All teachers must report to work on July 19 already vaccinated against Covid-19 and those who have chosen not to be vaccinated will be required to provide an explanation of the steps they will take to protect themselves, as well as learners and other colleagues teachers in the workplace.

This is according to Department of Basic Education Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.

Mhlanga said the department was still discussing the next steps regarding educators who have refused vaccination, as working from home and listing medical conditions is not an option.

“Teachers will have to report to work. They would have had the opportunity to protect themselves against the virus,” he said.

The Department for Basic Education’s vaccination rollout plan has been in full swing, with more than 333 000 teachers and support staff vaccinated since June 23. The rollout plan is expected to continue until July 8.

On Sunday, Inside Education reported that 9113 educators and support staff in Gauteng province refused to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

READ: “Fake news” reason some educators refuse vaccination – Lesufi

Other educators from the Western Cape province also said they would not be participating in the vaccination drive due to vaccine safety concerns.

Others listed religion and pregnancy as reasons.

Several Rastafarian teachers also indicated that due to religious beliefs they would not be taking the vaccine.

According to Human Rights Lawyers, the rights that Covid vaccination objectors assert are the rights to freedom of religion, belief, culture and conscience.

“Vaccination objectors also assert the right to bodily integrity, including the right not to be experimented on,” said Tanya Calitz, Tanya Calitz is a lawyer at an international law firm in South Africa and human rights activist.

Calitz said the question that arises is whether receiving the vaccine can be legally mandated.

“At this stage, it is uncertain whether government can and will enact legislation or other governmental measures in order to compel Covid-19 vaccinations.

“But when and as the roll-out plan progresses, it is important to assess this question in light of constitutional rights and ethos enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa,” said Calitz.

Adding that without adequate legislation which mandates compulsory immunisation of the South African population against Covid-19, the country could be placed at serious risk of further transmission, and the number of deaths could spike again

“Compulsory immunisation must be considered alongside employment legislation and regulations such as the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995; the Occupational Health and Safety Act 95 of 1993; the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998; and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 where employers may introduce mandatory vaccine policies in the workplace, which some employees may reject.

“In some circumstances, the rejection of mandatory vaccinations in the workplace can constitute constructive dismissal,” said Calitz.

South Africa is right in the middle of the Covid-19 third wave and is expected to hit its peak with the new Delta variant.

READ: BREAKING: Schools to shut down from Wednesday

Both the Education Department of Gauteng and the DBE have expressed concerns regarding educators who have opted not to vaccinate as all teachers are expected to report for duty on July 19.

MEC for Gauteng Education Panyaza Lesufi said: “It needs to be noted that the reluctance to vaccinate is a threat to the government’s efforts to normalise schooling during this disruptive pandemic.

“This effectively threatens the academic year in its entirety,” said Lesufi.

Mhlanga said the Basic Education sector is aware of hesitancy surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines.

“The sector is working closely with teacher unions, SGBs and other stakeholders to address it.

“Fake news and conspiracy theories are part of all vaccination programmes – always listen to the experts and the scientists. We are engaging experts and leaders of the faith-based groups to address vaccine hesitancy in the sector,” said Mhlanga.

READ: It will be “devastating” if schools don’t open on 19 July – says Motshekga

Naptosa’s Basil Manuel said his union will certainly not support any action taken against people unless it is proven that they will make the workplace unsafe.

But Zackie Achmat, activist and co-founder of the Treatment Action Campaign, said vaccines that prevent or mitigate Covid-19 infection are now increasingly available.

Achmat said mass vaccination will save millions of lives, prevent serious illness, and allow hundreds of millions across the globe to avoid any infection at all.

“Some Western Cape teachers have reportedly refused to be vaccinated. Should we stand back respectfully, and defer to their beliefs, while allowing them to continue to teach?

“No,” said Achmat, “If they are not vaccinated, teachers should not be allowed to teach. They may refuse to be vaccinated – of course – but the state should not be required to pay them,” he said.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said it will be devastating if the country’s schools are not allowed to reopen on 19 July as planned.

Motshekga said the education sector has already lost significant time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which will have long-term ramifications.

She said her department plans to open on 19 July as gazetted but, “we will not be irresponsible if there are still difficulties by the time we want to open and bring more learners”.

Motshekga said she and the relevant stakeholders, including the Council of Education Ministers, will take the appropriate decision when the time comes and will relook their decision after the 14-day period given my President Cyril Ramaphosa during his address to on progress in the national effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ramaphosa said Cabinet decided that the country should move to Adjusted Alert Level 4 and that the additional restrictions announced that evening will be in place for the next 14 days.

Ramaphosa said government will assess the impact of these interventions after 14 days to determine whether they need to be maintained or adjusted. The announcement will be made this coming Sunday, 11 July 2021.

READ: BREAKING: Schools to shut down from Wednesday

Motshekga said the decision to open schools on 19 July or keep them closed will be taken closer to the time.

“But for now, we are not changing any of the plans. The reopening of schools and other lockdown restrictions will ultimately be contingent on national government,” said Motshekga.

Schools were initially meant to close on 9 July. The date was brought forward following the governing party’s decision to place the country on stricter restrictions for the next 14 days.

National Professional Teachers’ Organization of South Africa’s (Naptosa) Basil Manuel said Motshekga needs to let go of this calendar because the pandemic is so unpredictable.

Education Union of South Africa’s (EUSA) Spokesperson Kabelo Mahlobongwane said the minister needs to relax. Adding that the reopening of schools will be guided by the third wave and “not Motshekga’s ambition to see teachers and learners spread the virus through these unsafe buildings she refers to as schools”.

READ: Public schools set to shut down, reopen 19 July

Motshekga’s comments come as her department plans to wrap up its education sector inoculation programme by Friday this week. 

The minister said the sector would remain vigilant in monitoring the developments of the epidemiology and will continue to work closely with the Department of Health. She said her department will also look at the feasibility of the earlier pronounced of full attendance of primary school learners from the first day of the third school term.

Motshekga urged educators who are not yet vaccinated to get their jab. She said educators were prioritised in this phase of vaccine rollout and are therefore expected to take advantage of the opportunity to avoid further disruptions and learning losses in the sector.

We urge all educators and staff to follow the schedules in each district in order to ensure a smooth roll-out of the programme, said the minister.

Motshekga said the basic education sector will continue to administer the remaining doses of the vaccine to cover the remaining 282 512 staff.

“In addition, support staff from independent schools, food handlers, screeners, cleaners and ECD practitioners will be included in the roll out programme,” she said.

According to the DBE, more than 333 000 teachers and support staff have since been vaccinated since the campaign started on 23 June 2021.

DBE Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said phase one targeted 300 000 educators and staff to be vaccinated within the first 10 days of the programme.

“This target was based on the number of doses allocated of the Johnson& Johnson vaccine to the sector.

“By the end of Day one of the sector’s vaccination programme, the Basic Education sector had vaccinated a total of 48 000 of the Phase one target,” said Mhlanga.

Adding that by 1 July, nine days since the start of the vaccination programme, over 100% (300 052) of the Phase one target was met across the country’s nine provinces.

He said the basic education sector received an additional 289 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“These additional doses will enable the sector to reach its overall target of vaccinating 582 564 educators and non-teaching staff,” said Mhlanga.

The roll out of vaccination to all staff in the post school system will start in the coming few weeks. This is according to Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande who on Monday said he has instructed Higher Health, a health agency of the department of higher education and training, to come up with a Post School Education and Training (PSET) vaccination strategy that is aligned with – and supporting of – the Department of Health’s phased national vaccine roll out strategy.

The minister’s announcement comes as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) rounds off its last week of educators’ vaccination programme across the country.

About 582 000 staff in the basic education sector are being vaccinated. The DBE vaccination programme started Wednesday 23 June and will end this week on 8 July.

This number includes all teachers in public and private schools, all administrative and support staff in public schools but none in the higher education sector.

Nzimande said the Higher Health vaccination strategy for the higher education sector will help to ensure access to vaccination for all staff, including academia, management but importantly the frontline staff, at higher education residences, as well as cleaning, security and other support staff.

Nzimande said: “This matter has been tabled at the IMC [Inter-Ministerial Committee on Higher Education and Training] and I am confident that very soon we will start the roll out of vaccination to all our staff in the post school system.

“I’ll announce as soon as the Department of Health is able to provide the vaccine allocations framework for our sector,” said Nzimande.

READ: Nzimande on post school education and training institutions plans on the Covid-19 adjusted level 4 lockdown

Just this weekend unions called for all staff in the education sector be vaccinated.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said it will engage government and Nzimande to address the vaccination of the entire education sector.

Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the union wants vaccination to be spread to as many people as possible including educators in the Early Childhood Development, Community Education & Training (CET) and Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sectors.

“While the NEC appreciates the progress the department of basic education vaccination programme has had, it cannot fully rejoice the vaccination programme when thousands of educators are not part of the programme,” said Maluleke.

Maluleke said the union will continue to fight vaccine nationalism. He criticised the bureaucracy surrounding the distribution of vaccines across the country, saying that the bureaucracy is the reason for the slow vaccination process.

“No one is safe until everyone is vaccinated,” said Maluleke.

READ: Schools must be turned into vaccination sites – Sadtu

Nzimande said Higher Health has trained and developed over 49 000 campus-based frontline institutional staff and student volunteers.

Among them are residence officers (on-campus, off-campus and private accommodation), management, student support services, campus security and cleaning staff, said the minister.

He said Higher Health is currently working in seven key areas to promote the health and wellbeing of students across South Africa’s public universities and TVETs.

“For easy access of vaccinations to our staff and later, students, work has already begun to develop vaccination centres within our Universities and TVET Colleges.

“We established isolation & quarantine resources within the residences to prevent further outbreaks in common areas, such as dining halls, kitchen & study halls. Going forward, we will accelerate daily Covid-19 screenings at residences to identify possible outbreaks,” said Nzimande.

The minister said it is very crucial for young people to take these extra measures very seriously if we are to prevent community transmission. He said during all the waves including the current third wave, the higher education sector experienced several cluster outbreaks, across many of our institutional residences.

“This warranted Higher Health to develop a specific protocol on residences to deal with Covid-19 positive cases.

“Keeping in mind the new variants that are highly transmissible even when someone is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and especially in the third wave, daily Covid-19 screening is critical towards saving human lives.

“It is now evident that the new Delta variant, is highly transmissible and increasingly infecting larger numbers of younger persons in the population – unlike the previous (Alpha) variant,” said the minister.

The early introduction of technology in schools is important so to close the gap between where current graduates are and where they need to be. Experts say technology can provide opportunities for children to become technologically literate at an early age, even those children without any means at home.

Michelle Lissoos, Managing Director of Think Ahead – an organisation that specialises in working with schools, ministries, CSI partners and foundations to plan and implement technological solutions to meet teacher and learner needs – said technological literacy goes further than digital literacy, “in that children with strong technological literacy are able to use, manage, understand and assess technology.”

According to a recent paper by McKinsey, the adopting of digital technologies at an early age could result in a net gain of 1.2 million jobs for South Africans by 2030.

The paper also predicts that productivity growth would be tripled, and per capita income doubled.

Nomfanelo Magwentshu, Partner at McKinsey & Company said one key challenge in South Africa is that the country has been slow to nurture the skills needed for companies to compete and grow in an increasingly technology-driven world.

“That matters for the millions of young South Africans struggling to build their own futures,” said Magwentshu.

READ: South Africa needs tech classrooms

Lissoos said filling these jobs would require graduates with higher life skills and strong technology-related backgrounds.

“Our South African reality, however, is that many learners attending schools are from homes without a strong technological infrastructure. Children need to be taught those skills that robots cannot do,” she said.

Candice Joubert, an educator at Charterhouse Pre-Primary School said the responsibility to teach children digital and technological skills rests on the education sector. Joubert said the sector should ensure that graduates have enough technological skills to fill projected demands.

“There are many situations where educators can utilise technology to spark creativity within learners.

“Learners with a lack of resources in the home can be exposed to music, dance, drama, art and photography through the use of quality apps,” said Joubert.

Adding that in the absence of available materials, apps such as Auryn Ink allows learners to create realistic looking watercolour artworks on a classroom iPad.

Joubert said that when learners need a space to create and share stories, the Storyrobe app provides an educator with the platform to do just that.

READ: Limpopo schools to begin with Coding and Robotics

She said a quick internet search returns countless further apps that could be used to encourage expression and creativity. 

Access to the internet remains a problem in South Africa.

According to the latest Statistic South Africa General Household Survey, just over 10.4% of South African households have access to the internet at home. This number is just 1.7% in Limpopo and 3% in the North West.

The Stats SA survey states that computer ownership in the country only sits at 21.5% with only 7.3% of households in metropolitan areas, 1.7% in rural areas with access to the internet at home.

“The responsibility, therefore, rests on the Education sector to ensure that these graduates will be available, at a scale large enough to fill projected demands,” said Joubert.

Joubert said a new kind of adult is needed for the future South Africa.

Technology is how we enable our children to become those adults, she said.

Joubert added that educators need to move towards using technology as a tool to enable learners to become creative, empathetic, higher-order thinkers.

“We already have the problems. It is time to start equipping our problem-solvers from a young age,” she said.

Adding that the Internet allows for learners to retrieve vast amounts of information on any number of subjects, which results in a greater challenge when it comes to forming conclusions and opinions.

“Even our youngest learners can develop their thinking skills by making use of fun, engaging tools like Terrapin’s Bee-Bots.

“These programmable robots are designed specifically for young children, and can be used in the classroom for all manner of problem solving.

“Young learners will be able to communicate and collaborate while manipulating the Bee-Bot through and along obstacles, solving problems as they encounter them and learning from prior mistakes,” she said.

More athletes were on Saturday added to Team SA for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, taking the overall squad to 167.

According to sport analysts, the total size of the final team for the games is expected to be around 180.

Saturday’s announcement was the third made by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), following previous announcements in May and June.

Nomnikelo ‘‘Nicky’’ Veto (24), a former Wits University hockey player will also be taking part in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after being named for the South African women’s team. 

Veto said she was ready.

READ: Ntuli brothers set to represent South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics

“With Olympics being held once every four years, and with us being in South Africa and not sure of even going to the next Olympic games, I feel ready. But I am never fully ready to go on the field and play, because I always feel there is something more I could do.

“But so far I am on the right track.”  

Born in Walmer, Gqeberha, Veto started playing hockey at the age of nine, and made her debut with Wits women’s hockey in 2016 for the U21 team.

She has also participated in international tournaments such as the African Cup of Nations in junior and senior teams, and Olympic qualifiers in Spain. 

She graduated in 2020 with a BA in international relations and political studies.

Veto said some of the challenges she faced include the disappointment of not making one of the provincial teams, as well as the expense of the hockey tours to different places.

“It has been a difficult challenge, but the love and passion for the game kept her going and playing,” said Veto who now plays for Wits University’s first team hockey, coached by former South African hockey player Pietie Coetzee-Turner.

Veto has been selected as part of the 26-player squad for the South African Women’s hockey team, which will take part in the Olympic qualifier in Tokyo.

READ: ‘Siyaya eJapan, Tokyo here we come,’ say UJ sportsmen, women in SA squad

She said she used this year to focus on developing her sports abilities in time for the Olympics. Adding that she plans to study law in 2022 as a backup plan in case that does not work out for her.

“Even though I enjoy participating in sports, the study plan will provide me with a long-term solution should I need it,” she said.

The acting CEO of Sascoc, Ravi Govender, said he was delighted that the Team is almost complete.

“I believe the team is a blend of both experienced and new talent with many team members having worn the green and gold of Team South Africa at previous Olympic Games,” he said. 

“We get excited each time we receive notification of a selection. Our athletes have risen above the onslaught of Covid. This is real, it’s happening and we applaud our athletes.”

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) said it will engage government and the Minister of Science, Higher Education &Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, to address the vaccination of the entire schooling sector.

Sadtu called for vaccination to be spread to as many people as possible including educators in the Early Childhood Development, Community Education & Training (CET) and Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sectors.

“While the NEC appreciates the progress the department of basic education vaccination programme has had, it cannot fully rejoice the vaccination programme when thousands of educators are not part of the programme.

“Vaccination needs to be spread to as many people as possible to mitigate the devastating effects of this pandemic to save lives and livelihoods,” said Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke.

READ: 200 000 educators and staff vaccinated so far

The Sadtu meeting took place a few days after the country was placed under adjusted level 4. According to the Sadtu statement, the union met to “deliberate on organisational, educational, labour, socio-economic, political and international matters”.

The meeting was also on the eve of the early closure of schools for the winter break due to the escalating numbers of Covid-19 infections across the country.

Maluleke said the union will continuetofight vaccine nationalism. He said Sadtu will put pressure on government to look at getting the vaccine from Russia and Cuba following due processes led by science.

The general secretary said the Sadtu NEC also criticised the bureaucracy surrounding the distribution of vaccines across the country. He said the bureaucracy is the reason for the slow vaccination process.

“No one is safe until everyone is vaccinated,” said Maluleke.

READ: Teachers share mixed emotions about being vaccinated

He said the NEC also made calls for South Africa to invest in its own vaccine production capacity so that it can assist other African states as well.

“The South African government has led the charge jointly with India at the global stage for moving the whole world towards a TRIPS waiver for vaccine related Intellectual Property.

“Sadtu has been one of those loud voices consistently in support of the Copyright Amendment Bill which its importance was put to the fore by the discourse on the vaccine production related Intellectual Property,” said Maluleke.

He said the NEC also called on South Africa to invest in its own vaccine production capacity so that it can assist other African states. 

According to the African Development Bank, Africa produces less than 1% of its vaccines. This is especially worrying because the continent’s economic recovery is conditional on access to vaccines.

Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke out against vaccine nationalism by rich countries. He led calls for the waiver of intellectual rights for vaccines.

South Africa and India submitted proposals to the World Trade Organisation for a temporary waiver of certain aspects of intellectual property rights to ensure wider access to technologies to produce vaccines and medicines.

READ: Unions wait in bated breath for details on the vaccination of educators

Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that it was setting up a hub to share mRNA technology to produce the jab in Africa. The organisation said South Africa will establish the continent’s first Covid mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub.

Ramaphosa said the production of the mRNA vaccine in South Africa would help overcome the inequality in vaccine distribution on the continent, which is still struggling with severe shortages while developed countries hoard surpluses.

To help with the progress of vaccination, Sadtu suggested that schools – normally closer to communities – should be used as vaccination sites.

He said this can work well because schools were used when educators and staff in the education sector were vaccinated.

“And this happened with no hitches in the programme,” he said.

Maluleke said the untold damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, not only to education but to the economy as well, is significant. 

“The first 12 months of the various lockdown levels saw the loss of approximately 2.2 million jobs. The pandemic further exposed the disparities in our education system,” said Maluleke.

He added that this is why the Sadtu NEC has resolved to convene an education summit to chart the way forward for education during and post the pandemic.

“The summit will look at the disparities in the system, the new curriculum which will include robotics and the use of blended technology in education and their impact in the economy,” he said.

NOMBULELO MNCAYI|

Labour markets around the world are undergoing significant changes – particularly in non-tech sectors. South Africa hasn’t been spared from this wave of change. The country has high unemployment rates by global standards, both at national level and among the youth.

According to some theories, higher education leads to better labour market outcomes and improves future income through better career paths. But these theories have been criticised in countries with high rates of unemployment, where even graduates often struggle to find employment. It seems higher education is no longer a guarantee of a job.

In 2019, South Africa had the largest share of mismatched workers, with skills mismatches of more than 50% and the lowest productivity levels compared with 30 countries including India and Russia. Other studies have found the incidence of educational mismatch to be similarly high in South Africa. A quarter of the respondents were over-educated and 27% were under-educated for their occupations.

Yet many students continue to enrol for qualifications with low employment prospects. According to the 2019 Post-School Education and Training Monitoring report, between 2010 and 2016, the field of humanities accounted for the biggest share of graduations (6.6%). This was followed by science, engineering and technology, business management and education – with graduation rates of 5.5%, 5.2% and 1.8% respectively.

READ: Opinion: 2021 Youth Day celebrations? I’ll sit this one out

My research in South Africa suggests that a graduate’s pathway depends on their field of study. Studying the relationship between career choice and unemployment length revealed the most important factors affecting graduate unemployment were qualifications and majors. These didn’t appear to be aligned with labour market requirements. To achieve a better alignment, it’s also important to know why students are choosing to study subjects that aren’t in high demand.

Career choice and employment prospects

I surveyed a random selection of graduates aged under 35 who were alumni of one South African university. Most of the respondents had a degree in commerce (53%), followed by humanities (25%) and then science and education (both at 11%). Most – 88.8% – were employed.

The career category with the most unemployed respondents (23.1%) was human resources, industrial psychology and labour relations. About 15.4% of the unemployed graduates had majored in government or political studies. Another 15.4% had majored in accounting or finance and 11.5% in economics, psychology or sociology.

Human resources, industrial psychology, labour relations management, public management, public administration and politics remained the most popular majors. Yet, many graduates in these mainstream subjects had to wait for a long time before finding a job. In particular, the waiting period was longer for graduates who majored in public management, public administration and politics (about 19 months compared to the 10.5 months for graduates who majored in human resources, industrial psychology and labour relations). Accounting, maths, education and health graduates had the shortest average waiting periods.

Those majoring in mathematics, statistics and engineering took about seven months less to find a job than human resources and labour relations studies graduates. The latter group were unemployed for an average of 10.5 months. Accounting and financial management (maths-related) graduates took about three months after graduation to find a job. So did those who majored in language and communication.

Of the graduates who were employed, more than 70% were employed in a job relevant to their field of study, while around 27% were in jobs that didn’t relate directly to their studies. About half of the latter indicated that they were in a job requiring lower skills than those they had acquired during their studies – for example, a graduate with an accounting degree working as a cashier.

Of those who were unemployed, 80.8% were black graduates and only 19.2% white. And more than two-thirds of the respondents with humanities degrees were black.

The choice to study a particular discipline is affected by many factors, most of which are beyond the control of students, such as family background, schooling, race, higher education institution, employer perceptions and many others.

Skills and labour mismatch

The mismatches between educational achievements and job requirements give rise to under-employment – where an individual is employed in a job that is lower by some standard, be it working hours, income or skills and qualifications.

These mismatches and skills shortages have been pervasive. Some studies point to them as systemic and connected to many factors. These structural aspects are still prevalent more than two decades after the end of racial segregation in the country.

There’s a need to understand why students continue enrolling in non-critical courses. The focus needs to shift from skills demand to skills supply. The Labour Market Intelligence Partnerships project already indicates what employers want.

READ: Youth unemployment: Is the solution a change in mindset?

A focus on the supply side of the youth labour market – starting with the basic education curriculum – will ensure that graduates are adequately skilled to meet the needs of the labour market. Otherwise mismatches will continue to rise and be masked by increased access to higher education and low graduate unemployment rates.

Nombulelo Precious Mncayi is a lecturer and researcher at North-West University

9113 educators and support staff in Gauteng province have refused to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

Gauteng Education Department (GDE) MEC Panyaza Lesufi said reasons against vaccination include “the power of fake news”.

In an interview, Lesufi said the refusal to be vaccinated has caused great concern for the sector as some of the educators and staff refusing to be vaccinated have underlying comorbidities.

“It is quite clear from the reasons that have been provided that it is the power of fake news that have taken over some of our staff members.

“And it worries us especially when some of the educators fall in the trap and accept fake news as reality,” said Lesufi.

He added that South Africa is a democratic state and as such the use of the vaccine is not compulsory in this sector.

“It is a choice and as a department we will continue to persuade.

“We must ensure educators take responsibility because we need to protect our children and we need to protect the sector,” he said.

READ: DBE Covid-19 provincial vaccine rollout campaign

The Department of Basic Education announced its massive education sector vaccination programme last month. The drive aims to inoculate those who work in the sector to ensure learning is no longer disrupted.

According to the provincial department, about 57 000 educators (out of 124 934) in the province have been vaccinated at the 56 vaccination sites across the province.

Lesufi said the number of vaccinated personnel is expected to increase next week as delays in the capturing of educators and support staff from Schools Governing Bodies and independent schools have been resolved.

“It needs to be noted that the reluctance to vaccinate is a threat to the government’s efforts to normalise schooling during this disruptive pandemic.

This effectively threatens the academic year in its entirety,” said Lesufi.

Adding that educators were prioritised in this phase of vaccine rollout and as such, are expected to take advantage of the opportunity to avoid further disruptions and learning losses in the sector.

Lesufi said the provincial department is almost halfway in vaccinating all educators in the province, and they still have a week to conclude this task.

“We have no intention to request an extension from the minister of basic education or the minister of health. It would be selfish not to conclude the task within the allotted timeframe because there are others waiting to be vaccinated,” said Lesufi.

“We believe we will conclude the task before the 14 days given,” he said.

READ: 200 000 educators and staff vaccinated so far

Lesufi said the sector has gone through a very painful period and that taking the jab should minimise the pain, the frustration and anxiety within the sector.

“We will continue to persuade and hopefully, before the deadline comes, the majority of our educators and staff members would have changed their mind,” he said.

He said key stakeholders in the education sector including unions and SGBs have thrown in their support behind the vaccination programme.

“They are aware of the challenges that the virus has had on the provision of quality education to our children in Gauteng.

“Again, we urge those who are refusing to vaccinate to come forward and take the vaccination which millions across the world are seeking,” said the MEC.

READ: Unions welcome the closure of schools

The Department of Basic Education partnered with Microsoft to provide digital skills training to 25 000 unemployed youth in South Africa.

The partnership is as part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) which, according to the department, created more than 300 000 job opportunities across the country.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshega said the initiative forms part of the broader announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020 of a R100-billion fund to create 800 000 public sector jobs in the next three years.

Paddy Padayachee, Deputy Director-General and Project Owner at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said by investing in digital skills development programmes, the department is empowering the country’s youth with critical skills and creating employment opportunities.

READ: DBE moves to digital

“As the South African government continues to ramp up investment as part of its goal to stimulate economic recovery and employment opportunities, the Department of Basic Education has committed to playing a key role in strengthening the teaching and learning environment in South African schools,” said Padayachee.

Padayachee said the department’s training programme in partnership with Microsoft will enable the unemployed youth to gain relevant digital skills as well as create employment opportunities for these youth as education assistants equipped to support teachers and learners.

He said the programme also ensures that the unemployed youth gain meaningful experience to improve their overall employability.

“This all ties in with government’s overall digital transformation journey and to develop the skills needed to meet the current and future requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,”  said Padayachee.

The training, which ran until the end of March 2021, combined virtual remote instructor-led training and self-paced online learning using Microsoft Teams.

READ: South Africa must close the digital divide prevalent in public schools

Padayachee said the programme equipped successful candidates identified by the individual provincial education departments with skills needed for their duties as education assistants to support teachers and learners in approximately 25 000 schools across the country.

“These skills include moving from the basics of digital literacy to using technology for learning and teaching, as well as an introductory course of coding.

“The eCadres were trained on how to work with computers, online tools to communicate and collaborate online, and to enhance teaching and deepen learning,” said Padayachee.

Adding that this also includes support and the transfer of skills to teachers in terms of remote training and learning, navigating e-course material and submitting online assessments.

Sikhumbuzo Ngcobo, Public Sector Director at Microsoft South Africa said digital skills are the backbone of the ability to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said these skills act as a driver of youth employment, education and broader economic growth in the country.

“This is why we actively work to collaborate with public and private sector partners to develop these critical capabilities where they are most in demand,” said Ngcobo.

Adding that partnering with government through our skills development programmes also supports their overall transformation journey by helping to create a strong pipeline of digital skills needed to navigate a rapidly evolving world.

According to Padayachee, the youth employment drive is working to improve teaching and learning in South African schools while simultaneously creating job opportunities for unemployed youth and passing on the skills needed by the country’s future workforce.

Padayachee said on successful completion of the digital skills training programme, eCadres have access to Microsoft Learn, an online learning platform where they can access interactive, hands-on learning paths, acquire new skills, and find certifications to advance their careers.

The QS 2021 Global EMBA Rankings have ranked the UCT Graduate School of Business’ EMBA programme number one in Africa and 51 in the world. According to the global rankings, this unique degree transforms executives by putting them into a better relationship with their lived experience to focus on solving the complex problems of our times.

The UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) has once again been ranked top in Africa for its Executive MBA programme according to the QS Global EMBA Rankings for 2021.

The school ranked 3rd in the region specifically for executive profile and 51st overall globally. It also climbed ten places to 42nd in the world for employer reputation, and six places to 43rd globally for diversity.

Dr Catherine Duggan, Director of the UCT GSB said the EMBA programme stands out globally for the value that it brings to students in helping them to understand and lead effectively in complex environments—as well as for the personal and professional growth that they experience in the programme.

Duggan said: “It’s great to see these rankings reflect what our students, alumni and corporate partners have been telling us: that the UCT GSB is one of the top business schools that employers look to, in Africa and around the world.”

READ: University Of Cape Town: UCT GSB’s MBA Programme Flies The Flag For Africa In Top Global Ranking

The prestigious QS ranking uses a methodology that combines input from thought leaders in business and management, assesses each business school’s reputation amongst academics and global employers, and takes the demographics of the EMBA cohort and other programme-specific indicators into account.

The Financial Times also ranks the UCT GSB as the number one African Business School for both its EMBA and Global MBA programmes. In addition, the school’s award-winning Customised Executive Education offering was ranked top in South Africa by the Financial Times in 2020.

According to Duggan, rhe UCT GSB’s EMBA programme is one of the fastest growing postgraduate degrees at UCT and is known for its focus on the practice of management and leadership rather than a traditional training in business functions. The programme provides reflective strategies and practical insight and tools to builds students’ capacities to work productively with disharmony and complexity that come standard in the world of business today.

READ: SA universities fall in global rankings

Kosheek Sewchurran, director of the EMBA programme at the UCT GSB said that in a complex world, leaders need more than knowledge to act with wisdom.

“They need the courage of their convictions and an ability to think integratively.

“If ever there was a time to turn to a different form of logic it is now,” said Sewchurran.

Adding that as the world braces for the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, business schools must go beyond offering courses on what to do and help orient leaders in how to do it.

“As business schools we need therefore to find ways to allow leaders to experience new ways of being, doing and knowing, so that they pursue new options and new choices while uncovering and working with paradox and tensions,” said Sewchurran.

Globally, HEC Paris ranks first followed by Wharton Business school, and IESE at the second and third spots, respectively. QS added an additional 35 EMBA programmes to the ranking, evaluating a total of 176 EMBA programmes from around the world.

Nunzio Quacquarelli, CEO and Founder at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, said the organisation had found no evidence of a slowdown in demand for the Executive MBA.

“On the contrary, average enrolments decreased over the last application cycle, while application numbers increased by 14%,” he said.

“With compensation for Executive MBA graduates also remaining robust, it is clear that employers continue to place a premium on the unique skillsets and experiences offered by the qualification.”