WOMEN are significantly underrepresented in STEM professions and for the few who are pursuing science, technology, engineering or math careers – there are a lot of financial challenges.

That’s why a lot of companies and organizations are offering scholarships and other financial assistance to help bridge this gender gap in these crucial fields.

Only 1 in 4 people working in computer and mathematical professions and 1 in 6 in architecture and engineering careers are women, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What’s more, for every dollar a man in STEM makes, a woman earns 14 cents less, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Increasing access to higher education opportunities represents one of the best strategies to narrow the gender gap in STEM fields,” said Rachel Morford, president of the Society of Women Engineers.

“Scholarships help start that positive trend by helping to fund a woman’s access to undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral STEM programs. Scholarships are also vital to help ensure success in those programs, as they give students more opportunity to focus on their classwork, design projects, and pursue research or internship opportunities – all of which work to help keep women in STEM fields through graduation and beyond.”

Scholarships available for women in STEM

There are a lot of scholarships from organizations, foundations and companies that are available to women pursuing STEM careers.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a pioneer in supporting students whose gender identity is that of female and in pursuit of an ABET-accredited (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) bachelors or graduate program in engineering, engineering technology, and computer science. 

Along with providing on-campus support to students, in 2020 SWE gave 260+ new and renewed scholarships which were worth a total of $1 million to female students around the globe.

SWE makes the application process easy, with one application submission allowing for students to be qualified for all applications that are relevant to them.

Microsoft conducted a study where they found that only 7% of women, compared to 15% of men, graduated college in 2016 with a degree in science, technology, engineering or math.

Additionally, women tend to pursue science-oriented degrees instead of engineering, math or computer-based fields, and are lower paid than men. Microsoft offers scholarships for women who plan to pursue a career in the STEAM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) at the college level.

“Having access to scholarships can help to alleviate some of the burden that women face today, and it is vital to them receiving an education that will get them the same seat at a table as their fellow male classmates,” said Sasha Ramani, associate director of corporate strategy at MPOWER Financing, which offers scholarships to women pursuing STEM careers.

“These can all help close the gaps for not only women – but those in underrepresented communities.”

Some other scholarships for women pursuing STEM careers include: The BHW scholarship for women in STEM, the Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship, the Science Ambassador Scholarship funded by Cards Against Humanity, the ABC Humane Wildlife Women in STEM Academic Scholarship, the Girls Who STEM scholarship, the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship, the Hyundai Women in Stem Scholarship and the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship Program.

Scholarships that are specifically for women pursuing engineering careers include: The Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship, the Lynn G. Bellenger Scholarship and the UPS Scholarship for Female Students.

The application process

Kaylin Moss, a senior at Marist College studying computer science, applied to hundred of scholarships, which she found through databases, social media or internet searches. She won a Generation Google scholarship.

Moss says that the “application process was lengthy”  ̶  she had to answer three essay questions and submit a resume and academic transcript.

One of her essays was about how she chartered the Marist College chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, the second was about her proposed solutions to many challenges underrepresented groups in technology face when pursuing careers in technology and the third illustrated her financial need. 

Applicants were judged based on their financial need, commitment to diversity and inclusion, leadership and academic performance.

Some scholarships require that you write essays, while others ask for videos or artistic works. And, the application process is a time commitment. Moss’s advice is to focus on scholarships that best align with your method of communication.

So, if you love writing – go for the essays. If you’re a natural on camera, go for the scholarships that ask for a video.

An applicant is more likely to win a scholarship if the applicant pool is tiny, so students should apply to smaller, local scholarships in addition to larger national scholarships to increase their chances of winning.

Olivia Haberberger, senior business information systems and accounting student at the University of Pittsburgh, is a recipient of the Pitt Success Grant and the Addison H. Gibson Foundation grant. 

The Pitt Success Grant was given based on need so all Haberberger had to do to receive that was fill out the FAFSA (free application for student aid) every year and meet a certain benchmark for cumulative GPA.

The Addison H. Gibson Foundation grant was also given based on need. Haberberger wrote a thank you letter to express her gratitude.

Strategies for success

Haberberger’s advice to other students is to “advocate for yourself” and to “consider how much time and energy you have to dedicate to applying.”

It’s important to start researching early and stay organized in order to not miss deadlines, according to scholarships.com, a site where students can search for scholarships and other financial aid.

The Education Quest Foundation warns that procrastinating can cause you to rush at the last minute and then you risk making mistakes on your application. They advise students to always proofread applications to reduce spelling and grammatical errors. And, send it in early – sometimes that can make all the difference.

Rachel Morford stresses that you should “start research and preparation early!”

For example, if you dig in to all that the Society of Women Engineers offers, you’ll find that there is a main application for scholarships awarded at the organizational level but several of the local professional sections also have scholarship programs that you may be eligible for as well.

“Talk with your school counselors and advisors, as well as the career center at your college or university since they likely know of available opportunities,” Morford said.

“Financing is often the largest barrier to education, particularly for international and DACA students,” Ramani explained. (DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, referring to a policy to protect children who were brought to the U.S. when they were young from deportation.)

“If you are interested in pursuing a STEM degree, the greatest advice we can provide is to do your research and evaluate the options available to you when it comes to funding,” Ramani said. “For example, the Society of Women Engineers has a lot of aid resources on their site, and your university may have resources they can share. Typically, funding is available; it’s just a matter of accessing it and evaluating what’s right for you when it comes to loan repayment terms, scholarship requirements, work-study expectations, etc.”

MPOWER tries to help eliminate barriers for students, Ramani explained. “We evaluate a student’s ability to repay their loan through a unique set of considerations on the lending side. This results in better outcomes and lower instances of deferment or defaults. On the scholarship side, we evaluate each student’s application against their accomplishments, goals, and needs. ”

Grace Ulmer, a senior electrical engineering and linguistics student at Purdue University and recipient of The Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship – North America during her junior year, suggests “regularly looking for scholarships to apply to, and when you find one that interests you, put its date on the calendar!” 

Although Ulmer found the application process to not be as rigorous as expected, she did have to answer questions regarding her grades and courses as well as short essay questions about why she chose her discipline and why it’s important for women to have these opportunities.  

Ulmer decided to write three short essays regarding projects that she was passionate about and how she was able to overcome obstacles to complete them.  She wrote about her passion for student organizations that she is a part of including “TEDxPurdueU, which hosts an annual TED conference each year, and PurdueVotes, which focuses on voter engagement and education in our community.”

She would also recommend looking for scholarships that play to what you’re good at. For example, there are some scholarships that accept presentations or videos about any topic you are interested in.

“These are great options to show who you are and give the selection committee the best view of you,” Ulmer said.

In addition to doing your own research online and connecting with your school’s career centers and financial aid offices, there are many organizations that are aimed at helping you successfully launch a career in STEM.

* CNBC

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is currently holding stakeholder consultations on the proposed eligibility criteria and conditions for financial aid to be effective from the 2022 academic year.

Some transitional arrangements, NSFAS said, would be implemented in 2023.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the entity noted that NSFAS Act 56 of 1999 mandates the Board to develop criteria and conditions for the granting of bursaries to eligible students, in consultation with Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister, amongst other provisions.

“The Board believes that for NSFAS to be an effective and efficient provider of financial aid in a sustainable and responsive manner, all stakeholders must be engaged. It is for this reason that for the first time ever, NSFAS is consulting all the relevant stakeholders on the proposed funding guidelines.

“The stakeholders that are being consulted include the student leadership, university vice-chancellors, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college principals, some spheres of government and others.

“All the inputs of these stakeholders will be considered in the final document that will be presented to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation for consideration,” NSFAS said.

NSFAS said under normal circumstances, it would not have communicated to the public until the consultative process has been concluded and Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister having applied his mind on the proposed reforms.

The entity said, however, that the current consultation process that is underway for the proposed 2022 policy changes, has not been concluded.

“More stakeholders in the higher education sector are being consulted [and] all stakeholders are given an opportunity to make inputs, and the process is on-going. All inputs will be considered, and recommendations will be made to the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation.”

Proposed 75% progression rule

Explaining the proposed 75% progression rule, which was reported in the media early this week, the entity said the proposed policy is aimed at encouraging students to pass their courses and/or modules, and just with “the pass mark”.

“The proposed policy, if implemented, would only apply as of the 2023 academic year, and would not be applied to students who entered higher education for the first time, also referred to as FTEN students. This is in recognition of the transition that many students make from high school to university.

“It should be noted that NSFAS funds students that would not otherwise be able to access higher education to ensure that they qualify and ultimately contribute to the economy.

“Therefore, this progression criteria is aimed at ensuring that students complete their qualifications within the allowable timeframe to ensure return on investment and to provide more opportunities to deserving students,” NSFAS said.

It said all other matters contained in the proposed funding guidelines, including student accommodation, are subject to consultative processes.

“All these policy considerations are aimed at ensuring sustainability of the scheme and for the well-being of students, to ensure that they succeed. 

“In this instance, the entity has the South African Union of Students on the proposed guidelines and as the entity, we are awaiting their submission,” NSFAS said.

#We Teach

                                                                        #We Care

                                                                        #We Protect

                                                                        #We Denounce Violence

 Driven by deep concern over the increase in violence at and around schools, The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) launched the “I Am a School Fan” campaign against violence in schools in 2019. Starting in August 2021, SADTU partnered with Old Mutual, Brand South Africa and UNICEF to gain more traction and drive awareness throughout South Africa and successfully launched the national campaign in Gauteng, Soweto.  The campaign is also being launched in all the other eight provinces.

The I Am a School Fan is a societal campaign that aims to mobilise all stakeholders including parents, teachers, learners, communities, and government departments to address school-related violence in all its forms. The campaign is in line with SADTU’s 2019 Congress Theme, “Claiming our right to have our human dignity and safety protected and respected in pursuit of a decolonised quality public education.”

The General Secretary of SADTU, Mugwena Maluleke explains, “We invite all peace loving citizens to join in the fight against violence. This fight is for the restoration of the dignity of those in our learning institutions. This fight is for the protection of the future of the children. There are many extensions to this campaign. Ultimately, it focuses bettering behaviours and attitudes in students and teachers. The main focal point is to address the prevalence of violence within the schools. This violence exists on multiple levels”.

As a trade union in the education sphere, SADTU has called on corporate partners for financial aid and added media reach and credibility. Thembisa Mapukuta, General Manager: Alternative Distribution for Old Mutual Retail Mass Market, says, “The right to education is enshrined in the South African Constitution and by supporting the I Am a School Fan campaign, Old Mutual recognises this right and upholds it.

“As a responsible business, Old Mutual is stepping forward to ensure that the education sector’s systemic challenges are addressed, both holistically and collectively. We collaborated with SADTU on this campaign with the objective to raise awareness about violence in schools. However, over the long-term we want to ensure that through this partnership we are able to formulate tangible solutions that will eradicate violence in schools and address the issues that could threaten the future of children in South Africa. This will require participation from all stakeholders; government, educators, parents and the community at large.”

I Am a School Fan addresses violence in the immediate school environment and in broader terms:

The immediate school environment (premises and those involved in this environment)

Violence being committed by teachers towards other teachers: (This is often gender-based) Female teachers are often ill-treated by those who have been in the system longer than them and hold a position of power. Seven out of 10 teachers are females, yet the management positions are still largely held by men.Teachers committing violence against learners: This includes illegal corporal punishment, gender-based violence (for example – there have been instances of teachers withholding marks unless the pupil engages in sexual activity, and pupils being sexually assaulted by school staff).Learner on learner violence: This is the most common and exists on many levels. Physical bullying, emotional bullying and cyberbullying are prevalent. Cyberbullying is still fairly new, and it is taking time for those in authority to learn how to deal with it. Cyberbullying has even, in some instances, lead to suicide. Cyberbullying reaches the child in the privacy of their home or wherever they take their phone or computer.  Due to the viral nature of the internet, humiliation can be very public and spreads far beyond the schoolyard.Learners towards teachers: Teachers know that they cannot respond to physical threats as corporal punishment is not allowed. But they don’t know what systems are in place to support them when they experience abuse at the hands of the learners. The learners are very aware of their rights and use this to their advantage.

The broader environment

Violence committed in schools by community members: South Africa is one of the very few countries where communities destroy schools when protesting external issues such as service delivery. Vuwani in Limpopo is a good example of this phenomenon. Violence erupted in the area after it was recommended that the Malamulele and Vuwani municipalities be merged. Residents turned their anger towards 31 schools and burned them. They also prevented pupils from attending school for more than 18 months. 30 000 pupils were affected. This is a generational crisis.

Theft of resources: Schools are often targets of armed robberies, burglaries, and hijackings. For years, the Department of Education has tried to move with the times and implement E-Learning. But the learning and teaching materials are frequently stolen by community members. They are also sometimes resold withing the same community. This creates a market for the parts. A paradigm shift is needed within communities for education to be protected.

Maluleke adds, “All of these issues are classified as violence in schools. In 2019, we sat for our ninth congress, where 300 000 members agreed that they want us to fight back against violence and mobilise all sectors of society with a positive message. It needed a name that would also contribute to that positive message, hence the birth of ‘I Am a School Fan’.

“We want to work on what we understand South Africa’s psyche to be. South Africans are sports fanatics and sport has often been a great unifier. We want to harness this and use it as a message that supports education with the same passion that one would support their favourite team”.

The campaign has been categorised to speak to all the stakeholders in the schooling community:

Learners: As a learner, what is your responsibility towards ensuring that your school community is a haven? You will not bully a fellow pupil and if you witness bullying you should be the first to report it. You will also respect your teachers and not bully them.Teachers: As a teacher, you will not use corporal punishment. You will not engage in inappropriate relationships with learners. You must respect that you act in loco parentis and should take on a nurturing and supportive relationship in a child’s life.The community: Be alert and protective of the school environment.The Department of Education: Ensure enough funding and resources to ensure a safe school environment.Parents: Make sure that you participate in the school community. Support the school Code of Conduct, take an interest in the daily running of the school. Support your school management team.

Maluleke concludes, “COVID has made us more mobilised as communities. The launch is well timed as this is time when communities are banding together, following the upheaval of lockdown. We need each other more than ever.

“We need to instil mechanisms where there is recourse. For example, if a teacher administers corporal punishment, it needs to be reported and dealt with. An awareness must also be created of steps to take when these issues arrive. It’s all very well to hear the message, but then what?

“Initially, the main purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness of what each stakeholder should and shouldn’t do. We are communicating the message that, ‘as a stakeholder, you should not do this’ etcetera. And ‘as a stakeholder, you MUST do this’ etcetera.

For more information on SADTU and the I Am a School Fan campaign, visit the following.

Website: www.sadtu.org.za

Twitter: @SadtuNational

Facebook: SADTU National Office

International students are returning to U.S. colleges in stronger numbers this year, but the rebound has yet to make up for last year’s historic declines as COVID-19 continues to disrupt academic exchange, according to a new survey.

Nationwide, American colleges and universities saw a 4% annual increase in international students this fall, according to survey results released Monday by the Institute of International Education. But that follows a decrease of 15% last year — the steepest decline since the institute began publishing data in 1948.

The upturn is better than many colleges were forecasting over the summer as the delta variant surged. But it also reflects continued obstacles as visa backlogs persist and as some students show reluctance to study abroad during the pandemic.

Universities and U.S. officials hope this year’s uptick is the start of a long-term rebound. As international travel ramps up, there’s optimism that colleges will see growth past their pre-pandemic levels.

“We expect a surge following the pandemic,” Matthew Lussenhop, an acting U.S. assistant secretary of state, told reporters. This year’s increase indicates that international students “continue to value a U.S. education and remain committed to pursuing studies in the United States,” he added.

Overall, 70% of U.S. colleges reported an uptick in international students this fall, while 20% saw decreases and 10% remained level, according to the institute. That’s based on a preliminary survey of more than 800 U.S. schools. The nonprofit plans to issue full nationwide data next year.

At least some of the increase is due to new students who hoped to come to the U.S. last year but delayed their plans because of the pandemic. All told, there was a 68% increase in newly enrolled international students this year, a dramatic increase compared with last year’s decrease of 46%.

For many schools, even a modest upturn is a relief. Over the summer, officials at U.S. universities worried that the delta variant would dash any hopes of a rebound. But for many, that did not come to pass.

In August, U.S. embassies and consulates in India reported that they had recently issued visas to a record 55,000 students even after starting the process two months late because of COVID-19. Embassies in China reported that they had issued 85,000 student visas.

At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, more than 10,000 international students enrolled this fall, which nearly offsets a 28% decline from last year.

“What we’re seeing now is a return to normal for our international populations,” said Andy Borst, director of undergraduate admissions at the university. The rebound is fueled by new undergraduates, with those from India up nearly 70% over pre-pandemic levels.

“We just had this pent-up demand,” Borst said. “A lot of Big Ten schools saw increases beyond what we were expecting.”

At some schools with big brands overseas, enrollments rebounded past their 2019 figures. More than 17,000 international students enrolled at New York University this fall, up 14% over 2019, according to school data.

At the University of Rochester, another top destination for international students in New York, enrollments from abroad surged 70% over 2019 levels, driven by a boom in graduate students, according to school data.

Most students were able to arrive on campus within the first weeks of the semester, but many dealt with visa backlogs at U.S. embassies and consulates, not to mention costly flights and cancellations, said Jennifer Blask, the university’s head of international admissions.

The vast majority of U.S. colleges returned to in-person learning by this fall, but not all international students are physically on campus. After last year’s shift to remote learning, many schools have continued offering online classes to students abroad, allowing thousands to stay enrolled from afar.

Out of all international students enrolled at U.S. colleges this year, the survey found that about 65% were taking classes on campus.

For Chinese students unable to arrive for this semester, NYU is continuing to let them use its academic center in Shanghai, which is traditionally for U.S. students studying abroad. The university also let international students use its London and Abu Dhabi locations last year, but has since returned them to use for study abroad programs.

For some colleges, the new flexibility of online learning helped avoid further enrollment setbacks. In the past, students at the University of San Francisco might have been able to start the term a week late if they faced visa or travel problems. Now, those facing visa delays can arrive halfway through the term or later, and in the meantime study online from abroad.

Facing travel restrictions inside Vietnam, graduate student Vinh Le was unable to get to Ho Chi Minh City’s airport in time for the start of fall classes. Instead, he studied online for more than two months until he could get his first vaccine shot, which allowed him to travel.

Taking classes online was challenging because of the time difference, he said, but professors were “very supportive” and recorded their lectures to be watched any time. He ended up making it to the University of San Francisco on Nov. 1.

International students are seen as important contributors to U.S. campuses for a variety of reasons. Colleges say they help provide a diverse mix of cultures and views on campus. Many end up working in high-demand fields after graduating. And some colleges rely on the financial benefits of international students, who are typically charged higher tuition rates.

Although many colleges have avoided a second year of declines, there’s still concern that the upturn may be isolated to certain types of colleges. The new survey found that, last year, community colleges suffered much steeper declines than four-year universities, with a 24% backslide nationwide.

Researchers are still analyzing this year’s data, but some worry that community colleges may continue to lag behind.

There are also questions about whether the rebound will continue past this year. New vaccine requirements for foreign travelers could make it harder for some students to get here, and colleges are expecting continued competition from colleges in Australia, Canada and other nations looking to boost their international populations.

Still, officials at many colleges are optimistic. More vaccines are being sent overseas, and newly lifted travel bans promise to reduce barriers to travel. Some also credit President Joe Biden for sending a message that America wants students from abroad.

In July, the administration issued a statement promising a “renewed” commitment to international education, saying it would work to make overseas students feel welcome.

Rachel Banks, senior director of public policy and legislative strategy for NAFSA, an international education association, said that’s a shift from the Trump administration.

“In the last administration, there was a lot of negativity and negative rhetoric around international students,” Banks said. “Biden is now trying to telegraph to the world that there’s interest in having international students coming here.”

* AP

THE River States Conference Women’s Soccer Championship took place Saturday under conditions that were not very soccer-like. The high temperature was around 42 degrees, but it didn’t feel like that with the swirling wind surrounding the OVU Soccer Field.

The grim conditions also added to the overall fee of the game – two very evenly matched teams that were getting ready to battle it out for a championship and a berth into the National NAIA tournament.

The game was a yellow card festival throughout and that aggressive play meant scoring would be minimal. In fact, one OVU goal was all it took on this afternoon to lift the Scots to their very first RSC Championship in their very first year in the league.

In the first half, the action was instantaneous and both teams battled back and forth, but no real scoring threats took place. The first shot on goal did not register until the 21st minute when Rio Grande goalkeeper Morgan Nutter made easy work of a Raewyn Murphy kick. It was not until the 36th minute that any team could break the ice on this chilly day.

Ana Rodrigues set up for a corner kick, but instead of sending a cross into the box, she sent a quick entry pass to Anouck Heyer. Heyer immediately sent it back and Rodrigues then sent a shot into upper left hand corner of the goal. Nutter got a fingertip on the ball but was not able to redirect it and OVU took the lead. That is how the half ended with the Scots owning a 1-0 lead.

The second half found two teams pulling out all of the stops to try and win a championship. A total of 13 fouls and 6 yellow cards in the half but not a single shot on goal was registered. The OVU defense was stellar as they surrounded RSC Player of the year Chase Davis and other RedStorm attackers anytime the approached the goal box. In the end, Rio just ran out of time and the Fighting Scots were crowned the champions.

After the game, the All-Conference team was announced. OVU’s Ylenia Cirrincione, Raewyn Murphy, Sindi Kanto, Yuliana Hererra and Oihane Abascal were all named to the RSC Second team. Ximena Jauregui and Manuela Filipe were named to the RSC First team. Filipe was then awarded the RSC Newcomer of the Year and Jauregui was awarded the RSC Defensive Player of the year.

OVU coach Eric Belcher was announced as Coach of the Year in the River States Conference after the game and had this to say about his team.

“What a season it’s been. Regular season champs. Conference tournament champs. So proud of these ladies! On to the National Tournament. There’s more work to do.”

The Scots have earned a right to play in the NAIA National Championship tourney. Their opponent and destination will be determined via a selection show on Monday.

* News & Sentinel

THE Gauteng Department of Education said it had not yet experienced water disruptions at schools in and around Johannesburg.

This comes after Water utility Rand Water announced planned water interruptions starting on Monday.

Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabonasaid although no water challenges were experienced most schools had boreholes in place.

Mabona said on Monday: “Because this is a planned project, they (schools) were advised to stockpile water. They utilised different mechanisms to stockpile water. But on the other hand, parents are encouraged to give children water bottles so that after writing their assessments, they are then released.”

He said it was fortunate that maintenance was being done during examination periods when pupils were not expected to be at school for a full day, but were expected to leave after writing exams.

The water cuts were due to maintenance to infrastructure and were expected to last for 54 hours.

According to Rand Water, their bulk water supplier is working on its raw water pipe that supplies the Vereeniging water purification plant.

Rand Water said maintenance would affect the water supply from the Rand Water Eikenhof pump station to the south of Johannesburg, the CBD, and the northern and western areas. It said the water supply will be reduced by 25%.

The planned water cuts have also affected the courts in the municipal area.

Proceedings at the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg will come to a halt until Thursday.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a short statement, “Kindly note that due to water cuts, matters sitting in (the Gauteng) High Court (in Johannesburg) that were set down from Monday to Wednesday will be postponed to Thursday.”

THE Department of Basic Education (DBE) has tabled a set of proposals to Eskom for serious consideration in a bid to avoid load shedding affecting matriculants who are currently writing exams.

The proposals include that consideration must be made for load shedding to be avoided when SA Sign Language Home Language (SASL HL) is written on November 23 and 30, as it requires laptops and other assisting devices.

A second proposal was for Eskom to suspend the load shedding every evening, from Sunday to Thursday, for four hours across the country from 7pm to 11pm. That would allow learners to prepare for the examination to be written the following morning.

Those proposals were tabled during the department’s meeting with the Public Enterprises and Eskom managers at the weekend.

DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the meeting was attended by managers from the Department of Public Enterprises led by director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi, DBE acting director-general Dr Granville Whittle, who was accompanied by a team of managers.

Mhlanga said the purpose of the meeting was to deliberate on the impact of load-shedding on basic education in general and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in particular.

He said the department told the Eskom that load shedding was creating a general sense of anxiety and tension to candidates at a time when they should be totally relaxed and focussed on writing their all-important examinations.

“The crucial period of preparing for the examination the night before is now disrupted by load shedding. The added stress emanates from the traffic congestion in the morning due to non-functioning traffic lights,” he said.

During the meeting, Eskom said the proposals would be considered and that a team would be assembled to see how those measures would be implemented.

Eskom’s chief executive, Andre de Ruyter, said that other sectors had also made similar requests and that Eskom would consider the recommendations.

He said Eskom had since adjusted the load-shedding schedule to stage 2 and that in the next few days load-shedding would not happen, and cautioned however that there were no guarantees as the situation was being monitored on a regular basis.

Congress of South African Students (Cosas) acting provincial secretary Mphumzi Giwu said they feel that load shedding was adding a burden to learners who were coming from disadvantaged households and affects underprivileged schools who can’t afford a generator.

ANC provincial spokesperson on education, Khalid Sayed, called on Eskom and all role-players to treat with empathy the plea of thousands who sit for their end-of-year school exams.

Sayed said emergency cuts of the supply were adversely especially affecting the many poor learners and students during their final exams.

“The emergency cuts are a huge distraction to those who prepare and review for these important exams, especially the poor in disadvantaged areas who have no alternatives when the lights go out,” he said.

* ANA

SENIOR Managers from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) have been using various forms of engagement platforms to reach out to schools to provide urgent support where needed during the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

These interventions also included school visits conducted by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister, Dr Regina Mhaule, and Director-General Hubert Mathanzima Mweli.

School visits and monitoring programmes are essential because they provide the Department with a broad picture of the situation faced by the sector to identify best practices and challenges from which intervention strategies can be developed to provide support to schools.

The Director for Education Management and Governance Development, James Ndlebe, indicated that Covid-19 posed challenges to every education stakeholder within the Basic Education Sector.

He applauded the role played by School Governing Bodies (SGBs), parents, School Management Teams (SMTs) and school principals in ensuring that the phased approach of opening schools, difficult as it was, was successful.

“As the governance of schools is vested in its SGB in terms of section 16(1) of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (SASA), as amended, SGBs must promote the best interest of the school and support school staff and SMTs to perform their duties. During the advent of Covid-19, we saw SGBs becoming a link between the school and communities, leading to the safe return of learners to school and ensuring that there was social distancing; wearing of face masks; and adherence to hygiene protocols, including the availability of meals for all returning grades,” explained Ndlebe.

“Quality education cannot be achieved unless communities are involved in determining the nature, character and the direction that schools must take. The role of parents in supporting their school-going children cannot be over emphasised. It makes a huge difference in the outcome of learner performance. The establishment of SGBs is the way in which we, in the sector, formalise the interaction between schools and parents. This was evident in the many consultation meetings held between the Department and SGBs throughout the lock down period,” he concluded.

THE University of Cape Town has announced an expanded scholarship programme for its new online school due to significant demand.

The online school, which commences classes in January 2022, has received more than 7,000 applications for the 2021 academic year, with scholarships now being offered to all high school-aged students, it said. 

UCT is running the online venture in collaboration with the Valenture Insitute, and is a CAPS-aligned curriculum that enables learners in grades 8 – 12 the opportunity to study at a monthly fee of R2,095.

The university said that learners will benefit from a supported self-discipline model, which allows them to pace their own learning while receiving one-on-one tutoring from expert teachers and support coaches whenever they need it.

Students will also be provided with a range of university and career preparation services and offerings.

In addition, the entire curriculum will be made available for free on an interactive online platform, the tertiary institution said. Users of this free content will be issued with a learner number to save their learning path and data, with unlimited logins permitted.

Privates and corporates 

While many of South Africa’s private schools have had to incorporate online teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some are making a more permanent shift towards online schools.

JSE-listed independent education provider Curro opened its Curro Online offering in mid-June last year, and boasts more than 600 learners.

The group has also implemented additional e-learning solutions, the latest being Curro Choice, an e-learning offering that launched in February 2021 to broaden the range of subjects available to every Curro high school learner nationwide.

Looking ahead, the education group said it will continue to invest in the business, and make better use of its existing facilities as the education landscape changes.

Corporates have also shown eagerness to offer online learning facilities. At the end of October, mobile operator MTN launched its online school, offering a digital curriculum for grades R-12.

The online school, endorsed by the Department of Basic Education, will offer additional features like video lessons, assessments and extra-tuition lessons for grade 10 to 12 learners.

It will also focus on areas such as financial skills, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and career guidance content, with particular attention on critical careers where there are skills shortages in South Africa.

The portal includes an introduction to the early childhood development curriculum and African storytelling, with over 2,000 stories, to equip children with good reading skills and improve confidence, enabling them to learn and read independently.

Ongoing shift 

Before the pandemic, the majority of institutions had less than half of their learning offering available online despite nearly 9 out of 10 universities having started implementing their digital strategy sometime before 2020, said Stewart Watts, vice president for EMEA, at online learning company D2L.

The crisis accelerated efforts to implement digital strategies in South Africa and as a result, there is now an increased number of courses available online for students, growing to 59%, he said.

“Change is starting to happen and it will probably be like a domino effect. The pandemic has forced a long-term shift in the way we think about EdTech and digital transformation, and it’s a good sign that higher education institutions are putting the student experience and learning outcomes at the centre of their strategies,” he added.

“More than 90% of respondents in South Africa say that institutions need to digitally transform to enable future growth, and improving digital skills within the academic community is also a top priority.”

* Business Tech

THE National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says it is expecting a shortfall of about R10 billion in its student funding for the 2022 academic year. 

NSFAS has cited various factors for this including the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected increase of student enrolments in tertiary institutions.

The scheme was briefing Parliament on its annual report for the 2020-2021 financial year.

CEO Andile Nongongo said NSFAS was able to take proactive measures in dealing with the matter before the opening of the 2022 academic year.

He says both the National Treasury and the Department of Higher Education and Training have been approached.

“The shortfall is projected to about R10 billion. The difference this time is that we were able to engage quite early with the department and the National Treasury to try and secure this funding.”

“Of course that is not in the control of NSFAS to come up with such money. It is in the control of government to prioritise those funds. So indeed this money has been earmarked,” explains Nongongo.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, said funding to universities and TVET colleges has increased from R20 billion in 2018 to R42 billion in 2021.

“It should also be noted that NSFAS funding increased from R5.9 billion in 2014/15 to approximately R35 billion in 2020/21,” said Nzimande.

“As you know, additional funding was reprioritized to support a NSFAS shortfall in 2021/22, the current financial year, taking the total NSFAS budget to approximately R42 billion.”

Nzimande said last year more than 750 000 students were financially assisted by the NSFAS.

Addressing the launch of the NSFAS application season for 2022 in Pretoria, Nzimande promised to fund all deserving students next year.