Johnathan Paoli

Civil society organisations, including Equal Education, Section27, The Bookery and Right2Protest, on Wednesday called on the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga to urgently fulfil the legal obligations set out in the Norms and Standards for Public School infrastructure, which she signed into law 10 years ago.

29 November 2023 marks 10 years since the Norms & Standards for Public School Infrastructure was published.

“This letter expresses our concern and disappointment that despite it being 10 years since the promulgation of the Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms & Standards for Public School Infrastructure, many schools’ infrastructure conditions have not improved,” the letter read.

EE said that despite this important law, the government continued to struggle to ensure all learners have access to quality schooling, leaving many school communities to contend with deplorable infrastructure conditions.

Earlier this month, Equal Education released a 48-page report under the title “Schooling under Unusual Conditions: Research into how school infrastructure shapes teaching and learning in SA”.

The report sought to examine the relationship between infrastructure and teaching and learning, using a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 20 and younger and drawn from the 2019 General Household Survey.

The report found that a review of the empirical literature showed that the physical conditions of schools, including classroom size, affect schooling outcomes, although the impact varies widely across contexts.

The report said that nearly three decades into democracy, the post-apartheid government was still struggling to undo the inequalities in the schooling system that were created by the apartheid regime.

The report continued that the quality of schooling was compromised because pupils were not gaining enough of the basic skills and knowledge needed for further education or to lead productive lives.

“Generally, insufficient classroom infrastructure or overcrowding conditions (measured as classes too big/too many learners) emerged as a consistent and important environmental factor at the school level, with a negative impact on motivation for both learners and teachers,” the report read.

Equal Education said the Department of Basic Education committed to replacing all schools constructed from inappropriate materials, including mud, asbestos, zinc, and wood, and to provide schools with electricity, running water, and proper sanitation facilities by 2016.

Sufficient resources including classrooms, electricity, running water, and functional toilet facilities, in order to supply schools with electronic connectivity (telephones and the internet) and perimeter security (fences) by November 2020 as well as providing schools with labs and libraries by November 2023.

The civic organisations expressed their deep concern over school infrastructure backlogs, especially sanitation backlogs, despite focused interventions like the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) and the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative.

EE held that 728 schools across the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal still relied on pit toilets as their only form of sanitation and that education departments have consistently missed key targets, including those for libraries and laboratories by 2023, as well as those set for 2020 and 2016.

The organisation said that 82% of schools do not have a laboratory, while 74% of public schools lack a library, and the ones that do have libraries are often inadequately stocked, in a country where 81% of children cannot read for meaning in any language by the age of ten.

“The consistent failures to meet the deadlines in the regulations not only represent missed opportunities to address the historic backlogs endangering the lives and future of learners but also missed chances to improve learning outcomes in the sector,” the open letter read.

EE said that although they recognised that lack of funding has been cited as the reason for the provincial and national departments of basic education’s failure to achieve targets and plans, particularly regarding school infrastructure, the sector needed to take responsibility for its spending problem that leads to poor service delivery.

“Even though funding for basic education is insufficient to address the numerous issues, both national and provincial education departments are notorious for irregular, wasteful, and fruitless spending,” the letter read.

In addition, the organisation said that before the discontinuation of the National Education Infrastructure Management System (NEIMS) reports, public data on infrastructure backlogs was frequently inconsistent with current realities, and that it not only hindered civil society’s ability to hold education officials accountable but suggests that departments do not know the true extent of the crisis they are meant to address.

EE further said that adequate school infrastructure was a critical component of the full enjoyment of the right to basic education, an immediately realisable right that requires proactive measures for its progressive realisation.

“Persistent infrastructure backlogs not only infringe on learners’ constitutional right to basic schooling; they threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 target of ‘free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education for all girls and boys leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes by 2030’,” the letter concluded.

Apart from realising the targets of the Norms, the open letter also called for the national and provincial Treasuries to prioritise and provide adequate infrastructure funding, as well as for the DBE to conduct a thorough audit of schools to ascertain the true extent of the infrastructure crisis.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Lerato Mbhiza

Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, has laid a criminal complaint against businessman Thuja Holdings CEO Mthunzi Mdwaba, at the Brooklyn Police Station for his failure to report corruption to law enforcement authorities.

This is in relation to the allegations that Mdwaba made earlier this month against Nzimande and two ministers who allegedly attempted to solicit a bribe of R500 million from him.

Mdwaba alleged that Nzimande, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, and the ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula were among those who sought to bribe him to give the green light to his R5 billion seed funding from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

All the ministers and Mbalula have denied the allegations and threatened legal action against Mdwaba if he did not issue a statement of apology.

Addressing the media outside the police station, Nzimande described Mdwaba’s allegations as a blue lie.

“I have come here to open a criminal case against Mthunzi Mdwaba, who has come up with allegations that I and a few of my other colleagues asked for a bribe from him. This is a lie, a blue lie, actually; there is no such thing, and I never sent anyone,” Nzimande said.

According to Nzimande, when Mdwaba’s team asked him why he didn’t open a case against the implicated ministers, he responded that he didn’t trust the law enforcement agencies.

Nzimande said this was very strange for someone who claimed to be a lawyer, a professor, as well as a businessman and called Mdwaba’s allegations a smear campaign against him, the ANC, and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

“This has the potential to damage my image as a political person. We are going to elections. I don’t want this to be hanging over my head. This is a smear campaign against me, the ANC as government and the SACP. He is doing it deliberately. He has never come to me… to ask for money. This is very strange,” Nzimande charged and also denied that he had ever worked with Mdwaba.

“We might have bumped into each other in forums or other activities, but I have no relationship with the guy,” Nzimande said.

INSIDE EDUCATION 

Six teenagers go on trial Monday in Paris for their alleged roles in the beheading of a teacher who showed caricatures of the prophet of Islam to his class, a killing that led authorities to reaffirm France’s cherished rights of expression and secularism.

Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, was killed on Oct. 16, 2020, near his school in a northwest Paris suburb by an 18-year-old of Chechen origin who had become radicalized. The attacker was in turn shot dead by police.

Paty’s name was disclosed on social media after a class debate on free expression during which he showed caricatures published by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which triggered a newsroom massacre by extremists in January 2015.

The defendants arrived Monday morning at the Paris court, their faces hidden behind masks and hoods, accompanied by their families. The media are not allowed to disclose their identity.

Among those going on trial, a teenage girl, who was 13 at the time, is accused of making false allegations for wrongly saying that Paty had asked Muslim students to raise their hands and leave the classroom before he showed the cartoons. She later told investigators she had lied. She was not in the classroom that day and Paty did not make such a request, the investigation has shown.

Five other students of Paty’s school, then 14 and 15, are facing charges of criminal conspiracy with the aim of preparing aggravated violence to be committed.

They are accused of having waited for Paty for several hours until he left the school and of having identified him to the killer in exchange for promises of payments of 300-350 euros ($348-$406).

The investigation established that the attacker knew the name of the teacher and the address of his school, but he did not have the means to identify him.

The lawyer for one of the defendants, Antoine Ory, said his client is “tormented by remorse and very much afraid of the confrontation with Mr. Paty’s family.” He said the teenager ”obviously didn’t know about the criminal plan” of the killer, Abdoullakh Anzorov, a Moscow-born Chechen refugee.

Ory said his client since then had “difficult” times, changed school and friends and now sees the trial as an opportunity to turn the page.

All six teenagers are facing 2 1/2-year in prison. The trial is scheduled to end on Dec. 8.

Louis Cailliez, the lawyer for Paty’s sister, Mickaëlle, said she wants “to understand the real causes” that led the students to commit something irreparable. He pointed to the “fatal combination of little acts of cowardice, big lies, calumnies, arrangements, complicity and help without which Samuel Paty would still be alive.”

“Without the denunciation, there would be no visibility (on the social media), without visibility, there would be no crime,” he said.

Eight other adults are to be sent to trial later. They include the father of the teenage girl charged with false allegations. At the time, he had posted videos on social media that called for mobilization against the teacher.

A radical Islamic activist who helped him disseminate the virulent messages naming Paty has also been charged.

The trial comes six weeks after a teacher was fatally stabbed and three other people injured in a school attack by a former student suspected of Islamic radicalization. The killing in a context of global tensions over the Israel-Hamas war led French authorities to deploy 7,000 additional soldiers across the country to bolster security and vigilance.

AP

Inside Education Reporter

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, formed part of the delegation of the President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Visit to Doha in Qatar, that took place on 15 November 2023. 

Minister Motshekga was supported by the Director-General of Basic Education, Mr Mathanzima Mweli.

The State Visit to Qatar was aimed at reaffirming the close and historic political ties between the two countries, underpinned by solidarity, mutually beneficial partnership and people to people cooperation. 

The State Visit also served to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in various areas of priority.

In this regard, Minister Motshekga and the Minister of Education and Higher Education of the State of Qatar, Her Excellency Ms Buthaina bint Ali Al-Nuaimi, signed a bilateral agreement in the field of basic education. 

The bilateral agreement will serve to strengthen cooperation in various areas of basic education, including teacher development; curriculum development; assessment; school management; and mutually beneficial exchanges among experts, student delegations and school sports teams.

Minister Motshekga and Minister Buthaina bint Ali Al-Nuaimi committed to conduct further bilateral exchanges between the two Ministries, to ensure active implementation of the newly signed bilateral agreement. In this regard, DG Mr Mathanzima Mweli will engage his counterpart in the Qatari Ministry of Education and Higher Education to commence discussions and conclude a time-based plan that will guide the implementation of the bilateral agreement.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Sports Reporter

A blustery wind greeted the more than 100 golf players who gathered for a day of sport and charity at the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Cape Town Golf Day recently.

The event, hosted by the University’s Department for Institutional Advancement at the King David Golf Club in Mowbray, brought together avid golfers, local business people and philanthropists – all aiming to raise funds for the #AccesstoSuccess campaign.

The campaign focuses on providing much-needed funding to students performing well academically but with historic debt that makes it impossible for them to graduate and join the world of work..

In its 47th year, the support every year at both the Johannesburg and Cape Town Golf Days is overwhelming, says Vera Adams, Manager of Donor Relations and Fundraising.

She said this year’s event was especially poignant as it honoured Melissa Maans, long-term coordinator of the UWC golf days who passed away unexpectedly on 13 October 2023.

Beyond the competitive swings, the main objective of the day was fundraising. Through entry fees, donations and sponsorships, the event successfully raised R242 000, surpassing the previous year’s records.
 
The business sector continues to play an important role, with Pro Events as the Platinum sponsor for the Golf Day. Edward Beeka, Head of Operations at Pro Events, said: “We are proud of our distinct culture and strongly embedded ethical values with an uncompromising commitment to transforming society. We have embarked on collaborative initiatives with UWC to promote equality and opportunities for greater inclusivity.”
 
The Primary Sponsors were Securitas. 

Vera also thanked the various sponsors for the waterholes and the numerous prizes that were donated. As the sun set on a day filled with good sportsmanship, laughter and generosity, UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, expressed his extreme gratitude to all participants and sponsors. 

An exciting prize giving culminated in an impromptu auction with some vigorous bidding. Louis Mkhethoni, CEO of Securitas, issued a call to establish “The Melissa Maans Memorial Fund” and for all proceeds of the auction to go to the fund, which will support students. 

He also committed R3000 towards the fund. A special thank you goes to Imas Finance, who sponsored the Golf Day commemorative T-shirt.

This year’s champions were Jaftha Benjamin and Baldwin Kock from SA Quantum.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Inside Education Reporter

South Africans are struggling to afford a healthy diet – loadshedding has pushed up living costs, particularly in the food production value chain, and this is putting tremendous daily pressure on the citizens. 

According to the due of Dr Christine Taljaard-Krugell from the North-West University’s (NWU) Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and Prof Waldo Krugell from the NWU’s Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, who combined the fields of dietetics and economics for their analysis, food price inflation has skyrocketed in South Africa and around the world. 

“The facts are well documented. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused the initial spike in the price of food commodities such as wheat and sunflower oil. Adverse weather conditions in the Americas kept the price of maize high. 

“In South Africa, the mitigation of load shedding increased costs and pushed up prices throughout the food production value chain. At the same time, economic growth stagnated and employment opportunities and incomes failed to keep pace with inflation. 

“The proportion of the population unable to afford a healthy diet, fell across all income groups. Finding solutions to these challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach.”

Dr Taljaard-Krugell also notes that South Africa is in the midst of a nutrition transition as people migrate from rural to urban areas: “These people are less active and consume more processed foods. At the same time, big grocers and fast-food retail chains are expanding into rural and township malls. 

“The result is the double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition and overnutrition coexist in the same community, household and even person. Yet, a healthy diet is the key to reducing the incidence of noncommunicable diseases.”

She also says it is imperative that nutrition experts play an educational role in communities as to best equip them with the knowledge to navigate nutritional needs and financial constraints: “Expert advice plays an important role in educating the public about healthy and thrifty meal plans using the South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines (SA-FBDGs). At the NWU, dietetics students are trained with this focus on prevention in mind. 

“In their fourth year of study, their internship includes service at community clinics. Community education is about behaviour change through healthy conversations about food and diet.”

According to Prof Krugell, economists and agricultural economics specialists at the NWU are trying to address the issues at a sectoral and macro level. He states: “Food prices are not only determined by supply and demand, but also by policies and politics. 

“South African research shows that grants have made a clear contribution to reducing hunger. In fact, one study shows that the old-age grant improves food security and dietary diversity of rural households. 

“Some individuals use the money for small-scale production and benefit from having more food. Others use the money to buy a greater diversity of food, improving the quality of their diet.” 

INSIDE EDUCATION

Inside Education Reporter

South Africa is facing three key challenges: energy shortages, water scarcity, and the lack of skills in digitalisation. 

To address this triple challenge, the African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), has sponsored a Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme to support research into water, energy and digitalisation in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).

The collaboration between African Rainbow Minerals (“ARM”) and the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Wits University aims to develop the high-level skills required to address these issues. Energy

Dr Patrice Motsepe, Founder and Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), a Wits University alumnus and recipient of an honorary doctorate degree, said: “ARM is proud to partner with Wits University which is a globally respected academic institution. 

“Partnering with South African institutions of higher learning is paramount in our pursuit of knowledge, innovation, skills, and sustainable development. Public-private partnerships are crucial in addressing the socio-economic and environmental challenges confronting our communities and country. 

“ARM works with several top universities across South Africa, supporting young people from undergraduate to postgraduate studies, helping them to realise their dreams. Some of these students come from communities neighbouring our mining operations. 

“We also contribute to the development and upliftment of poor rural and urban communities in South Africa by educating students from these communities.”

The ARM Postgraduate Fellowship Programme at Wits University aims to develop and sharpen a critical mass of skills in South Africa through supporting a new cohort of postdoctoral fellows who will specialise in Water Resource Management, Digitalisation, and work towards a Just Energy Transition. ARM will sponsor a R20 million endowment, which will be invested in perpetuity. 

“We recognise the importance of digital transformation in the mining industry, and the necessity to develop the critical skills needed to advance our economy,” says Prof. Zeblon Vilakazi (FRS), Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University. 

“This investment is firmly located in the Wits University Mining Precinct and dovetails with our broader initiatives in quantum computing, fintech and innovation. We are confident that through more private sector partnerships like the ARM Postgraduate Fellowship Programme, Wits University can help make a real difference in developing the critical skills and research needed to secure the long-term sustainability of the mining industry.”

Prof. Thokozani Majozi, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment adds: “The Faculty recognises the urgency of transitioning to a more sustainable and just energy system. Research and promotion of accessible, affordable, and socio-economically just renewable energy solutions are our top priorities. 

“Water is a critical resource, and we aim to contribute to the sustainable management of water resources through research, education, increased awareness and community engagement. This includes addressing challenges related to water scarcity, pollution, and climate change.”

Phillip Tobias, Chief Executive Officer of ARM said: “The ARM Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is a testament to our commitment to addressing critical challenges in water, energy, and digitalisation facing our business and the country as a whole. 

“This initiative is about creating a pipeline of future critical skills that will cater for future business needs. We believe that through this collaboration, we can make a significant impact and leave a lasting legacy that will provide innovative and sustainable solutions that will benefit not only the mining industry but broader South African society as well.” 

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

SAP reaffirmed its commitment to youth skills in South Africa by profiling its SAP Educate to Employ initiative, and public-private partnership with UNICEF and government at an event in Johannesburg recently.

The event showcased the SAP Educate to Employ initiative which aims to educate youth aged 16–24 years on soft skills, foundational knowledge and SAP skills using the student zone on the SAP Learning site, where students can learn about the latest SAP solutions for free to kickstart their career. 

The initiative forms part of SAP’s global commitment to supporting UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU), a public-private-youth-partnership that aims to deliver innovative solutions to challenges youth face around the world. 

In the region, the partnership is aimed at helping young people in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa gain skills for employment, with 100 youth forming part of the initial intake in South Africa.

“Skilling our youth to meaningfully participate in the digital economy is essential to an equality-centric and prosperous nation. We welcome SAP’s continued investment into skills development for the youth and extend our congratulations to UNICEF and SAP on their partnership. 

“The South African government is encouraged by the initiative, and we look forward to supporting efforts to scale the SAP Educate to Employ initiative,” said Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

The admission of the first 100 participants was announced at the event, a competitive set of students selected from a pool of 18,000 applicants across the continent who will receive fully remote learning over a six- to twelve-month period, with the aim of joining the SAP ecosystem as a young professional upon completion of the course. 

Anele Chulayo, an SAP Educate to Employ candidate, commented: “I have been passionate about coding since high school and the possibility of creating apps and technology that can make a difference to young people from all walks of life. 

“I applied for SAP Educate to Employ in August this year and am delighted to have been selected as part of their programme.  The programme is already underway and I’m excited to be learning new things every day including programming language and web development.  

“I believe in the power of technology to do good and make a positive impact and difference in people’s lives, regardless of background.”

Kholiwe Makhohliso, Managing Director at SAP Southern Africa, said: “Upskilling and mobilising Africa’s youth population is one of the defining challenges of our time. To build a prosperous future for all, we must urgently address one of South Africa and the continent’s greatest challenges – youth unemployment – which affects a disproportionate number of African youths. 

“We are proud to introduce a new Corporate Social Responsibility initiative – SAP Educate to Employ in South Africa as a demand-driven job creation initiative that empowers youth with vital skills, knowledge, attitudes and values to build their competencies for the 21st century digital economy.”

The initiative builds on SAP’s other extensive youth skills development initiatives throughout Africa, including Africa Code Week, which has trained nearly 14 million African youth in basic coding skills, and SAP Young Professional Program, which has equipped nearly 2000 youth in Africa with work-ready SAP skills and certification as well as direct job placements.

SAP and UNICEF first joined forces in support of GenU in 2019 launching in India, Turkey and Vietnam. The partnership was further extended in 2022 with a $4.55 million over three years investment focused on impacting youth in Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and South Africa and has since generated opportunities for over 7.6 million adolescents through inclusive and innovative skills development programs. 

The initiative launched in South Africa at a time when youth unemployment is at a peak. More than half of South Africa’s youth are currently unemployed. Without concerted effort by public- and private-sector role-players, South Africa will not reap the benefits of its substantial youth skills pool.

Christine Muhigana, UNICEF Representative in South Africa, says: “To remain competitive in a dynamic and changing job market, youth need access to work-relevant skills and training opportunities. 

“Through our partnership with SAP and working closely with key public sector role-players, we believe that this initiative can potentially make a lasting positive impact on youth job prospects in South Africa and beyond.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

Inside Education Correspondent

THE Plastic Changemakers programme, which aims to teach primary-school children on the environmental impacts of plastic pollution, was recently launched in Cape Town by the Breteau Foundation. 

The Breteau Foundation aims to inspire and empower over 1 million primary school children around the world to act against plastic pollution in their homes and communities. 

Mona Ewees Mkumatela, regional development manager for the Breteau Foundation in South Africa, says the programme has already seen significant take-up from education practitioners, community organisations and NPOs. 

“Since we launched the programme in October, we have had extremely positive feedback from our partners across sectors,” she says. “This is very encouraging for us. We rely heavily on others to help us in our quest to reach one million children across the world and turn them into ambassadors for change in the plastics pollution space.”

Bruce Probyn, Chairman of the Western Cape Education Council, says engaging today’s learners requires a shift away from traditional teaching methods. 

“We need to think differently about the way we interest and excite pupils,” he says. “The days of ‘chalk and talk’ are fading. They’re being replaced by a need for innovative, engaging approaches.”

Probyn’s long-term vision for the programme is optimistic. 

“I envision that if the Plastic Changemakers programme becomes deeply embedded over time, it could lead to litter-free schools, which, in turn, would influence the surrounding communities.”

Probyn highlights the importance of a clear plan, well-thought-out steps, and consistent support. 

“We collaborate with foundation phase colleagues who are actively engaged in approximately 18 schools, where multidisciplinary teaching is being implemented,” he says. “In this context, the Plastic Changemakers programme has a unique and valuable role to fulfil.”

The programme has also raised interest among local community organisations, including the Bonteheuwel Training Skills Squad (BTS). 

Zaironesa Karriem, the driving force behind BTS, says, “It’s not just about training and life skills; it’s about cultivating a sense of exploration, adventure, and fun.”

BTS serves three high schools and 14 primary schools in Bonteheuwel and aims to engage all these institutions in the initiative.

“Our motivation is rooted in the desire to reshape the perspectives of young individuals. We aim to provide our learners with a practical understanding of how what is often perceived as waste and pollution can, in fact, hold the potential for creating sustainable opportunities,” says Karriem. 

“By exposing learners to initiatives like the Plastic Changemakers programme, BTS aims to instil seeds of change, nurturing values that the children can carry with them into the world as responsible ambassadors.”

Karriem says the programme engages children in a relatable and tactile way.

“It’s about bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world practice, ensuring that every child’s inherent creativity finds expression. It’s also about building confidence and nurturing skills that, with ongoing support, will evolve into positive action.”

Jocelyn Anderson, Sustainable Schools Programme Manager at environmental education organisation, Nature Connect, says the Plastic Changemakers programme is the perfect addition to Nature Connect’s online library of quality, curriculum-aligned resources to support teaching and learning in schools.

“What sets it apart is its ability to engage youth actively in environmental action,” she adds. “It provides students with opportunities to take real steps towards caring for the environment, instilling in them a sense of agency and empowerment.

“It cultivates a sense of agency in both teachers and learners, motivating them to actively participate in nature conservation efforts.”

Anderson says her hope is to include the Plastic Changemakers programme in teacher training workshops, events, and immersive education experiences. 

“Specifically, we are looking at incorporating the programme into our initiatives designed to raise awareness about plastic pollution, such as our beach clean-ups and in-school lessons. 

“We will also be adding the programme materials to our online resource library for teachers to access.”

For more information visit https://breteaufoundation.org/. 

INSIDE EDUCATION