By Muhamadi Matovu

Hisense has said its newly established Technology Museum in Kampala is intended to help Ugandan students translate classroom theory into practical technological skills, as part of efforts to nurture future innovators in one of the world’s youngest populations.

The remarks come as the global electronics manufacturer launched the Hisense Technology Museum the first facility of its kind in East Africa marking a shift from retail operations toward social impact and science education initiatives in Uganda.

Derek Haewoong, Director of Marketing for Hisense MEA, said the museum was designed to complement formal education by offering hands-on experiences in science and technology.

“Students are always in classrooms learning concepts from books. But when theory meets experience, that theory becomes stronger,” Haewoong said. “When they come here, they can explore what they have learned and see how it works in real life.”

The museum features demonstrations explaining how digital screens function, how energy-efficient systems operate and how artificial intelligence responds to users.

Haewoong said the aim is to make scientific concepts more tangible and relevant to everyday life, including applications in homes, businesses and environmental sustainability.

He noted that Uganda’s youthful demographic presents both an opportunity and a responsibility for technology companies operating in the country.

“Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. These young students will become future innovators,” he said. “This museum shows them that the future is already here.”

Haewoong added that the initiative aligns with the company’s broader research and development strategy, which focuses on listening to consumer needs and encouraging innovation.

Exposure to technology at an early stage, he said, can inspire students not only to use products but also to improve and create new solutions.

“When a child sees a product, some of them will ask, ‘What if I can make it better?’ That is how innovation begins,” he said.

Developed in partnership with Ximing Group, the museum serves as the flagship project of Hisense’s 2026 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy.

The center is designed to provide schoolchildren and the public with hands-on exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Speaking at the launch, Ximing Group Managing Director Liu Mingshu said the company’s role in Uganda has evolved since entering the market nearly two decades ago.

“Since Hisense first entered the Ugandan market, we have grown from being a guest in your homes to becoming part of the Ugandan family,” she said, adding that the initiative aims to inspire the next generation of innovators through exposure to artificial intelligence and green technologies.

The museum includes interactive exhibits on the physics of light, climate-smart engineering and AI-powered systems.

Education leaders, including headteachers from schools across the country, attended the launch, marking the start of a nationwide program to give students practical exposure to global technologies.

Liu said the facility builds on the company’s recent donation of 50 smart televisions to schools, shifting focus from providing digital tools to creating an environment where young people can explore innovation firsthand.

Jason Ou, President of Hisense Global MEA and India, described Uganda as a central pillar of the company’s global social strategy.

He said the museum represents a move beyond standalone products toward integrated intelligent solutions and serves as a “social classroom” aimed at nurturing future technology leaders.

Courtesy: NILEPOST

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) has engaged the University of the Free State (UFS) following the release of a peer-reviewed study identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in various sanitary pads and pantyliners sold in South Africa.

The research, conducted by a multidisciplinary UFS team and published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, was an in vitro laboratory detection study and did not involve human subjects.

The department said there is currently no directive to withdraw any products from the market but stressed that transparent, science-led policy would guide government’s response.

“The Department notes the significance of the research findings, which highlight the detection of certain chemicals associated with potential hormonal interference,” it said in a statement on Sunday.

“While the study does not establish immediate or short-term health harm, it raises important concerns regarding long-term exposure and cumulative health risks.”

The department also welcomed a call by the National Consumer Commission to investigate the findings and review regulations to ensure menstrual health products are safe, affordable and accessible.

It reiterated its commitment to work with the Department of Health, the South African Bureau of Standards, consumer protection agencies, manufacturers, suppliers and civil society groups to assess and strengthen regulatory frameworks, enhance quality assurance and promote transparency in menstrual hygiene products.

The department also urged calm while investigations continue and pledged to keep the public informed.

“Menstrual dignity is not a privilege; it is a right. The health and safety of women and girls in South Africa will remain a priority,” it said.

UFS Senior Director of Communication and Marketing Lacea Loader said the products tested contained at least two types of EDCs, including phthalates, bisphenols and parabens, regardless of marketing claims.

“These substances are known for their potential to interact with the body’s hormonal systems. The study raises concerns about cumulative exposure over time, particularly considering the prolonged and repeated use of menstrual products across a woman’s reproductive lifespan,” Loader said.

She stressed that the research does not claim short-term use of menstrual products causes specific health conditions, nor does it make findings of unlawful conduct, regulatory non-compliance, negligence or intentional wrongdoing by any manufacturer, supplier or distributor.

Any determinations regarding compliance with legislation fall within the mandate of relevant regulatory authorities, she said.

Loader added that the study highlights a knowledge gap, calls for further scientific and clinical investigation, and underscores the need for greater transparency around chemical composition in consumer products and stronger regulatory standards aligned with current scientific evidence.

“The purpose of the scientific research conducted at the university is not to create fear, anxiety or panic, but to inform and empower consumers, policymakers and health professionals through robust data and scientific evidence,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

A primary school in southern Iran was struck during Saturday’s joint US-Israeli military operation, killing at least 148 people who were mostly schoolgirls, according to Iranian authorities.

The attack came as the US and Israel launched joint military action against Iran on Saturday, beginning in Tehran and expanding across the country.

For the full story, click the link below

Strike on Iranian primary school kills dozens, authorities say

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ALSO READ: Vodacom foundation rolls out R1.5m School of Excellence at Lavelilanga Secondary in Komani

The Vodacom Foundation this week launched a R1.5 million School of Excellence (SoE) model at Lavelilanga Secondary School in Komani, marking a significant boost for digital learning and infrastructure development in the Eastern Cape.

The R1.5 million investment over the first 12 months is said to go towards upgrading facilities, strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying dedicated ICT and psychosocial support staff, at the school. 

Vodacom foundation rolls out R1.5m School of Excellence at Lavelilanga Secondary in Komani

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ALSO READ: Manamela says skills development is a mandate, not a favour

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela says skills development is central to South Africa’s growth and restoring dignity to previously disadvantaged and vulnerable youth, stressing that it is not a favour but a constitutional mandate of government and its entities.

“Skills development is not a favour that we do for South Africans. It is an important investment that we make for the future of our country. If we get it right, it means we are unlocking growth, dignity and social cohesion,” Manamela said on Thursday.

For the full story, click the link below.

MQA Lekgotla: Manamela says skills development is a mandate, not a favour

INSIDE EDUCATION

A primary school in southern Iran was struck during Saturday’s joint US-Israeli military operation, killing at least 148 people who were mostly schoolgirls, according to Iranian authorities.

The attack came as the US and Israel launched joint military action against Iran on Saturday, beginning in Tehran and expanding across the country.

Mohammad Ashouri, governor of Hormozgan province, said Shajareh Tayebeh primary school in the coastal city of Minab was struck at 10.45am.

Some 170 schoolgirls were present, Ashouri said, adding that he hoped rescue operations would find survivors trapped under rubble. The Minab judiciary said 148 people had been killed and 95 injured. The semi-official ISNA news agency said on Sunday that the death toll had risen to 153.

State television showed the destroyed school with benches under debris, while mothers screamed in the school’s courtyard.

The Islamic republic described the attack as an example of what it called US and Israeli atrocities. President Masoud Pezeshkian said it was “savage” and “inhumane”.

The foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, called it a “war crime”.

Neither the US nor Israel has commented on the reason for the strike, but the US military said it was aware of reports of civilian casualties in Iran from its joint operation with Israel.

“We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them,” said Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, which oversees American operations in the region.

“The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimise the risk of unintended harm.”

Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said on Sunday that the force was “not aware of any IDF operations in that area” of the school.

The strike raised anger among some US politicians. Marjorie Taylor Greene — the former Republican congresswoman who resigned her seat at the start of the year after falling out with President Donald Trump — wrote on X on Saturday: “I did not campaign for this. I did not donate money for this. I did not vote for this, in elections or Congress. This is heartbreaking and tragic.”

“And how many more innocent will die? What about our own military? This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be. Shame!”

Iranian state television reported that “many” civilians had been killed across the country, describing the strike on the school in Minab as the most tragic incident so far. It did not provide further details on overall civilian casualties.

Ali Alizadeh, governor of Lamerd in southern Iran, said the joint operation targeted four residential neighbourhoods in that area, including a sports hall, killing at least 15 civilians and injuring many more.

Several rounds of attacks targeted various neighbourhoods in Tehran.

A text message sent to residents urged people to evacuate the capital if possible and move to safer areas “due to the continuation of the joint US and Zionist regime operation against Tehran and other major cities”.

Roads leading from Tehran to coastal cities along the Caspian Sea in the north have been converted to one-way routes and are crowded with residents fleeing over fears that residential buildings could be targeted.

During the June 2025 war with Israel, which centred on Tehran, officials said more than 8,500 buildings were damaged, 650 were completely destroyed and more than 1,000 civilians were killed nationwide.

Additional reporting by Steff Chávez in Washington

Financial Times

By Levy Masiteng 

The Vodacom Foundation this week launched a R1.5 million School of Excellence (SoE) model at Lavelilanga Secondary School in Komani, marking a significant boost for digital learning and infrastructure development in the Eastern Cape.

The R1.5 million investment over the first 12 months is said to go towards upgrading facilities, strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying dedicated ICT and psychosocial support staff, at the school. 

ALSO READ: MQA Lekgotla: Manamela says skills development is a mandate, not a favour

The Foundation said it will enhance a refurbished computer centre, improved security systems, sanitation upgrades and reliable connectivity. 

“The model also provides at least two ICT coordinators to offer technical support to teachers and learners, as well as psychosocial professionals to address challenges such as violence and gender-based violence,” the foundation added.

The investment was funded by the Foundation together with their partner the Eastern Cape Department of Education.

They said they aim to entrench a culture of academic excellence by integrating technology, infrastructure upgrades and psychosocial support into the school environment.

ALSO READ: Early childhood development gets R12.8bn boost in budget

“Public-Private Partnerships like the launch of this Vodacom Educational Ecosystem are essential in helping us overcome the challenges in providing the quality education that South Africa’s Constitution promises and envisages,” Eastern Cape MEC for Education, Fundile Gade said. 

The ecosystem further includes connectivity provisions and access to a zero-rated Vodacom e-learning platform.

Zakhele Jiyane, Vodacom SA Managing Executive for the Eastern Cape Region, said the initiative reflects the company’s broader social purpose.

“Through our work with the Vodacom Foundation, we are dedicated to advancing quality education and creating meaningful opportunities for learners and educators. Bringing this to Lavelilanga exemplifies our commitment to leveraging innovative, technology-enabled solutions that transform lives.”

The launch formed part of Vodacom’s broader Educational Ecosystem, introduced in 2019 to support government’s Vision 2030 goals and expand access to quality education in previously disadvantaged communities. 

The Foundation said each SoE is strategically located near an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre, a Teacher Centre and a Vodacom ICT Youth Academy hub, ensuring learners benefit from a comprehensive, community-linked support system. 

Principal Sisanda Hexana welcomed the partnership, describing it as transformative for the school community.

“We are incredibly grateful to Vodacom for this exceptional partnership and the incredible doors this Educational Ecosystem will open for our learners and the wider Zingquthu community.”

ALSO READ: Winde touts early-grade gains and R1.5bn school build in Western Cape SOPA

Nationally, the Vodacom Schools of Excellence model currently supports 39 schools, 39 ECD centres and 10 Youth Academy centres. 

To date, more than 1,800 young people have been trained in accredited ICT skills through Vodacom’s Youth Academy programme, with many now deployed across supported schools and communities.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape currently hosts six Schools of Excellence, including Lavelilanga, supported by Vodacom’s comprehensive ecosystem model with an investment of over R5 million to date.

“We believe that access to quality education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering young learners to reach their full potential,” Jiyane, said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe   

Education took centre stage during Premier Alan Winde’s 2026 State of the Province Address on Wednesday night, where he presented improved early-grade test scores, record matric results, and expanded school infrastructure as evidence of progress in the province.

“Education is the key to independence, economic inclusion and employment,” Winde said during his address in George.

ALSO READ: Only 3 in 10 pupils read at grade level in early years, Reading Panel says

The Premier cited results from the province’s 2025 systemic tests, written by more than 91,000 Grade 3 learners. According to the figures presented, the mathematics pass rate has increased from 44.3% in 2021 to 62% in 2025. Language pass rates rose from 36.9% to 51.2% over the same period. 

“They achieved their highest results ever,” Winde said.

According to the Premier, these gains come after the introduction of a structured language programme in all primary schools since 2024. Teachers in Grades 1 to 3 were trained in the science of reading, and additional time was allocated to reading and mathematics during the school day. 

“Teachers in Grades 1 to 3 were trained in the science of reading, and teacher and learner support materials were provided to all our schools,” he said.

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Winde said the province is “bucking this trend through innovation and agility,” referring to the national literacy crisis. He added that the #BackOnTrack programme, which provides additional academic support, “is working, which will keep more children in school and out of a life of poverty.”

Infrastructure expansion has accompanied the academic interventions. Nine new schools opened in the past year in high-demand areas in Cape Town and along the Garden Route, and 15 more are under construction. Ahead of the 2026 school year, 175 new classrooms have been added to existing schools.

“We are building schools faster than most other provinces combined,” Winde said.

The Western Cape Education Department has set aside R1.5 billion this year for new schools and classroom construction. The province now has just under 1,500 schools, with enrolment continuing to grow as families move to the province.

School nutrition remains a significant part of the education strategy. More than 550,000 learners receive a free meal each school day. 

“A learner with a full stomach is more likely to stay in school,” Winde said.

At the end of the schooling system, the province recorded its highest-ever matric pass rate in 2025 at 88.2%, alongside a bachelor’s pass rate of 49.2%. 

ALSO READ: Only 3 in 10 pupils read at grade level in early years, Reading Panel says

“Our Matrics did us proud once again,” Winde said. Learners with special education needs achieved a 91.9% pass rate.

The Premier also highlighted the Khulisa Care pilot programme, which provides nutritional support to undernourished pregnant women and mothers of low-birth-weight babies. He said early intervention is necessary because malnutrition and stunting are linked to poorer educational outcomes later in life. 

“When children begin life with strong foundations of nutrition, stimulation and care, they have a much better chance of succeeding at school and into adulthood,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Des Erasmus

Early childhood development (ECD) will receive an additional R12.8 billion over the next three years, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said on Wednesday while delivering his budget speech.

This would expand services to an extra 300 000 children while maintaining a per-child, per-day subsidy of R24, he said.

ALSO READ: Only 3 in 10 pupils read at grade level in early years, Reading Panel says

Godongwana said the extra funding forms part of wider education allocations, with spending on education the largest component of consolidated expenditure at 23.7% over the medium term.

Basic education will receive R22.7 billion for carry-through costs announced in May 2025, with ECD receiving the majority of those funds, he said.

He said that R9.9 billion would support “employee compensation and other pressures in education”.

He said increased allocations would align the National School Nutrition Programme to food inflation to keep meals flowing to over 9.9 million learners in almost 20 000 schools.

Godongwana said additional allocations to the provincial equitable share included R342 million to “progressively equalise Grade R teacher pay”, alongside other items such as funding for the presidential employment initiative.

He said basic education was a pillar of the social wage, and that it, together with health and social protection, would make up 70.3% of the social wage in 2026/27, supporting 13.6 million school children.

ALSO READ: Deputy ministers back local suppliers after visit to disability employment factories

Regarding skills and training, he said government was reforming the national skills ecosystem.

The skills development levy, Sector Education and Training Authorities and the National Skills Fund “have not yielded the outcomes we expected”, he said.

He said government would explore reorganising training through “a dual-training skills acquisition system” and look at how institutions could equip job-seekers and graduates with artisanal skills.

Addressing long-term higher education infrastructure needs, he called for proposals under the Budget Facility for Infrastructure that could include “the development of new tertiary institutions like the proposed Ekurhuleni University and student accommodation”.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Charmaine Ndlela

Only about 30% of pupils in Grades 1 to 3 can read at the expected level, while 15% of Grade 3 pupils cannot read a single word correctly, the 2030 Reading Panel said on Tuesday as it released its 2026 report on early-grade literacy.

The report found the share of Grade 3 pupils unable to read a single word increased to about 25% in Sepedi and Xitsonga.

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The panel was convened by former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. It meets annually to drive progress towards the goal that children can read for meaning by age 10 by 2030.

The Umlambo Foundation, which hosts the Reading Panel conference and works with the panel around the convening, is a non-profit founded by Mlambo-Ngcuka. It focuses on  improving education outcomes in public schools.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said during her keynote address at the event, held at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, that the findings reinforced that South Africa’s learning crisis starts early, not in later grades.

“International and national assessments have long indicated that learning gaps begin in the early grades and not in matric, not in the intermediate or senior phase, but in the foundation phase itself,” she said at the event.  

“The survey gives government a clearer picture of where children are falling behind. It shows specific weaknesses in areas such as letter-sound recognition and oral reading fluency.  

“Literacy is the only way we can unlock economic opportunities for our learners in the future,” she said.

ALSO READ: Lesufi moves to ease placement crisis with 18 new schools

She called for more community involvement and urged parents and caregivers to read with children at home. “It all starts in the home,” she said.

The country’s early literacy challenges have also been flagged in international assessments. The PIRLS 2021 study, released in 2023, found that 81% of South African Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning in any language.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Supported Employment Enterprises (SEE) took the spotlight during a joint oversight visit by Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala and Deputy Minister of Basic Education Makgabo Reginah Mhaule this week, as government looks to expand disability-inclusive procurement and job creation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the public service to raise its employment equity target for persons with disabilities to 7% by 2030, and for government and public entities to set a 7% preferential procurement target.

ALSO READ: Lesufi moves to ease placement crisis with 18 new schools

The deputy ministers visited SEE’s Rand and Springfield factories in Johannesburg — a public entity under the Department of Employment and Labour — after conducting a back-to-school oversight visit at Elethu Themba Combined School in southern Johannesburg, where they handed over donations including 100 pairs of shoes and 30 trees.

At the factories, the department said the deputy ministers saw first-hand the work produced by persons with disabilities, as SEE positions itself as a capable supplier to the public sector.

SEE’s mandate is to create sustainable employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

It operates 13 factories across eight provinces and produces goods including office furniture, metal safes, school and household furniture, hospital linen, protective clothing and uniforms, embroidery, screen printing, upholstery, cupboards and bookbinding.

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Mhaule said the Department of Basic Education is considering using SEE as a supplier, particularly for school furniture. She said SEE, as an “arm for government”, needs support given its role in supporting the socio-economy and creating opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Mhaule said the outcome of the engagement would be taken forward with the development of a formal memorandum.

INSIDE EDUCATION