By Lebone Rodah Mosima

RESONATE, an international audio storytelling festival, is inviting Africa-based journalists, sound artists, filmmakers, podcasters, and other creatives aged 18 to 35 to apply for its six-month Story Lab: Africa Otherwise residency.

The organisation said the programme will support a small cohort of Africa-based storytellers in creating character-driven, sonically rich stories, and that previous experience in audio is not required.

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“Across Africa, oral traditions run deep, yet too much storytelling is confined to news cycles and talk-based formats that flatten lived realities into headlines and soundbites,” RESONATE said.

It said participants will engage in a process that is both creative and collective.

“This residency is more than a training programme. It is a movement to build a new generation of audio producers across Africa, and an invitation to shift the terms of storytelling itself: towards work that moves beyond doom and gloom to centre complexity and lived experience,” RESONATE said.

It said the programme begins with an in-person workshop led by the Transom Travelling Workshop, starting on 1 August in Johannesburg.

“Following the workshop, the six participants will enter a five-month remote production cycle, working closely with audio industry experts as mentors to develop, report, and edit a three to five-minute audio story on youth issues in Africa around the shared theme: Africa Otherwise,” RESONATE said.

“The programme will culminate in a listening event of the fellows’ produced stories, with a world premiere at the Resonate Audio Storytelling Festival in Cape Town.”

Throughout the programme, participants will be provided with round-trip airfare, accommodation, a stipend, story production funding and an audio recording kit.

The programme also includes mentorship sessions, masterclasses on audio storytelling, opportunities to collaborate with a pan-African and international network of narrative audio producers, an all-access pass to RESONATE Cape Town, and a chance to pitch at the pitch party, with the possibility of winning a cash prize.

ALSO READ: Mpumalanga, NECT launch dialogue to tackle school learning gaps

Applicants must submit a motivational letter of about 500 words, a CV, story pitch of about 500 words, and two to three links to previous podcasts, films, written articles or other creative work.

Applicants should have a valid passport by the time selected participants are announced, as well as access to a laptop with a webcam, microphone and a reliable internet connection.

“Participants are expected to attend two 1.5-hour classes and two 1-hour mentoring sessions per month, and dedicate approximately 5 hours to story production per week,” RESONATE said.

It also urged applicants to familiarise themselves with Radio Workshop’s podcast, as the audio stories produced through the programme will be shared on Radio Workshop’s feed.

“We are looking for creative thinkers, cultural workers, essayists, writers, troublemakers, story weavers and braiders, organisers — anyone driven by creativity and a commitment to social justice,” RESONATE said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima 

The Mpumalanga Department of Education and the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) on Tuesday launched a provincial dialogue in Nkangala district to address learning and teaching gaps in schools.

The Provincial Roadshow Dialogue on Learning and Teaching Gaps, held at Emakhazeni Boarding School, was marketed as part of an effort to move beyond national policy discussion and localise the response to weak learning outcomes at provincial and district levels.

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The department said South Africa’s education system continued to face persistent learning gaps driven by systemic inequality, socio-economic pressures, curriculum disruptions and uneven access to quality teaching and learning resources.

“These gaps are most visible in foundational literacy and numeracy, weak progression outcomes, and uneven achievement across provinces, districts and schools,” the department said.

“Critically, the rapid assessment conducted by the NECT indicates that gaps are also reinforced by day-to-day implementation realities in classrooms and schools including limited learner written work, inconsistent adherence to notional teaching time, weak early identification of learning backlogs, and uneven provision of learning support for learners who are behind.”

The department said that while national dialogues and policy frameworks had provided strategic direction, there remained a pressing need to localise those conversations within provinces and districts so that those closest to teaching and learning realities could help shape the response.

It said the provincial roadshow was intended to provide a structured, participatory platform to deepen understanding of the drivers of learning gaps, identify implementation bottlenecks and generate practical, context-specific solutions.

ALSO READ: Gwarube warns against misinformation on draft history curriculum

“The roadshow will serve as a bridge between national priorities and provincial and district realities, creating spaces for inclusive dialogue, shared accountability, and coordinated action,” the department said.

“It will strengthen alignment between policy intent and implementation practice by grounding interventions in the lived experiences of classrooms, schools and communities, and by focusing on tangible levers for improvement such as instructional time on task, quality learner work, targeted learning support, and effective monitoring and support at school and district level.”

The department said the NECT rapid appraisal informing the programme had identified gaps in curriculum coverage, under-utilisation of workbooks and learning materials, and limited cognitive engagement in classrooms.

It said the roadshow provided a platform for dialogue between provincial department officials, teacher unions, district steering committees, Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign structures, school governing body associations, civil society and other provincial and district stakeholders.

According to the department, the aim was to build a shared, evidence-based understanding of the nature, causes and systemic effects of learning gaps across phases and transition grades, while highlighting context-specific challenges and opportunities affecting curriculum coverage, instructional practice, and learner engagement.

The engagement also sought to strengthen collaboration, coherence and alignment among key education stakeholders across governance, management, and classroom support levels, inform coordinated evidence-driven strategies, and encourage shared ownership of solutions and measurable improvement.

Its objectives include sharing evidence transparently, building collective ownership of learning gaps, aligning system actors around priority levers, generating province-specific insights, catalysing provincial action, and strengthening coordination structures to support systemic implementation and monitoring.

“By bringing together teacher unions, districts, district steering committees, QLTC, SGB associations, researchers, and teachers, the initiative will foster inclusive dialogue, evidence-informed action, and sustainable partnerships,” the department said.

“Through localisation of national priorities, co-creation of solutions, and strengthening of coordination structures, the roadshow will contribute to closing learning gaps and advancing quality, equitable education for all learners.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has warned that misinformation is spreading about the draft History curriculum, urging South Africans to read the document themselves and take part in the public comment process.

The draft curriculum, which is still under review, was developed by a task team appointed in 2019 by former minister Angie Motshekga. It proposes changes to how History is taught from Grades 4 to 12.

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In a statement on Tuesday, Gwarube said the document was released specifically to allow the public to engage with it and help shape the final version. However, she raised concern that some of the criticism being shared is based on claims that are not supported by what is actually in the draft.

She urged stakeholders to engage directly with the document instead of relying on incorrect or misleading information.

“I therefore encourage as many people as possible to indicate where they believe the draft should be strengthened, corrected, expanded or refined,” Gwarube said.

The minister stressed that the development of the curriculum must be inclusive and transparent, allowing different voices to be heard before any final decisions are made.

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She also outlined key principles that should guide the process, saying the curriculum must present a balanced view of the country’s past.

“Our History curriculum should not exclude key events or perspectives on political grounds, nor should it impose any particular ideology on learners,” she said.

“I am committed to ensuring that the curriculum equips learners to think critically about our past, so that they may form their own opinions,” she said.

“As South Africans, we understand how complex our history is, and how important the study of it is for reconciliation and nation-building. Robust and responsible engagement is essential,” she said.

The Department of Basic Education has called on the public to make detailed submissions on the draft before it is finalised, saying this will help ensure the curriculum is accurate, balanced and beneficial to learners.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

Criminals used explosives to blow open strong rooms at two primary schools in Disaneng village near Mafikeng and steal 26 laptops.

The North West Department of Education said on Tuesday that criminals targeted Moteu Makabanyane Primary School and Ipelegeng Batlharo Primary School on the morning of 10 April, when staff discovered that strong rooms in the principals’ offices had been broken into and the doors blown off using heavy explosives.

At Moteu Makabanyane Primary School, 14 laptops were stolen, while 12 were taken from Ipelegeng Batlharo Primary School, the department said.

It said that the devices were used by teachers at both schools for lesson preparation, research, and teaching.

Moteu Makabanyane Primary School principal Joel Maleka said the attack had left the school reeling.

“I am extremely disappointed by the act of destroying our school and stealing laptops that benefit our learners. Just the previous day, we were using them without any suspicion that they would be stolen.

“Now the entire office is in disarray after explosives were used to demolish the walls of our strong room, including the principal’s office. We do not know how we will replace these laptops, and our learners are going to suffer,” said Maleka.

North West Education MEC Viola Motsumi condemned the theft and destruction, saying schools in the province were increasingly being targeted by criminals.

“The situation is getting out of control. It is clear that criminals are now targeting schools to further their interests. Just recently, there was an incident where a classroom was set alight at FM Ramaboa Technical School and now we are faced with the theft of computers. All these incidents are taking place within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District.

“This is an act of self-destruction. We are destroying the little that the government has provided for us. More importantly, we are destroying the future of our own children.

“A nation that does not educate its children is doomed. I am appealing to all communities in this province to remain vigilant against illegal activities taking place in our schools. They must ensure that such acts are reported to the nearest police stations. Furthermore, the public must refrain from buying stolen goods and instead report such criminal activities to the police,” said Motsumi.

The department said cases of theft of computers and malicious damage to property had been opened with the South African Police Service at both schools.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Clinical Technology alumna of the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Thabile Mwandla, says she believes that by removing the challenge of daily adherence, the Lenacapavir injectable will offer a simpler and more effective option for millions of people at risk of HIV.

Mwandla was among a selected team of South African clinical researchers who contributed to the development and testing of Lenacapavir, designed for HIV prevention.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), the first batch received in South Africa consists of 37,920 doses. Bhekisisa reported that the doses arrived in two shipments on 30 March and 2 April.

“Administered just twice a year, Lenacapavir represents a major advancement in efforts to curb HIV transmission, particularly in high-burden communities. We have worked hard over the last three years testing the medication,” Mwandla said.

An official launch date will be announced by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, in consultation with President Cyril Ramaphosa, with the launch to be led by the President.

The announcement comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) released new guidelines in July 2025 during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda. It recommended injectable Lenacapavir as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention.

Regulator SAHPRA announced the registration of Lenacapavir on 27 October 2025, making South Africa the first African country to approve the twice-yearly injection.

Mwandla, who works as a Clinical Research Associate, was born and raised in the rural area of KwaMaphumulo in KwaZulu-Natal.

She expressed her desire for the medication to be offered free of charge to everyone, particularly young people in schools and universities.

“I believe that is where we can curb the spread of HIV. Young people remain among the most vulnerable to new HIV infections,” Mwandla said.

“Having grown up in a rural area, I advocate for people in the rural areas and townships. Scientific breakthroughs must be matched by equitable access, education, and community outreach to achieve meaningful public health impact.”

The medication was “more than a medical advancement; it represents a shift in accessibility, dignity, and hope,” she said.

Mwandla is pursuing her Honours in the Science of Clinical Research at the University of Liverpool, and previously worked as a Clinical Technologist specialising in Pulmonology.

She is the founder of the Mwandla Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting high school learners by providing basic needs, career guidance and mentorship.

The DOH has said that HIV prevention options need to be expanded to improve adherence, especially among vulnerable groups such as adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Levy Masiteng 

The death toll from last week’s crash involving learners from Vryburg High School has risen to four, following the death of a third learner on Saturday. 

The North West Department of Education confirmed that the Grade 12 learner, who was hospitalised with serious injuries, had died, bringing the number of learner fatalities to three, along with the driver.

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On Wednesday, a school transport that was travelling from Delareyville to Vryburg for the reopening of schools for the second term, collided with a truck approximately 20 kilometres outside Vryburg. 

The vehicle had four leaners and a driver inside, the incident claimed the lives of two learners and the driver at the scene, while two surviving learners were rushed to the hospital.

According to the department, the deceased learners were in Grades 9, 10 and 12, while the one hospitalised is in grade 12. 

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“On Wednesday, following the accident, I rushed to meet with all the families to offer my support, and we were all optimistic that she would recover. Unfortunately, that was not the case; God had other plans which were not the same as ours,” said MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi.

The department said that the fourth learner is recovering well after undergoing a successful operation at Milpark Hospital.

“I wish to take this moment to convey my sincerest condolences to all the bereaved families and to pray for a full recovery for the learner who is still in hospital,” Motsumi said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION