthening foundational learning while expanding digital skills development in schools.

Later, the Minister visited Mzuxolile Secondary School, where she addressed the Class of 2026 matric learners, urging them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to their studies in pursuit of a better future.

According to the Department, the visit formed part of broader efforts to engage school communities and district leadership, assess progress, address challenges and reinforce collaboration in support of quality teaching and learning.

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 By Levy Masiteng 

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has approved funding for 660,039 first-time entering students (FTEN) for the 2026 academic year, acting Chief Executive Officer Waseem Carrim said on Thursday.

Carrim said the figure was up from 632,333 approvals recorded the previous week.

ALSO READ: Gwarube launches read-aloud day with sign language version of children’s book  

 “This upward trend reflects NSFAS’s unwavering commitment to expanding access to post-school education and training,” Carrim said. “We are determined to ensure that financial constraints do not stand in the way of deserving students.”

NSFAS said 85,662 applications were being processed pending verification of outstanding documents, while 21,483 applications remained on hold due to missing supporting information.

It said 116,266 applications did not qualify for bursary funding, although 13,052 of those applicants were offered NSFAS loans.

For returning university students, Carrim said 436,924 had met the academic progression criteria and remained eligible for funding, while 109,761 students were found ineligible.

“At TVET colleges, 127,503 continuing students qualified for ongoing support, with 79,461 failing to meet progression requirements,” he said.

Carrim said NSFAS had received 91,937 appeals for the 2026 cycle, of which 10,445 had been approved.

“We remain committed to handling appeals fairly and transparently, and we urge students to submit outstanding documents promptly,” he said.

ALSO READ: Viola urges learners at first North West rural career expo to pursue STEAM

On student accommodation, NSFAS said it had received 194,069 accommodation applications across universities and TVET colleges.

It said 55,653 accommodation applications had been approved so far, with thousands more pending institutional and landlord review.

“NSFAS remains committed to processing all appeals fairly, transparently, and efficiently,” Carrim said.

NSFAS said it was upgrading its accommodation portal to provide students with a single platform to apply, track application status, and log maintenance issues.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has launched South Africa’s Read Aloud Month by unveiling the official World Read Aloud Day story for 2026, “A New Friend”, produced for the first time in South African Sign Language alongside versions in all 12 official languages.

Gwarube launched the campaign at Megoring Primary School in Polokwane, where learners, educators, sector partners and community members gathered to celebrate reading and storytelling.

ALSO READ: Viola urges learners at first North West rural career expo to pursue STEAM

“World Read Aloud Day invites us to gather and to share in the wonder and splendour of stories and of books. This day reminds us that stories are not meant to be hidden away on shelves or confined to textbooks. Stories are meant to be heard, spoken, signed, shared and lived. They are passed from parent to child, from teacher to learner, and from one generation to the next,” said Gwarube.

World Read Aloud Day (WRAD), established in 2010 by LitWorld, is observed annually on the first Wednesday of February. The Department of Basic Education said the 2026 commemoration centres on “A New Friend”, developed in collaboration with Sign Language Education and Development (SLED).

Gwarube said the commemoration represented “a landmark moment in South Africa’s literacy and inclusion agenda”.

“[A New Friend] was produced and disseminated in all 12 South African languages, reinforcing mother-tongue-based learning while advancing universal accessibility and inclusion for all children,” the department said in a statement.

It said that, for the first time, South African Sign Language was fully integrated across all World Read Aloud Day and Read Aloud Month activities, ensuring that deaf learners were able to participate meaningfully and on an equal footing with their peers.

ALSO READ: Ngcukaitobi urges DHET to back blended learning at Walter Sisulu University

It said this milestone aligned with the DBE’s commitment to inclusive education and equitable learning for all.

The launch was made possible by a partnership with the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and the Nal’ibali Trust, which served as a core partner.

Nal’ibali — isiXhosa for “here’s the story” — was founded in 2012 to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading among children from birth to 12 years of age.

Since its establishment, the organisation has led literacy change by mobilising adults to read with their children through its annual World Read Aloud Day celebrations.

“Through collaboration with education partners and civil society, World Read Aloud Day and Read Aloud Month continue to strengthen and expand South Africa’s national culture of reading and storytelling,” the department said.

Gwarube called on government, educators, parents, and communities to continue demonstrating the power of collaboration in advancing literacy and inclusion across the country.

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By Levy Masiteng 

The deputy minister of Higher Education and Training, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, on Tuesday officially launched a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) laboratory at Letaba TVET College’s Tzaneen Campus, saying it was a critical investment in shaping South Africa’s future skills pipeline and tackling unemployment.

According to the department, the lab is designed to equip students and lecturers with cutting-edge technological skills aligned to the demands of a rapidly changing job market. 

ALSO READ: Malema alleges IEC ‘thugs’ steal election votes, calls for members to be vigilant

It also provides access to modern digital tools, practical training platforms and innovation-focused learning that support careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Speaking during the handover,  Dube-Ncube said technology should be embraced rather than feared, while noting that innovation was moving at an unprecedented pace. 

She said that education, training and innovation are central pillars of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030.

Addressing students, she said: “What it means for you here is that you are at the centre of ensuring that the mechanism of education is used properly by yourselves, to ensure that when you are linked to the job market, you can tangibly contribute to the reduction of unemployment.

 “This is particularly important with the increasing appetite in the job market for STEM careers.”

Dube-Ncube challenged students to take ownership of the national development agenda. 

ALSO READ: This is what O’ Sullivan will tell the ad hoc committee when he testifies about SAPS ‘capture’

She called on those in attendance to see themselves as custodians of the NDP, urging them to fully utilise the new facility.

“You must use the 4IR lab to its fullest capacity,” she said. “Learn from it, learn in it, and soar in your chosen careers.”

The 4IR project is funded by the ETDP SETA. It includes infrastructure development, refurbishment of the laboratory, training for students and lecturers, as well as the provision of specialised equipment needed to support advanced learning and innovation.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima 

North West Education MEC Ntsetsao Viola on Tuesday encouraged learners from rural communities to take up Science, Technology, Engineering, Accounting and Mathematics (STEAM) subjects, saying the stream helps drive economic growth and shape young people’s futures.

Speaking in Mabaalstad Village, Viola was delivering the keynote address at the First Annual Rural Career Expo, an event intended to motivate learners to improve their academic performance and to raise awareness of post-matric career pathways.

ALSO READ: Ngcukaitobi urges DHET to back blended learning at Walter Sisulu University

“This Career Expo will promote careers aligned with the current South African socio-economic and skills landscape,” Viola said.

“STEAM education is broadly regarded as essential for achieving Vision 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially concerning industrialisation and job creation.”

Viola said the department was grateful for initiatives that create opportunities for learners, particularly those in rural areas who are “seldomly” exposed to such programmes.

She also reflected on the legacy of apartheid-era education, saying the system was deliberately structured along racial lines. She cited the Bantu Education Act of 1953, which she said provided Black learners with inferior, underfunded education aimed at manual labour.

“This racial segregation was reinforced spatially; rural areas and townships were where most Black South Africans were forced to live, with schools featuring overcrowded classrooms, limited learning materials, poor facilities, and high learner-teacher ratios,” she said.

Viola said these historical conditions contributed to persistent inequities and financial barriers that continue to limit access to higher education and deepen socio-economic differences.

Despite that history, she encouraged learners at the expo to believe their backgrounds did not define their future.

“I come from a small village in Mahikeng called Madiba Makgabana, and today I stand before you as the MEC for Education. My past did not predict where I would end up,” she said.

“To the young people — continue to dream, and dream big. Do not allow anyone to discourage or limit your aspirations. I stand before you as living proof that it is possible.”

ALSO READ: eThekwini threatens to cut water, electricity to Durban schools over disputed and unpaid bills

Viola also pointed to recent academic gains in the province, saying North West recorded an 88.49% matric pass rate in 2025, an improvement of 0.9%, and retained its fourth-place ranking nationally.

“It is important that whenever I have the opportunity to engage with our communities, I express my sincere gratitude for this milestone achievement and acknowledge the collective effort that made it possible,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

The Gauteng Education Department (GED) is in talks with public scholar transport operators to settle outstanding payments after some service providers halted operations on Monday, leaving learners stranded and contributing to low attendance at several schools.

The disruption comes just weeks after a fatal scholar transport crash in the Vaal area in mid-January, when a minibus transporting pupils collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark, leaving 14 schoolchildren dead, and the driver of the minibus charged with murder.

The GDE said in a statement that it acknowledged the “challenges” currently affecting the GDE Scholar Transport Programme, which led to some providers stopping work on Monday.

The department said it was “actively engaging” with operators to address unpaid invoices.

“We appeal to service providers to provide a continuous, uninterrupted transportation of all learners under the programme as we work tirelessly within available financial processes to finalise payments accordingly,” the department said.

It advised schools to use appropriate academic recovery measures to ensure that teaching and learning remained on track until the matter was resolved.

“We remain committed to collaboration and constructive engagements with our stakeholders in resolving any matters that may arise. To this end, we encourage all our stakeholders to always engage with us on issues they face within the sector,” said Education MEC Matome Chiloane.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) has urged the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to create an enabling environment for online and blended learning, a move the institution believes could increase its overall enrolment from about 30,000 to 60,000 students.

WSU Council Chairperson, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, said the university had received more than 500,000 applications from first-year students for 2026, but only had space to admit about 7,000.

“The system is deliberately producing young people who will never acquire the skills needed to participate in the economy. At the very least, we should accommodate them within virtual walls,” Ngcukaitobi said.

The call follows an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on Monday, aimed at highlighting and addressing long-standing challenges faced across WSU campuses.

Committee Chairperson, Honourable Walter Teboho Letsie, said the visit was a direct response to concerns raised by staff, students and the broader WSU community.

“The reason we came to this campus is because of the various issues and challenges faced by staff, students and the WSU community,” Letsie said.

The committee acknowledged frustrations caused by ongoing pressures, including inadequate infrastructure, with campuses such as Komani requiring urgent refurbishment.

In response, the committee proposed exploring a joint oversight mechanism between the Portfolio Committees on Higher Education and Public Works, as the land occupied by WSU falls under the authority of the Department of Public Works.

Reaffirming Parliament’s broader mandate, Letsie said, “We must, as a committee, exercise our responsibilities to empower and improve the conditions of our universities so that students can prosper and become productive members of society, capable of changing the socio-economic trajectory of this country.”

Ngcukaitobi also highlighted severe water shortages on campus, noting that students are sometimes forced to carry buckets in search of water. He appealed to the DHET to support the university in securing sustainable infrastructure solutions.

“There is a clear path towards building and completing a self-sufficient water system for the campus and the greater Whittlesea community, which will benefit students, staff and the public,” he said.

The committee acknowledged the issue of stabilising the campus water supply.

“We saw the pump station the university is building to address critical water infrastructure needs, and from my perspective, the efforts are satisfactory thus far,” Letsie noted.

Despite these challenges, WSU reported that it has registered 27,608 students to date and confirmed its readiness to roll out the 2026 teaching and learning programme across all campuses.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

An estimated 10,000 learners across at least 17 public schools in Phoenix, north of Durban, are facing disruptions to their education as the eThekwini Municipality threatens to disconnect electricity and water services over unpaid bills, Inside Education has learned.

According to several well-placed sources, municipal workers have already visited schools armed with bolt cutters and tools, issuing disconnection notices and, in some cases, attempting to cut power lines on the spot, only backing down after desperate pleas from school principals.

Schools claim the municipal bills are inflated due to damaged or missing meters that were never replaced, despite communication with authorities. One school reportedly owes over R1 million.

Phoenix Pioneer Primary School has already been disconnected. Sources in the area said that the “crisis” is impacting critical services including the National School Nutrition Programme, with no refrigeration available for perishable food. 

Learners who depend on insulin for diabetes can no longer safely store their medication, and classrooms operate without ventilation during sweltering heat.

“There’s no telephone lines, no faxing, no printing, no internet,” an official from Phoenix Pioneer told Inside Education on Monday. The person asked not to be named, fearing repercussions.

“The situation is not being spoken about. Society is being desensitised to injustice.”

Mahathma Primary School principal Kishin Singh confirmed that while his school has not yet been disconnected, he received notices last week Wednesday and Thursday of intentions to do so. 

“I was visited by the electricity department who issued me a notice to cut electricity. [The person with the notice] carried tools to cut the wires,” Singh said. 

“I pleaded with him and explained my difficulties and I asked him to leave. My fear is that I will be visited by eThekwini in the near future and be disconnected.”

Sources said that the disconnections would affect at least 10 000 learners, if enforced.

IFP Councillor Jonathan Annipen, whose constituency is Phoenix-based, has lodging a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

In his complaint, Annipen said the actions violate Section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees every child the right to basic education.

Annipen said in his submission that even if the municipality followed proper debt-collection procedures, the disconnections represent “a direct limitation” of children’s constitutional rights and breach cooperative governance principles.

The crisis comes as KwaZulu-Natal celebrated ranking first nationally in the 2025 matric examinations, an achievement the IFP says is now being undermined.

The municipality had not responded to questions from Inside Education at the time of publication. Its response will be added once received.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi on Monday jointly handed over a newly refurbished digital laboratory at Phefeni Secondary School in Soweto.

The ministers said the handover marked “an important milestone in government’s efforts to expand digital access, strengthen teaching and learning, and prepare young South Africans for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world”.

The digital lab was made possible through a partnership with Microsoft South Africa and supporting partners including Jozi My Jozi.

According to the department, this was “a tangible investment in the future of learners and educators at Phefeni Secondary School and the broader Soweto community”.

The handover reflected a shared commitment by the departments “to ensure that schools are not only safe and dignified spaces of learning but are also equipped to participate meaningfully in the digital economy”.

Both ministers said access to reliable digital infrastructure is no longer a luxury, but a necessity, adding that digital labs open pathways for learners to develop critical digital skills, enhance literacy and numeracy through technology-enabled learning, and gain exposure to tools increasingly essential for higher education and work.

While highlighting the progress represented by the handover, the ministers said many schools across the country still face serious infrastructure challenges, including unsafe buildings, overcrowding and limited access to learning resources, and said partnerships with the private sector are critical to accelerate change and address historical backlogs.

The ministers also emphasised that the initiative was not “a handover to government alone,” but to learners, educators and the community of Phefeni Secondary School, and said the lab’s success would depend on collective ownership, responsible use and protecting and maintaining the facility “so that it continues to benefit future generations”.

Speaking at the handover, Asif Vallley, Microsoft’s National Technology Officer, said: “Phefeni Secondary School has always been a symbol of courage and possibility for Soweto. By modernising this computer lab and creating brighter, more engaging classrooms, we’re not just upgrading facilities – we’re opening doors.

“This lab will help prepare learners with the digital skills they need for the jobs of the future. Together with our partners, we want every learner who walks into this space to feel that their future in the digital economy is real, and that they have the skills and support to step into it.”

The handover also aligned with South Africa’s broader development trajectory, the department said, noting that with Africa projected to have the largest working-age population in the world by 2050, investing in digital skills at school level is essential to unlock future productivity, innovation and inclusive economic growth.

The ministers called on learners to use the digital lab responsibly and to be “curious, ambitious and committed to their studies,” while encouraging educators to leverage the new tools to innovate in classrooms, support every learner and nurture critical thinking and confidence.

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