By Charmaine Ndlela

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) officially launched the first day of the 2026 Mandela Day Career Development Festival at Umyezo Wama Apile High School in Grabouw, Western Cape, on Monday.

The event brought together about 2,000 learners for a day of career guidance, inspiration and direct access to post-school education and training opportunities.

According to the department, the festival is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions about their future careers by connecting them with universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and industry partners.

Speaking at the event, District Coordinator for the Senior and FET Phase Yugoalsav Kudiyarov welcomed learners, educators and education stakeholders, highlighting the collaboration between government, higher education institutions and industry in expanding access to career development opportunities.

He acknowledged the contribution of SETAs, universities, TVET colleges and industry partners in making the festival possible before officially declaring the 2026 Mandela Day Career Development Festival open.

Addressing learners, Letshego Mokeki, Director for Career Development Services at DHET, encouraged them to embrace every educational opportunity available to them.

Drawing inspiration from the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Mokeki described education as a powerful catalyst for personal growth, social transformation and economic opportunity.

He urged learners to remain committed to their studies and make choices that would help them build meaningful careers and contribute positively to their communities.

He reminded learners that the decisions they make today could shape the opportunities available to them in the future.

DHET Assistant Director for Career Development Services Sibongile Hlongwane provided practical guidance on selecting school subjects and career pathways that align with learners’ interests, strengths and aspirations.

She also encouraged learners to submit applications for post-school education opportunities as early as possible, explore available financial aid and funding support, and make use of the department’s career development services to help them navigate their transition from school to higher education, skills training and the world of work.

Throughout the festival, learners engaged directly with representatives from universities, TVET colleges, SETAs and industry, gaining first-hand information on academic programmes, bursaries, student funding, scarce skills and career pathways across various sectors.

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Staff Reporter

Two Cape Winelands school learners have won an international research award for projects examining the use of artificial intelligence to detect tuberculosis and the ability of homemade masks to filter airborne micro-organisms.

Maria Manwadu, a Grade 11 learner at Somerset High School, and Reananetse Mbizo, a Grade 12 learner at Masakheke Combined School in Robertson, received the Research Excellence Award at the International Children’s Advisory Network Summit in Ireland.

The learners competed against youth research groups linked to institutions including University College Dublin, Case Western and Walter Reed University, according to the University of Cape Town.

Manwadu presented a study titled, “Can artificial intelligence detect TB from a single chest X-ray?”, while Mbizo’s project examined the “Filtration efficiency of homemade masks against airborne micro-organisms”.

Manwadu was mentored by South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative researcher Dr Sarah Nyangu, while Mbizo was mentored by Dr Carly Young-Bailie.

The learners are members of the Youth Research Advisory Group (YRAG) linked to the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative at UCT. The programme works with learners from Somerset High School, Touwsriver Primary School and Masakheke Combined School.

It is supported by a grant from the UCT Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine’s Social Accountability Committee, which covers research materials and equipment.

“Community engagement is too often treated as an add-on to research. We have flipped that,” said SATVI communications manager and programme coordinator Kelvin Vollenhoven, who developed the programme.

“When you give young people from a high TB-burden district a genuine seat at the research table, they don’t just learn science – they help shape the questions science should be asking.”

Through the YRAG, learners review study materials intended for adolescents, advise SATVI researchers and receive support to design and conduct their own research projects.

Scientists from SATVI and partner organisations, including iThemba LABS, the South African Medical Research Council, local environmental health officers and the Breede-Gouritz Water Council, help the learners identify research questions and guide them through the research process.

“This shows what is possible when world-class researchers partner with learners in a low-resource setting, rather than simply studying them,” Vollenhoven said.

“We have both an ethical and a moral commitment not only to conduct excellent TB research, but to grow the next tier of TB researchers from within the communities where we work.”

The international award is the latest achievement for the programme, which has been gaining momentum since 2024.

During 2024 and 2025, participating learners conducted research in fields including biology, computer science, environmental science, physics and the social sciences. They also presented their work at regional and national science exhibitions.

At the 2025 Stellenbosch Expo for Young Scientists, participating learners received one gold medal, two silver medals, a bronze medal and two special commendations. Twelve learners submitted nine projects, with some working in pairs.

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By Thapelo Molefe

UCT Online High School says it has received the highest number of applications in its history as thousands of South African families continue to struggle to secure places for their children in traditional high schools.

The school announced on Monday that it had received more than 19,000 applications for Grades 8 to 12 for the 2026 academic year, the highest number since it was launched in 2021.

It said the record interest reflected increasing pressure on parents who are unable to secure placements in brick-and-mortar schools or are seeking alternative education options.

Head of Admissions Judith Nshimba said the school had prepared months in advance for the admissions process but had experienced far greater demand than expected.

“The Admissions department at UCT Online High School takes pride in preparing months in advance to support families through the enrolment journey for the new academic year. This year, as many parents continue to face challenges with placement or find their current schools no longer a good fit, we’ve seen growing interest in transitioning from traditional classrooms to online learning,” Nshimba said.

She said the number of applications had exceeded the school’s expectations.

“The growing interest was higher than what we anticipated receiving. Even now, we continue to receive queries from parents eager for their children to begin this year still as part of our 2026 intake, reflecting the urgency many families feel in securing a seat for their child.”

Nshimba said many families viewed online schooling as a practical solution amid the country’s ongoing school placement challenges.

“In the midst of South Africa’s schooling crisis, UCT Online High School has become the choice for families seeking flexibility, affordability, and quality education – all from the comfort of home for the 2026 academic year. For parents, this means peace of mind, and for learners, a structured environment where they can take ownership of their education at a structured pace with set deadlines designed for success.”

The school said the record number of applications highlighted the broader challenges facing the education sector, where limited school capacity, infrastructure constraints and delayed placement processes have left many parents searching for alternatives.

It pointed to the Western Cape, where the provincial education department has already processed the first round of placement confirmations for the 2027 academic year following the closure of applications on 15 June. 

According to the school, thousands of families remain without confirmed placements, while many others are “double-parked” on the admissions system after receiving multiple provisional offers or rejections.

UCT Online High School said more than 40,000 learners in the province routinely find themselves in this position, adding that school holidays had further delayed placement activity and increased anxiety among parents.

The school said online education, once regarded as a niche option, was increasingly becoming an accepted alternative for learners who required greater flexibility while still studying a fully accredited CAPS curriculum.

It said its learners came from across South Africa, including rural and under-resourced communities, demonstrating how online learning could extend access to quality education beyond geographical barriers.

However, the school stressed that online schools were not intended to replace the public education system.

“Importantly, online schools do not replace public education. They complement it – absorbing excess demand, offering alternatives where physical placement is unavailable, and providing options for learners who thrive in flexible, digitally enabled environments.”

UCT Online High School said the surge in applications should be viewed as more than institutional growth.

“The record number of applications is not merely institutional growth, but a reflection of the mounting demand for accessible schooling solutions amid ongoing placement challenges nationwide.”

The school said applications for both the 2026 and 2027 academic years remain open.

The institution also highlighted the performance of its 2025 matric class, saying top learner Don Lyons achieved an average of more than 90% with six distinctions and was recognised among the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute’s top three candidates nationally.

Another learner, Shoeshoe Katleho Tholoana Mahlaku, achieved 100% in Mathematics, while Boikanyo Legote received recognition for achieving 94% in Economics. The school said its top 25 matric learners collectively earned more than 600 subject distinctions.

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The proportion of underweight children at poorly resourced Gauteng schools doubled between 2020 and 2022, the University of Johannesburg said in a statement this week.

The findings come from a study published in The Open Public Health Journal in April.

The study found that the proportion of underweight children in the communities examined increased from 6% in 2020 to 12% in 2022, equivalent to a rise from about one in 16 children to one in eight.

Researchers examined data from 129 learners aged between five and 10 at schools with poor resources in Gauteng between 2020 and 2022.

“The doubling of underweight children is a warning sign. It suggests that many families are struggling to provide enough nutritious food in the short term, likely because of rising food prices, unemployment and the economic pressures that intensified during and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Matshidiso Sello, the study’s lead author.

The research found that boys were five times more likely to be underweight than girls and more than three times as likely to be stunted.

The study was not designed to determine the exact reasons for the difference between boys and girls, but Sello said the pattern was recognised in other research.

“Our findings are consistent with international research showing that boys may be more biologically vulnerable to nutritional and environmental stress during childhood,” she said.

Sello, a senior researcher at UJ’s Centre for Social Development in Africa in the Faculty of Humanities, said stunting and being underweight reflected different forms of nutritional vulnerability.

“Stunting indicates chronic undernutrition that develops over time,” Sello said. “Stunting is caused specifically in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, including during pregnancy.”

“On the other hand, underweight indicates that the child is not getting enough food or has recently experienced illness, which is affecting their weight,” she said.

While the number of underweight children doubled, the study found that stunting declined between 2020 and 2022.

Sello said the decline suggested that long-term investments in child health and nutrition, social protection and school nutrition programmes might have had a positive effect. However, she said the rise in underweight children pointed to a gap in the support available to low-income families.

“For families and health workers, underweight can be an early warning signal that households are under severe economic stress. Detecting it early allows for early interventions before children experience more serious health and developmental consequences.”

Sello said inadequate nutrition could also affect children’s classroom participation and academic performance.

“Nutrition is one of the foundations of early childhood development,” she said.

“A child who receives adequate nutrition is more likely to be healthy, attentive in class and able to learn effectively. Poor nutrition can reduce concentration, memory and energy levels, making it more difficult for children to participate in classroom activities, keep up with lessons and perform academically. Over time, this can increase the risk of absenteeism and grade repetition.”

The consequences could extend beyond a child’s school years, Sello said.

“Children who are healthier and better educated are more likely to complete school, access employment opportunities and become economically productive adults.”

The study also found high unemployment and high levels of depressive symptoms among caregivers.

“For many children, the school becomes the only place where they receive a nutritious meal,” Sello said.

She said schools could also be used to monitor children’s growth and identify those who were underweight.

“School is also the best place to do regular growth monitoring and identify underweight children early. For this, a stronger collaboration between local clinics and schools is needed,” she said.

Sello said the Child Support Grant of R580 was below the food poverty line of R855 and called for child nutrition to be treated as an investment.

“I hope policymakers will view child nutrition as a long-term investment rather than simply a social expenditure,” she said. “This means continuing to strengthen social protection, and reviewing the adequacy of the Child Support Grant in relation to the cost of a basic nutritious diet. We need to be protecting and expanding school nutrition programmes, and improving coordination between the health, education and social development sectors.”

“Too often, nutrition surveillance focuses on younger children, yet our findings show that early grade learners remain vulnerable,” Sello said.

“Ensuring that every child has access to adequate nutrition reduces hunger. It also gives every child the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

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A teenager has pleaded guilty to all 55 counts, including murder, in a shooting nearly two years ago at Apalachee High School in Georgia that killed two students and two teachers.

Colt Gray, 16, entered the plea Friday without having reached a deal with prosecutors. He had previously pleaded not guilty to charges in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting that also left several others wounded, at the high school about 45 miles (73 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult with the 55 total counts, including murder in the four deaths and 25 counts of aggravated assault. His trial had been scheduled to start in mid-October.

A jury in March convicted his father, Colin Gray, on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, and he is scheduled to be sentenced next week. Prosecutors said the elder Gray gave his son the assault-style rifle used to open fire at the school.

Teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, died in the shooting. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire.

Plea means teen faces life in prison

Before accepting the plea, Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm asked Gray a series of questions meant to ensure that the teenager was aware of the consequences of his plea and was entering it voluntarily. To each question, Gray responded, “Yes, your honor.”

Because he pleaded guilty to murder, Gray faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The judge must decide whether he should be eligible for parole after hearing victim statements, evidence and each side’s summary of the case.

Gray sat at a table in the courtroom with his feet chained together next to his attorney. Members of the community, including some victims and family members, were present in the courtroom.

Victim on Colt Gray: ‘Those decisions were his and his alone’

Breanna Schermerhorn, whose son Mason was killed, told the judge she does not forgive Colt Gray. She said that while adults around him missed multiple warning signs, he was the one who decided to bring a gun to school and to pull the trigger.

“Those decisions were his and his alone,” she said.

She described her son as someone who “made people that were typically unseen feel seen, accepted and safe” and said she was confident he would have befriended Colt Gray if he’d had the chance.

“Mason deserved a future and we all deserved a future with Mason in it, and Colt took that from Mason and everyone who loved him,” she said. She and two of Mason’s sisters asked the judge for a sentence of life without parole.

Shayna Aspinwall, Richard Aspinwall’s wife, told the judge the “grief of losing him is constant” and lamented that the lives of their daughters, who were 2 and 5 when their father died, will be “forever marked by his absence.”

“It is a life sentence of grief and trauma for those left behind,” she said. She asked the judge to sentence Colt Gray to life in prison without the possibility of parole, saying she didn’t want herself and her daughters to have to endure multiple parole hearings.

A teenage student who was shot recalled that day, telling the judge she remembered feeling “really scared and confused because I saw Colt standing in the door with a gun.” The Associated Press is not identifying the girl, who is a minor.

She said she realized she had been shot and turned to a friend, asking him to hold her hand. She asked other friends to call her brother to let him know she’d been shot and didn’t know if she’d make it. She had trouble staying awake and regained consciousness in a helicopter on the way to a hospital in Atlanta. She had multiple surgeries and wasn’t able to walk for about a year.

“After the shooting I struggled with so much anxiety, and I felt like my life was over,” she said. She also asked the judge for a sentence of life without parole.

Apalachee High School Principal Jessica Rehberg said in court that Colt Gray’s “cruel actions” deserve “the harshest consequences.”

Gray’s defense attorney wrote in a court filing that he plans to call a psychologist, a counselor at the juvenile detention center where he has been held and his grandmother to testify.

Investigators say Colt Gray carefully plotted the shooting

Investigators have previously testified that the teenager carried the rifle onto the school bus with the barrel wrapped in a poster board. They said he left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the rifle, shooting people in a classroom and hallway.

They have said Colt Gray carefully plotted the shooting at the high school of 1,900 students.

A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified at an earlier hearing that the teen left a notebook in his classroom with step-by-step instructions and a diagram to prepare for the assault, including an estimate that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound as many as 13 others.

Sheriff’s deputies interviewed Colt and Colin Gray in May 2023 about an online threat linked to the son. Colt Gray denied making the threat. He skipped eighth grade, enrolled as a freshman at Apalachee after the academic year had begun and then had a spotty attendance record.

Investigators found a shrine in Colt Gray’s bedroom to Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, prosecutors said.

An investigator testified during Colin Gray’s trial that he had been aware that his son’s mental health had deteriorated and sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, citing anger, anxiety and volatility. But the father never followed through on getting help for his son, the investigator said.

His mother, Marcee Gray, who was separated from Colin Gray, told investigators she had urged him weeks before the shooting to secure his guns and restrict their son’s access to them. Instead, over time, Colin Gray bought the boy ammunition, a gun sight and other shooting accessories, records show.

AP

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By Levy Masiteng

More than 50 learners from two Barberton secondary schools were given a first-hand glimpse of life behind bars during a visit to the Barberton Correctional Centre on Thursday as part of Mpumalanga’s annual School Safety Programme.

The initiative, led by the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison in partnership with the provincial Department of Education and the Department of Correctional Services, aims to deter young people from engaging in criminal activities by exposing them to the harsh realities of incarceration.

“This is a crime prevention initiative aimed at discouraging young people from engaging in criminal activities by exposing them to the harsh realities of incarceration,” the department said.

Learners from KaMhola and Ngwane secondary schools, both in the City of Mbombela, participated in the programme after being identified by the Department of Education as requiring interventions to promote discipline, safety and positive behaviour.

During the tour, learners visited different sections of the correctional facility, where they saw inmate cells, observed the meals served to prisoners and were introduced to the strict routines that govern daily prison life.

One of the most poignant moments came when inmates shared personal accounts of the decisions that led to their imprisonment and the consequences they continue to face.

“They urged the learners not to repeat their errors, warning them against joining gangs, abusing drugs or becoming involved in criminal activities,” the department said.

Officials said the programme is intended to provide learners with a realistic understanding of the consequences of crime rather than allowing perceptions to be shaped by social media or television. They believe the experience serves as a powerful deterrent to criminal behaviour.

The prison visits have become a longstanding feature of Mpumalanga’s School Safety Programme. Similar tours have been conducted at Barberton over the past decade, following the launch of the province’s School Safety Strategy in 2016 to combat school violence, gangsterism, drug abuse and other forms of learner delinquency.

Since then, the initiative has been held annually, targeting learners identified by education authorities as being in need of intervention.

Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi has previously described the programme as providing learners with “a first-hand experience of the prison” and using it “as a tool to prevent the learners from being involved in criminal activities”.

The Department of Correctional Services has also characterised the initiative as an important awareness campaign that educates learners about the criminal justice system while highlighting the consequences of crime.

Earlier this year, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, condemned incidents of school violence and urged learners to reject criminal behaviour, remain focused on their education and make responsible life choices.

Officials said they hope the prison visit will leave a lasting impression on participants and encourage them to pursue futures free from crime.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

West Coast TVET College has launched a Campus Community Safety Forum aimed at preventing crime, tackling gender-based violence and strengthening cooperation between students, police, college management and surrounding communities.

The two-day launch at the college’s Vredenburg campus brought together the South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Higher Education and Training, college management, student leaders and community stakeholders.

The second day of the launch, held on Friday, included the formalisation of a multi-stakeholder pledge to improve campus safety through collaboration, prevention and shared accountability.

The pledge commits all stakeholders to maintaining a safe and secure environment for students and staff, acting with integrity and vigilance, complying with campus safety procedures, supporting crime prevention initiatives and fostering an inclusive environment where students can thrive academically and personally.

It also places a strong emphasis on tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), in line with South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on GBVF and the government’s call for a coordinated, society-wide response to the crisis.

Delivering the keynote address, Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape Major General Luyanda Damoyi said the forum represented a collective commitment to protecting young people and ensuring that campuses remained spaces where students could pursue their education without fear.

“What makes today significant is that it brings together people from different sectors who all share a common goal – creating an environment where students can focus on their studies, pursue their ambitions and realise their potential without having to worry about their safety,” he said.

Damoyi said college campuses should be places where lifelong friendships were built, careers began and dreams took shape, adding that students deserved to feel protected, respected and supported throughout their academic journeys.

He acknowledged that institutions of higher learning continued to face many of the same challenges affecting communities across the country, including theft, violence, substance abuse and other criminal activities.

“As the South African Police Service, we have a constitutional responsibility to create a safe and secure environment for all who live in our country. We know, however, that safety cannot be achieved through policing alone. The most effective crime prevention happens when communities, institutions and law enforcement work together,” Damoyi said.

He described the forum as a proactive intervention focused on preventing crime before it occurred by identifying risks early, strengthening partnerships and developing practical solutions.

Addressing students directly, Damoyi encouraged them to play an active role in building a safer campus culture by reporting criminal activity, supporting one another and making responsible decisions.

“No safety structure can succeed without the involvement of those it is intended to serve. We need you to become active participants in creating a safer campus environment,” he said.

The launch also featured a SAPS career exhibition showcasing opportunities in forensic science, investigations, technology, communications, administration and community engagement.

Damoyi said the forum’s success would not be measured by its launch, but by the impact it delivered in the months and years ahead.

“It will be reflected in stronger partnerships, safer campuses, improved communication and meaningful interventions that benefit students and staff alike,” he said.

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By Charmaine Ndlela

South Africa will expand the way it measures the performance of schools and education districts, placing greater emphasis on learner retention, Bachelor passes, distinctions and participation in key subjects rather than relying primarily on the matric pass rate, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said on Friday.

Speaking in Johannesburg ahead of the 12th National Education Excellence Awards ceremony, Gwarube said the expanded approach would be applied from the 2026 National Senior Certificate results onwards.

The assessment will also consider support for learners with disabilities and progress in foundational learning, as the Department of Basic Education shifts its focus towards the quality and sustainability of educational outcomes.

“The matric pass rate remains important, but the future of our country will not be determined only by how many learners pass matric,” Gwarube said.

Her remarks came before the department was due to honour South Africa’s top-performing and most-improved education districts, schools and officials at the awards ceremony, held under the theme “Strong Foundations, Strong Futures”.

“These awards recognise people who have gone beyond meeting targets. They recognise leadership that has strengthened schools, supported teachers and changed the educational prospects of learners,” she said.

The minister said every finalist represented years of disciplined work that often went unnoticed and pointed to the performance of the Class of 2025 as evidence of progress across the education system.

South Africa recorded a national matric pass rate of 88% in 2025, the highest since the advent of democracy.

“For the first time in our democratic history, all 75 education districts achieved a matric pass rate above 80%,” Gwarube said.

“It shows that improvement is no longer limited to a small number of historically strong districts.”

However, she cautioned that pass rates could not be viewed in isolation when assessing the quality of education.

Learner retention, infrastructure, teacher support, performance in individual subjects and persistent inequalities remained significant challenges requiring sustained intervention, she said.

Gwarube said the department was consequently placing greater emphasis on strengthening early learning, particularly literacy and numeracy in the foundational grades.

More than 13,300 Early Childhood Development centres had been registered, exceeding the department’s 2025 target and expanding access to early learning services for more than 1.2 million children.

The department is also implementing compulsory Grade R and plans to train 10,000 Foundation Phase teachers in literacy and numeracy during 2026.

Other interventions include strengthening structured learning programmes, expanding literacy support in African languages and improving the delivery of quality learning and teaching support materials.

Gwarube said education districts would be central to implementing the reforms, with district directors responsible for translating national policies into improved teaching and learning in classrooms.

“The awards we present tonight recognise excellence. But they also remind us that excellence carries responsibility,” she said.

She encouraged successful districts and schools to share their methods and lessons with institutions facing greater challenges, arguing that improvements should be extended across the education system rather than remaining concentrated in high-performing areas.

The department also unveiled a partnership with Canva for Education that will give teachers and learners free access to the platform’s educational tools.

Canva Africa Lead Bianca Sibiya said the partnership would provide educators with digital resources, practical training and continued support.

“We are partnering specifically to invest in teachers and students by providing free access to powerful teaching tools, practical training and ongoing support to prepare classrooms for the future,” she said.

Sibiya said visual and interactive learning could help learners understand and retain information, while digital tools could reduce the amount of time teachers spend preparing lessons and educational materials.

The platform allows educators to create presentations, lesson plans, worksheets, videos, assessments and collaborative classroom activities.

It also includes offline functionality intended to support schools in communities where internet connectivity is limited.

Sibiya said Canva’s artificial intelligence features were designed to support educators rather than replace their role in the classroom.

“AI should never replace teachers. Canva’s AI tools help teachers save time on lesson preparation and resource creation so they can spend more time with learners,” she said.

Learners could also use the platform to create digital portfolios, develop creative and communication skills and prepare for further study, entrepreneurship and employment in the digital economy, she added.

According to Canva, its platform is used each month by more than 140 million teachers and students across 700,000 schools in more than 190 countries.

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