Johnathan Paoli

THE South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), in conjunction with Bona Africa kicked off a workshop on coding and robotics for the visually impaired at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, on Thursday.

This forms part of the Teacher Union Collaboration (TUC) programme with other unions in education to complement the Department of Basic Education in training teachers on skills for a changing world. 

TUC has partnered with Bona Africa to train educators teaching visually impaired and blind learners in coding and robotics. This initiative comes after almost 16 000 teachers in mainstream schools were trained in 2022.

SADTU through its Curtis Nkondo Professional Development Institute and Ubuntu Africa is training teachers from schools for the visually impaired across all nine provinces in a series of 16 workshops during September with the aim of reaching 600 teachers.

SADTU General-Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, said that the move was motivated by the union’s commitment towards the promotion of an inclusive agenda by ensuring the development of an education system which is fully accessible to all, is equal, and is of quality. 

“SADTU and the Institute, through this training, will ensure that these teachers and learners are not left behind in the teaching and learning of the skills for a changing world. We will make every effort, especially with the strengthened curriculum, to ensure that all learners benefit from innovation,” Maluleke said.

The teachers’ union said that workshops that have already been conducted in certain special schools in the Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Easter Cape and Northern Cape provinces were fully embraced by visually impaired teachers as well as students.

Tangible Africa, founded by Professor Jean Greyling, head of the Nelson Mandela University Computing Sciences Department, is an organisation that has worked with SADTU and other teacher unions in South Africa to train teachers in coding.

Bona Africa, a partnership between Tangible Africa and Bona uBuntu, has collaborated with SADTU to provide the content for the training.

Some of the challenges in teaching coding to visually impaired and blind people in South Africa include the lack of adequate infrastructure, learner teacher support materials (LTSM), basic assistive devices, and safety at the schools for the visually impaired and blind in the country. 

This makes it difficult for the teachers and learners to access and use the necessary resources and tools for coding and robotics, this was highlighted at the workshop.

In addition, the lack of sufficient training and professional development for the teachers who teach coding and robotics to the visually impaired and blind learners, resulted in these teachers being marginalised in professional development initiatives, and therefore needed more support and guidance to implement coding at a school level.

According to Bona Africa, the lack of awareness and inclusion of the visually impaired and blind learners in the coding and robotics curriculum and activities could be seen as part of a digital divide that excludes these learners from the skills for a changing world, and more opportunities and innovation are needed in order to bridge this gap.

The union said the teachers will be given training and supporting materials that are accessible to the blind and will be used to implement coding at school level.

In addition, the provision for blind learners of learning kits which include tokens that are tactile and available in braille.

As it stands, there have been various software programmes established that can assist the visually impaired with accessing computers, such as screen readers, magnifiers, voice recognition, and braille displays, provided by organisations, such as Blind SA, the SA National Council for the Blind, and the SA Library for the Blind. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

Lerato Mbhiza 

The Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) confirmed on Tuesday that payments have been made to beneficiaries studying at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges countrywide for the month of September.

It said payments through its direct payment solution were affected for all students whose valid registration data has been received from institutions. 

NSFAS direct payment solution was introduced to TVETs in November 2022. The fund disbursed a total of R3,1 billion to 206,539 TVET college beneficiaries since the commencement of the 2023 academic year. 

“These payments were affected for all students whose valid registration data has been received from institutions. 

“This is worth celebrating as it is evident that NSFAS efforts to perfect the new payment system and adequately pay allowances on time are paying off, ” NSFAS said in a statement. 

Beneficiaries at TVET colleges were paid on 25 August 2023 whilst those at universities were paid on 2 September 2023, said the statement and added that there were students who have been paid but cannot retrieve their money because they have not yet fully authenticated themselves.. 

NSFAS  said  it remains committed to ensuring that all NSFAS beneficiaries are on boarded onto the new system and get to enjoy all the value-added services associated with the NSFAS Bank Account well into the 2024 academic year. 

“We encourage students with applications that still require relevant supporting documents to urgently upload supporting documents as failure to do so will result in the applications being canceled. The applicants were sent messages via email and SMS requesting them to upload supporting documents within a specified period,” it added. 

Last month, NSFAS appointed Werksmans Incorporated to investigate allegations against the NSFAS CEO Andile Nongogo and review the entity’s procurement systems and processes. 

Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC and Mr Sandile July have been assigned to lead the investigation. 

The appointment follows the recent Board decision on the matter. 

“Once again, the Board of Directors wishes to reiterate its commitment to clean governance,” said Board Chairperson Mr Ernest Khosa. The investigation will commence in the new week, beginning Monday, August 21, 2023.

But a few days after that decision, Nongogo resigned.

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Staff Reporter

Ahead of this week’s School Sport Indaba, the Minister of Sport Zizi Kodwa wished the Springboks all the best before their match against Scotland. The defending champions thumped the Scots 18 – 3 on Sunday.

On Thursday and Friday next week, 14 and 15 September, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will host a School Sports Indaba.

Kodwa said the Springboks represent the best of South Africa. “They inspire national unity, and Foster social cohesion and national identity. This was captured by President Nelson Mandela during the 1995 Rugby World Cup, where the Springboks were a key ingredient to his message of national unity.”

He added that the current Springboks represent this country’s diversity, and represent South African excellence with their performances.

“On behalf of all South Africans, I would like to wish the Bokke all the best in the World Cup. Do your best and make us proud. Bring it back Bokke!”

Kodwa said the Indaba aims to establish a national sports programme for South Africa, that is benchmarked against the world’s most effective school sports programmes.

One of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture priorities is grassroots sports development. The School Sports Indaba will go a long way towards strengthening our focus on grassroots sports development through early identification and nurturing of sporting talent.

The Sports Indaba will see over 30 organisations, as well as teacher unions, sports federations, international bodies and governments, gather to exchange and come up with a blueprint for South African schools’ sports.

“I look forward to welcoming you to this important endeavour.”

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Staff Reporter

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane is determined to address the bullying and violence which may have been behind the reasons for children taking their own lives at schools.

Alarmed by the statistic that about 40 pupils from Gauteng schools took their own lives in the past year, Chiloane announced plans to work with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group to reduce suicide among pupils.

“As the department, we are devastated by these deaths and believe those numbers constitute far too many young lives that have been taken away from their families, friends and our schools before reaching their full potential. We pledge our solidarity and support to the families and friends that were befallen by these tragic, premature deaths,” said the MEC.

Acknowledging that children at schools may be subject to various challenges such as depression, bullying, violence and online abuse, the MEC said providing solutions to help them was imperative.

Therefore, the department has engaged 500 learner support agents to help establish early warning mechanisms and give peer counselling to support 1 200 schools. An additional 120 social workers will assist with the risk assessment of learners; 500 Ke Moja coaches will assist with substance abuse awareness; and popularise the Childline toll-free number [116] to provide counselling services free of charge for learners and educators.

He said they would also implement additional measures through a partnership with the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance; the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag); Childline; the Teddy Bear Foundation; and the National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers to help pupils and teachers deal with challenges that may lead to suicide or suicidal ideation.

“Our talks with learners and their parents will also focus on debunking common suicide myths, raising awareness about the kind of language to use when referring to suicide, and general advice on dealing with people displaying suicidal signs.”

“There are more actions that will be implemented to improve school safety and learner wellbeing. These will be priority actions around which crucial resources and communities will be mobilised,” he said.

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Staff Reporter

THE Education Sector Committee of the National Commission for UNESCO in South Africa, in collaboration with the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and JET Education Services, hosted their 5th Teacher Conversation Webinar recently.

The conversation took place with three award winning South African teachers who were finalists of the Global Teacher Prize, a US $1 million award presented annually by the Varkey Foundation to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. These teachers shared their journeys, including their joys and struggles, and how they dealt with obstacles.

Palesa Tyobeka, Chairperson of the Education Sector Committee of the SA National Commission for UNESCO, spoke of the importance of teachers in society. She said knowledge and education are the basis for all things that can be accomplished in life; and teachers provide the power of education to youth thereby giving them the possibility for a better future, Teachers simplify the complex, and make abstract concepts accessible to students. She further said the centrality of teachers is showing through more in themes for Global UNESCO initiatives. The theme for World Teachers’ Day 2023 for instance is “The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers” and for the focus on dealing with violence and bullying it is: “Not on my watch: the role of teachers in preventing and addressing school violence.”

Again, demonstrates the centrality of teachers not only in the education endeavour but in the broader development of communities. The Teacher Conversations assist in creating a platform for teachers to share and learn from each other as they grow in their profession. Tyobeka congratulated the organisers of the Conversation Series for paying attention to matters of inclusion by ensuring that there are sign language interpreters in the Conversations, particularly in light of the declaration of Sign Language as the 12th South African Language.

Prof Sarah Gravett, Professor of Education and former Dean of the Faculty of Education at UJ, facilitated the conversation by introducing the three South African teachers who were among the top 50 finalists in the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize and were asked to share their journeys with fellow teachers and educationists.

Phuti Ragophala, a retired school principal, who grew up in rural Limpopo, wanted to become a nurse, but became a qualified teacher instead – journeying from a learner under a tree to a Cloud teacher. Ragophala is a Microsoft Innovative Expert Educator, pioneering the integration of technology in the classroom, and has received many awards in recognition of her achievements.

“Teachers can redefine teaching and learning through technology and should embrace the importance of continued and lifelong learning; they should be willing to take risks and use stumbling blocks as stepping stones,” Ragophala said.

Wendy Horn, District Director for Education in the Western Cape Province, feels that her current position assists her to give back to education by uplifting schools and assisting teachers and principals in unblocking bottlenecks.

Horn, a beneficiary of Government’s Funza Lushaka bursary which seeks to attract quality matriculants to train as teachers in scarce skills areas, went on to win in two National Teaching Awards (NTAs) categories. She is passionate about Science, Technology, Coding and Robotics, and about empowering girls to become global leaders in these fields through participating in international championships.

Horn sees the need to develop critical and analytical thinkers with good critical thinking skills, for them to collaborate across different cultural groupings in a world that is shrinking with the use of social media platforms and the Internet.

Marjorie Brown finished in the Top 10 of the Global Teacher Prize. She is a former human rights activist, teaching History to girls in South Africa and encouraging social justice, critical thinking, and global citizenship. Her students have gone on to represent South Africa at youth forums, the Paris Climate Talks, and various Ivy League universities.

She also started and still leads the Kids Lit in SA programme, devoted to improving children’s literacy. This international competition was founded 26 years ago. South Africa has won three times over the past 13 years, despite it being the poorest country to participate. “Teachers must understand the context of learners to understand their challenges. There is a lack of literacy, reading skills and social entrepreneurial programmes. Education is about humans engaging with each other, more than with just textbooks.”

In conclusion, Dr James Keevy, JET CEO, reminded delegates about the South African Council for Educators’ (SACE’s) professional teaching standards for South African teachers, consisting of ten standards that are necessary and interlinking components of professional practice.

Teachers who are well-trained, supported and valued are essential to ensuring quality education for all and achieving UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4, towards quality education.

For this reason, the 2023 World Teacher’s Day theme, “The transformation of Education starts with teachers”, is applicable to all teachers and not only those attending the Teacher Conversation Webinar.

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Staff Reporter

THE National Plan for Post-School Education and Training (NPPSET) is a roadmap for implementing the vision of the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (WP-PSET).

Speaking during the launch last Thursday, Minster of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, said it was framed within the broader goals and priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP), which foregrounds the national efforts to address the triple challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.

“It is an overarching instrument and a blueprint for guiding planning in our PSET sector. It aligns and integrates the work that is already underway and provides a policy framework for major transformative changes the Government wants to bring about across the PSET system and its nexus with society and the economy,” Nzimande said.

The National Plan for Post School Education and Training has six goals which are the drivers for the system.

The drivers seek to achieve the following:
• An integrated, coordinated and articulated PSET system;
• • Expanded access to PSET opportunities;
• • A responsive PSET system, with appropriate size and shape;
• • Improved relations between education and training institutions and
the world of work;
• • Improved quality of PSET provision; and
• • Improved efficiency and success of the PSET system
While the plan is already in implementation, it was formally introduced to the entire sector and the public on 7 September.

“Our launch of the Plan showcases the government’s continuous effort towards achieving an improved, transformed, expanded, responsive and articulated Post-School Education and Training (PSET),” Nzimande said.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has the single largest number of entities of all the national government departments, with over 110 departments making South Africa’s PSET sector one of the biggest in Africa.

When the Sixth Administration took over in 2019, Nzimande said spending on education as a proportion of overall government expenditure was 22.7% in 2019/20 and 7.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far exceeding the benchmarks set by UNESCO, which recommends allocating 15-20% of public spending to education and 4-6% of GDP to education.

“As we draw closer to the end of the Administration, this trajectory is continuing,” he said.

In 2021/22 he added that spending on education as a proportion of overall government expenditure was 22.6% and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 6.4% which continues to exceed the UNESCO benchmarks.

“This shows that the South African government continues to spend a large share of its national budget on education (both schooling and post-schooling). Our main challenge is to maximise the impact of this progressive educational investment,” Nzimande added.

In the quest to expand access to PSET opportunities various funding streams which include the National Skills Fund (NSF), the National Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the National Research Foundation (NRF), the National Institute for Human and Social Sciences (NIHSS), Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the International Scholarships Programme have been introduced.

On student funding the Minister said he will be submitting a clear proposal on a Comprehensive Student Funding Policy to Cabinet before the end of the year. This follows extensive consultations with financial institutions, student organizations, university and TVET College leaders, and international benchmarking.

“Through this we aim to introduce measures to specifically support categories of students in the so-called ‘missing middle’ income groups who are unable to access NSFAS funding.”

When NSFAS began in 1991, it had a budget of R21.4 million for the first cohort of about 7000 students. “We are proud to say that NSFAS is currently funding 1.1 million students with a budget allocation of R47,6 billion in the 2023 academic year,” Nzimande said.
Of this amount, universities have been allocated R38.6 billion and TVET Colleges R8.9 billion for the first time passing the one million mark. In 2023, SASSA beneficiaries account for 49% of the funded students in 2023.

“As we release the Plan today, I am confident that it will take the confidence of the people of South Africa in the country’s post-schooling system to the next level,” he said.

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