By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The Eastern Cape government has handed over the newly built Bethelsdorp High School in Salt Lake, a R112.75 million infrastructure investment aimed at easing pressure on schools in Nelson Mandela Bay’s Northern Areas.

The area has faced growing enrolment and a need for additional classrooms, repairs and other infrastructure.

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Speaking at the official opening and handover, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said Bethelsdorp High School had served the community since 1972, with its history linked to families displaced from areas including South End and Newtown under apartheid.

“For generations, parents have sent their children here believing that education could give them opportunities that were denied to previous generations,” Mabuyane said.

“Today, we honour that history by handing over a modern school that gives our young people the facilities they deserve.”

The new school has 31 classrooms, two science laboratories, a technical workshop, an ICT centre, a library and media centre, a nutrition kitchen, playing fields and improved safety and security infrastructure.

Mabuyane said the facilities should allow learners to read, experiment, develop practical skills and explore different career pathways.

He said the Three Stream Model was important because learners would not all follow the same path, with some pursuing university studies, technical and vocational education, business or other professions.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that every learner has a pathway to a meaningful future,” he said.

Mabuyane said the Eastern Cape was positioning itself for opportunities in renewable energy and other emerging sectors.

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He said the proposed nuclear power station at Thyspunt, if it proceeds, would create demand for engineers, artisans, technicians, environmental specialists and other skills.

“The education you receive here must prepare you not only for today’s economy, but for the economy of tomorrow,” he said.

Mabuyane also highlighted the school’s improved matric performance, with the pass rate increasing from 43.3% in 2023 to 50.4% in 2024 and 78.9% in 2025.

He said the results demonstrated determination and talent among learners and staff, and expressed hope that the new facilities would help improve performance further.

With matric learners preparing for their final examinations, Mabuyane urged parents, educators and the wider community to support them by providing space to study, helping them reach examination centres safely and protecting them from distractions.

He also appealed to learners to celebrate responsibly after the examinations.

“Young people have every right to celebrate when examinations are over,” he said.

“But celebration must not turn into alcohol and substance abuse, violence, crime or other behaviour that can destroy lives. Let us celebrate achievement without putting our children at risk.”

He called on parents, schools, traditional leaders, churches, community organisations, law enforcement and learners to work together to ensure that celebrations remain safe.

Mabuyane said the Bethelsdorp project included R112.75 million in investment, with more than R94 million supporting local businesses, suppliers and construction-related activity.

He said 18 local small, medium and micro enterprises benefited from the project, while 10 community members received accredited training and graduates and trainees gained work experience.

“This is important because when government builds infrastructure, we want communities to benefit from that investment,” he said.

Mabuyane also provided an update on infrastructure projects across the Northern Areas.

He said Reubin Birin was under construction after the site was handed over on 2 October, with completion expected by October 2027.

Walmer and KK Ncwane were also under construction, with completion dates scheduled for December 2027 and February 2027 respectively.

Galvendale and Greenville had contractors on site for their first phases, while temporary accommodation and decanting were being used as part of the response to infrastructure pressures.

“Greenville’s first phase provides prefabricated structures, with practical completion scheduled for February 2027,” he said.

“Alfonso Aries includes repairs to existing prefabricated structures and the replacement of 11 structures. Sakhile is planned to use prefabricated structures relocated from David Livingstone.”

Some projects, however, face planning and capacity challenges.

Mabuyane said Booysen Park was originally designed for 1,275 learners, but enrolment had since increased to 1,676, requiring the project to be redesigned and cost estimates revised.

“The second phase of Alfonso Aries is delayed while the district confirms the site for a new school,” he said.

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“There are also urgent needs that remain; Nxanelwimfundo’s fencing requests are awaiting the HOD’s signature.”

Northern Lights is in procurement for emergency roof repairs and two additional prefabricated structures, while an assessment at Sanctor identified the need for five additional prefabricated classrooms.

The infrastructure plan estimates that R93 million would be required to replace Sanctor, Mabuyane said.

He said the infrastructure programme needed to respond to immediate pressures while accounting for changing enrolment patterns across Nelson Mandela Bay.

“At Booysen Park, for example, enrolment has grown from 1,275 to 1,676 learners, requiring the project to be redesigned to match the school’s actual needs,” he said.

Across Nelson Mandela Bay, the programme includes repairs, temporary classrooms, urgent safety work and planning for replacement schools.

“We will continue to monitor progress against the milestones set for each project and address the delays that affect delivery,” Mabuyane said.

He urged Bethelsdorp High School learners to take care of the new facilities, respect their teachers, support one another and not allow their circumstances to determine their future.

“Work hard. Ask questions. Read. Make use of every opportunity available to you,” he said.

“A beautiful school creates better conditions, but it is your dedication that turns those conditions into real learning.”

The school’s motto, Laboremus Futura — “Let us labour for the future” — captured the message, Mabuyane said.

He said the future was built through hard work and expressed hope that the school would continue producing young people who would make a difference in their community, province and country.

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By Peggie Mars

South Africa observed Child Passenger Safety Week late last month, with the focus being on protecting children as passengers and young road users.

But keeping children safe on our roads requires us to look beyond what happens inside a vehicle and consider the environments they navigate every day.

Every morning across South Africa, millions of young road users step out of their homes and into an unforgiving environment never built for them. As adults, when we witness a child dart across a busy road, hesitate mid-crossing, or step out from behind a minibus taxi, our default reaction is often frustration or blame.

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We ask why they failed to look left and right, why they did not obey the rules or why they could not see the approaching vehicle?

The painful truth is that our entire approach to child road safety is built on a dangerous fallacy. We treat children as miniature adults who simply need to be lectured a few more times, while quietly offloading the burden of survival onto the shoulders of the most vulnerable people on our roads.

We cannot educate biology away. Expecting a seven or eight-year-old to navigate heavy traffic using adult judgement is not just unrealistic; it is a fatal design flaw. If we intend to protect young road users, we must stop expecting children to adapt to our roads and start engineering our transport systems, school precincts and driving culture around how children actually behave.

The biological reality: a brain under construction

A child’s brain, nervous system and physical senses are not fully developed versions of an adult. They are physiologically incomplete, processing sensory input and assessing risk through a completely different framework.

An adult enjoys a horizontal field of view of roughly 180 degrees, allowing us to detect peripheral motion, like an overtaking vehicle or an approaching cyclist, without turning our heads.

A child under 10 has a field of view that is about one-third narrower. They live with natural tunnel vision, seeing only what lies directly in front of them. Hazards closing in from the flanks simply do not register until they are almost on top of them.

Compounding this is the development of depth perception and velocity calculation. Adults intuitively judge speed, distance and deceleration within fractions of a second. A child’s visual cortex has not mastered this integration. Until roughly the age of 10 to 12, a vehicle travelling at 60 km/h looks virtually identical to one moving at 30 km/h.

To a child, a fast-moving vehicle does not look like an imminent physical threat; it looks like a flat picture that is gradually getting larger. When a child misjudges a gap and steps into the road, they are not being reckless. Their brains simply cannot compute the rate of closure.

Auditory localisation is equally fragile. When an adult hears a sudden screech of tyres or a blaring hooter, our brainstem calculates the minute difference in sound arrival time between our ears, instantly orienting us toward the threat.

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In young children, this system is still developing. When an approaching driver hoots aggressively to warn a child near the kerb, the sound often causes sensory overload rather than clarity. A child might hear the hooter from the right, turn their head to look left, or freeze entirely in panic.

Then comes the prefrontal cortex, the seat of impulse control, executive function and risk assessment, which is the last part of the human brain to mature. Children do not possess multi-channel attention. If a classmate calls out from across the street, a stray dog darts past, or a juice bottle rolls into the gutter, the road and every rule they have ever been taught evaporates from their working memory.

They act first and calculate consequence later.

Furthermore, young children operate on magical thinking and egocentric logic: If I can see the front grille of the car, the driver can see me. They have no practical concept of windscreen pillars, blind spots or stopping physics. Combine that with a physical height that falls well below the bonnet line of modern SUVs, bakkies and minibus taxis and you have pedestrians who are literally invisible to drivers until it is too late.

The systemic failure: blaming the victim

Despite this overwhelming biological evidence, our societal response continues to place the primary responsibility for road safety squarely on the child.

We hand out colourful colouring books, stage road safety talks in school halls and teach catchy songs about looking left and right. Then, we send those same children out into high-speed transit corridors without footpaths, force them to navigate open drainage ditches alongside fast-moving traffic, and expect them to cross multi-lane arterials outside school gates with zero pedestrian priority.

When a collision occurs, the conversation inevitably drifts toward child error: “The learner dashed out unexpectedly.”

This is an abdication of adult responsibility. An unpredictable dash is not an anomaly; it is standard child behaviour. A safe road system expects human error and absorbs it; our current system expects perfection from developing brains and punishes failure with death or life-altering disability.

Designing for reality: roads, school zones and transport systems

If we accept that a child cannot rewrite their neurobiology to suit our roads, the mandate shifts entirely to the adults who plan infrastructure, regulate transit and operate vehicles.

First, we must fundamentally redesign our school precincts. A school zone should not simply be a street with a faded sign that drivers ignore. It must be self-enforcing through physical design. This means traffic calming by default: speed humps, raised zebra crossings, chicanes and narrowed carriageways that physically force vehicle speeds down to a survivable 30 km/h. At 30 km/h, a driver’s stopping distance is drastically reduced, and should an impact occur, a child’s chances of survival rise to roughly 90%. At 60 km/h, it is almost certain death.

Second, infrastructure must prioritise pedestrian separation. Dedicated, paved walkways that keep children physically away from traffic lanes, pedestrian guardrails that guide energetic groups directly to designated crossing points and car-free drop-off bays are basic necessities, not luxuries. If we know children have single-track focus, we must build physical barriers that prevent an impulsive dash from landing them in the path of a moving vehicle.

Third, our scholar transport operations must integrate child-centred defensive protocols. A child is at their most vulnerable during the first and last 50 metres of the journey. Transport operators must enforce strict kerbside-only boarding, keeping sliding doors locked until the vehicle is fully stationary.

Drop-off routines must include the non-negotiable rule that children remain on the pavement until the transport vehicle pulls completely away, preventing the deadly blind cross where small pedestrians step into traffic directly around high vehicle bonnets.

Businesses that operate fleets or provide services on our roads also have a responsibility to ensure that their vehicles, drivers and safety practices do not add unnecessary risk. Companies such as Supa Quick, which works closely with motorists and vehicle owners, also have an opportunity to reinforce the importance of vehicle safety and responsible road use.

Road safety is not the responsibility of one sector alone; every organisation that puts vehicles on the road has a role to play.

Continuing to rely on child education as our primary line of defence is an ongoing policy failure.

Real protection requires a fundamental shift: designing infrastructure, setting speeds and operating transport around the reality of how children actually behave. Until we build that buffer of safety around their biological vulnerability, we are not managing road safety; we are simply leaving our children’s lives to chance.

Peggie Mars is a child passenger safety expert and founder of Wheel Well.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

The University of South Africa (Unisa) is set to confer 16,900 qualifications during its 2026 Spring Graduation Season.

The ceremonies run from 5 October to 28 November and will take place in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Mbombela, Polokwane, East London, Durban and Cape Town.

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The university said the qualifications include 417 master’s and 300 doctoral degrees.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the ZK Matthews Great Hall in Pretoria on Monday, Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula reminded graduates that graduation should not be viewed simply as the end of an academic journey, but as the beginning of a new chapter.

“Graduation is more than the conferral of a qualification. It is a declaration that they are equipped to interrogate complexity, challenge assumptions and contribute meaningfully to society,” LenkaBula said.

Using spring as a metaphor for renewal, LenkaBula told graduates that the season represented an opportunity for them to flourish after years of hard work and perseverance.

“Spring is a new year. It represents the new beginnings, and new beginnings after a long winter. It is a season that we see what was planted, and when we see the flowers, the beginning of flowers,” she said.

“And therefore, dear graduates, it’s your season to flower. It is your season to flourish. It is your season to celebrate the accomplishments, the long and arduous work, the investments you would have made with your talents.”

LenkaBula acknowledged that the journey towards graduation had not been easy for many students, particularly those studying through an open-distance learning environment while balancing work, family responsibilities and other challenges.

She joked with graduates about the realities of university life, including repeating difficult modules and missing important assignment deadlines.

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“Some of you might have done one module five times. They’re laughing because they know it’s true,” she said.

She also acknowledged graduates who had faced challenges such as load shedding and limited access to study facilities while completing their qualifications.

“I know that sometimes you have studied with a candle because there was load shedding, or maybe there was not load shedding because of the challenges of life,” LenkaBula said.

“Sometimes you have had to come to the University of South Africa, to the laboratories, or to the classrooms, and we’re quite appreciative for your tenacity.”

She highlighted the significance of being the first person in a family to obtain a university qualification.

She asked graduates to indicate how many were the first in their families to graduate, drawing attention to the number of hands raised in the hall.

“We’re proud of you who are the first generations in your families to graduate,” she said.

“You are truly living that mantra that the first president of this country, His Excellency President Mandela, would have stated about education as an important resource that changes lives.”

LenkaBula said education should be viewed as a lever for social and economic transformation, particularly for students from families and communities where higher education had previously been inaccessible.

She urged graduates not to limit themselves to seeking employment, but to use their education to create opportunities for others.

“As you graduate today, it’s not your last graduation, and instead, that you’re going to invite others to see the purpose of education is that which changes lives for the better,” she said.

“And that you who are graduating will not just look for jobs, but you will create jobs.”

According to LenkaBula, the university’s open-distance learning model had enabled it to reach students across South Africa and beyond, providing opportunities to people who may otherwise have struggled to access conventional university education.

She also reminded graduates of Unisa’s history and its contribution to producing leaders in South Africa and internationally.

Among the institution’s notable alumni is former president Nelson Mandela, whose association with Unisa was highlighted during the graduation address.

LenkaBula told graduates that they were joining a global community of more than one million Unisa alumni who were contributing to their communities, the country and the continent.

“Our undergraduate success rate has risen to 77%, and our tenure cohort has fallen, meaning we’re graduating more students, and more students are doing well.”

She also said Unisa now had 320 academics who had received National Research Foundation recognition, describing the achievement as an important development for the university’s research ambitions.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA) has provided R13.9 million to clear historical debt owed by 253 Central University of Technology (CUT) graduates, allowing them to access qualifications previously withheld because of outstanding fees.

CUT said in a statement that student debt remained a significant challenge across the post-school education sector, with outstanding balances often preventing graduates from accessing academic records and certificates.

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“This, in turn, limits their ability to pursue employment opportunities and establish financial stability,” the university said.

“Consequently, outstanding debt can create a cycle in which graduates are denied access to the very opportunities that could enable them to secure employment, improve their financial circumstances, and ultimately settle their outstanding obligations.”

The funding covered graduates in Information Technology, Accounting, Internal Auditing and the Advanced Diploma in Applied Management.

Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Samson Mashele said the intervention represented an investment not only in the affected graduates, but also in their families and their future contribution to the economy.

“Behind every outstanding balance is a student who has worked hard to complete their studies.

“There is a family that has made sacrifices. There is a young professional ready to enter the world of work,” Mashele said.

“The funding will provide our graduates with an opportunity to move forward, enter the workforce and begin contributing to their families, communities and the broader economy,” he said.

BANKSETA Senior Manager for Human Resources Dr Lefaso Motsoeneng said historical debt funding was intended to remove financial barriers preventing deserving students and graduates from completing their academic journeys.

“Through strategic partnerships, we can tackle these challenges, expand access and help shape a more inclusive future.”

He said BANKSETA remained committed to supporting young people facing financial barriers and helping them transition into professional employment.

CUT said partnerships such as the BANKSETA intervention formed part of its efforts to remove financial obstacles that prevented graduates from using their qualifications to pursue employment and build sustainable careers.

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One beneficiary, Skejana Philasande, completed a National Diploma in IT Software Development in 2017 but said outstanding debt had prevented her from accessing her qualification.

Philasande said she had spent years being employed on the strength of her Grade 12 certificate rather than her university qualification.

“It was painful knowing that my qualification was being withheld because of my outstanding debt. The BANKSETA funding has given me renewed hope and the opportunity to pursue a career aligned with my studies,” Philasande said.

“What may seem like financial support is, for me, a chance to build the future I have always worked towards. I am deeply grateful.”

Refiloe Maduna, who completed a National Diploma in IT Software Development in 2026, said being defunded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme had left her unsure how she would settle her outstanding fees.

She said she discovered that BANKSETA had paid the amount while checking her university ITS account.

“The relief and gratitude I felt in that moment are difficult to put into words. BANKSETA paid an amount that I simply did not know how I was going to afford on my own,” Maduna said.

“I am sincerely grateful to BANKSETA and CUT for this life-changing opportunity. I hope this support continues to open doors for many other students like me and graduates who find themselves in need of a helping hand.”

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Photos by Eddie Mtsweni

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has paid tribute to South Africa’s 485 000 educators, saying their daily work in classrooms is helping to build the country’s future as World Teachers’ Day shines a spotlight on the support and working conditions teachers need to perform their duties.

“Today is National Teachers’ Day, and I want to say to almost half a million of you that we see you, we see your hard work, we see just how much you dedicate yourselves to building South Africa,” Gwarube said.

“I want you to remember that every single time you walk into a classroom, that you are building the future of this country brick by brick, learner by learner. We want to say sianibulela, sianishonipa, and we want to say we appreciate the work that you do.”

World Teachers’ Day is observed annually on 5 October to recognise the contribution of teachers and draw attention to the professional conditions that shape their work.

This year’s observance is particularly significant as it marks 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organisation (ILO)/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

UNESCO’s 2026 theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures”, calls for more than recognition of educators. It places the spotlight on whether education systems are providing teachers with the professional, material and institutional support they need.

The Department of Basic Education said it was continuing to strengthen the foundations of the education system, including early childhood development and Foundation Phase teaching.

Over the past year, the department registered more than 13 300 early childhood development centres against a target of 10 000.

The DBE said a R496 million fund had been established to create ECD spaces in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.

In addition, 10 000 Foundation Phase teachers are receiving targeted training in literacy and numeracy this year as the department works to strengthen the National Reading Literacy Strategy.

The interventions come as the education sector continues to grapple with challenges including learner performance, teacher workload, infrastructure, safety and the changing demands placed on educators.

Dean of Education at Rosebank International, Dr Shani Steyn, said World Teachers’ Day should be an opportunity to move beyond celebrating teachers and reflect on what it means to genuinely support the profession.

“Teaching is about far more than delivering curriculum. At its heart, it is relational work. Teachers see potential, build confidence, encourage curiosity and help young people make sense of themselves and the increasingly complex world around them,” Steyn said.

“Standing with teachers therefore means more than thanking them for what they do. It means recognising them as professionals, investing in their development, listening to their voices and ensuring that they are equipped and supported to respond to the changing needs of the learners and communities they serve.”

Steyn said teachers were working in increasingly complex classrooms while having to navigate technological developments, artificial intelligence, changing assessment approaches, learner wellbeing, neurodiversity and inclusive education.

She said teacher preparation therefore needed to extend beyond subject knowledge.

“This means that preparing teachers for the future cannot simply be about giving them subject knowledge and sending them into classrooms,” Steyn said.

“They need strong pedagogical knowledge, the ability to make sound professional judgements and the confidence to adapt their teaching so that different learners have meaningful opportunities to participate and succeed.”

The 60th anniversary of the international recommendation on the status of teachers also provides an opportunity to consider how educators are prepared before entering the profession and how they are supported throughout their careers.

“We need teachers who are knowledgeable, certainly, but also reflective, adaptable and willing to keep learning throughout their careers. The classroom will continue to change,” Steyn said.

“Good teacher education therefore cannot prepare graduates for one version of the classroom; it must prepare them to continue learning and responding as education itself evolves.”

Steyn said pathways into teaching should remain accessible while maintaining professional standards.

Rosebank International offers a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education as an entry-level route for people interested in early childhood education, while students can progress through Bachelor of Education qualifications in Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase Teaching.

“The journey to becoming a teacher does not always begin and end with a single qualification,” Steyn said.

“For some aspiring educators, a higher certificate may be that important first step. What matters is that we create meaningful pathways into the profession while maintaining the quality and professional standards that teaching demands.”

She said investing in teachers ultimately meant investing in learners.

“As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, we should celebrate both those already serving in our classrooms and those preparing to join them. Standing with teachers means investing in the profession across the entire journey, from the aspiring student teacher to the experienced educator who continues to learn, adapt and lead,” Steyn said.

“Because when we invest in teachers, we are ultimately investing in every learner whose future they will help to shape.”

Meanwhile, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) used World Teachers’ Day to call for stronger protection of teachers’ rights, improved working conditions and greater investment in public education.

SADTU said the theme was a reminder that the future of society was inseparable from the dignity, rights and working conditions of teachers.

The union paid tribute not only to school teachers but also to lecturers in higher education, education support personnel and early childhood development practitioners.

According to SADTU, the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation set out principles relating to teachers’ rights and responsibilities, initial teacher preparation, further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.

It also promoted teachers’ participation in educational decision-making through consultation and negotiation with education authorities.

SADTU said the principles remained relevant as teachers faced a range of pressures in the education system.

The union highlighted the gender imbalance in the profession, saying that while the majority of teachers were women, men continued to dominate leadership positions.

It said women were also heavily represented in early childhood education, which plays a critical role in children’s academic, emotional and physical development, but that many ECD practitioners continued to struggle for recognition as teachers.

SADTU said the formalisation of the ECD sector by the Department of Basic Education was partly a result of its advocacy.

The union called for women teachers to be protected from harassment and discrimination and afforded equal opportunities to advance into leadership positions.

It also raised concerns about violence against teachers and the safety of educators in schools.

“No teacher should have to enter a classroom fearing for their lives,” SADTU said, calling for stronger measures to protect teachers and address the social conditions contributing to violence in schools.

The union said schools needed to be places of teaching, learning, safety and dignity rather than spaces where educators faced violence, intimidation or abuse.

SADTU further warned that teachers were bearing the impact of austerity measures and resource constraints, arguing that cuts to education budgets could affect the ability of educators to provide quality teaching.

Overcrowded classrooms, inadequate resources, insufficient support and growing administrative workloads were among the challenges identified by the union.

SADTU cited a University of Stellenbosch study which found that 50% of South African teachers were considering leaving the profession within a decade, with administrative burdens identified as a major source of stress.

The union said teachers could not be expected to continually do more with fewer resources while carrying the responsibility of preparing future generations.

It called for sustained investment in public education, saying education should be treated as a fundamental social investment rather than expenditure to be reduced when budgets come under pressure.

“Honouring teachers means ensuring decent working conditions, fair remuneration, safe schools, adequate resources, professional development, and meaningful participation in decisions that affect the education system and the teaching profession,” SADTU said.

The union also called for the restoration of the social status and dignity of teaching, saying teachers should be recognised as professionals whose expertise and commitment were essential to building a just, equal and prosperous society.

As the country marks World Teachers’ Day, SADTU also congratulated the educators recognised at the Department of Basic Education’s National Teaching Awards, saying the awards celebrate excellence, dedication and innovation in teaching and school leadership.

The union said it wanted to see more initiatives recognising teachers not only from government but also from the private sector.

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