Damelin’s East London campus remains shut down, leaving students in shock and staff unpaid.

The private college closed the campus in August and there is no indication when it will be opened again.

Late last month Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane announced that the department was provisionally reinstating the registration of the Educor private colleges, which included Damelin.

The department cancelled Educor’s registration in March over its failure to submit audited financial statements since 2020. The provisional reinstatement was purely on “humanitarian grounds” because more than 13,000 students were registered at Educor’s institutions.

The minister granted the college a chance for students to finish their 2024 academic year.

Educor was required to submit comprehensive monthly reports to the department. The reports must include detailed financial statements, student enrolment statistics and progress updates on compliance with the Council on Higher Education accreditation standards.

There are 120 students registered at the Damelin East London campus.

Damelin second-year student Refilwe Moloantoa told Inside Education that students were upset about the closure and needed answers. “The Department of Higher Education called that students should be given a chance to finish the 2024 academic year, yet I am confused why would they close the campus? “ she asked.

Students have been left in limbo as they do not know what to do next, especially those who are in second and final years.

Damelin had not replied to questions at the time of publishing.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Students at Damelin East London distressed after campus closed appeared first on Inside Education..

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a R1-billion investment from the National Skills Fund called the Presidential PhD Initiative for Science and Technology PhD students. 

“The first phase aims to expose our country’s brightest young minds to cutting-edge thinking and research by negotiating opportunities at world-leading universities and research centres,” said Ramaphosa during the inaugural Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Plenary in Pretoria. 

The initiative will build critical skills in artificial intelligence research, advanced biotechnology, fuel cell development, battery storage, and next-generation mining, he said. 

Ramaphosa called on the private sector and international partners to assist in growing the investment for the Presidential PhD Initiative fund to R5-billion by 2030 saying science, technology and innovation are essential for economies to thrive. 

“According to the 2022 Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, South Africa ranked 61st out of the 132 economies featured for innovation capabilities. Our country performs above the upper-middle-income group average in three areas, namely market sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.”  

South Africa has made significant strides in higher education, with the number of students graduating from public universities increasing from about 60,000 in 1994 to about 230,000 by 2018, he said.

“The share of graduates in science, engineering and technology fields has been increasing compared to graduates in the humanities.

“In 2021, gross expenditure on R&D in South Africa was 0.6% of GDP, far below our target of 1.5%. By comparison, in 2022, the US spent 2.6% and South Korea spent 5% of their respective GDPs on research and development.”

Despite the demands on the economy, Ramaphosa said the situation needs attention while he pointed out that the jobs fund was investing in science and technology activities that directly contribute to sustainable job creation and small business development. 

“Earlier this month, the Technology Innovation Agency issued a call for proposals from grassroots innovators looking for funding and technical assistance on developing new products or processes.” 

Scientific innovation was harnessed during the floods in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country in 2022 and given the reality of climate change, Ramaphosa said, this kind of scientific collaboration will become increasingly important because “it is clear that we are certainly progressing but not at the pace we should be”.  

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Ramaphosa sets aside a R1-billion investment for Science and Technology PhD students appeared first on Inside Education..

SHE may come across as feisty, but Devi Sankaree Govender is a friendly face with a warm smile. I once bumped into her at a famous Fourways eatery which made the best Cornish chicken curry on a Saturday. She posed for a selfie.

But get on her wrong side and one would easily become a dog’s breakfast. The many tales of woe from those who have crossed paths with her cannot make for happy reading. But that is what happens when you play with fire.

One of the country’s foremost investigative journalists and consumer champions, stet Devi is fearless. She made her name during 18 momentous years on Carte Blanche and is currently stirring up a hornet’s nest among baddies on Devi, herself titled 30-minute weekly blast on e-tv on Sunday evenings at 6pm.

Asked how difficult it was to crack it in investigative journalism, in a male dominated field and what hope is there for young girls and boys who want to follow in her footsteps, stet Devi told Inside Education that television journalism may seem to be a really glamorous career choice but there is nothing glitzy about it.

“Behind the scenes there is a lot of slog, and you can forget working normal office hours. But, if you feel you have the gees for it, put your head down and get on with it,” she added.

She has received several awards and accolades, including the 2022 GQ Woman of the year. But her goal is not awards. Instead, Devi, who has two children aged 22 and 20, is happiest fighting for the underdog. Taking on bullies is par for the course.

At 15 Devi watched Carte Blanche and made up her mind that her future lay in television.

But her route to national television actually began as a teacher for a year before she joined the SABC’s Radio Lotus, which has spawned many a talent plying their trade on the national stage. Speaking about her school days at Umzinto Secondary School on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Devi shared her story on her favourite teacher.

• What was his/her name?
  Radha Guypersad Lalla

• Name of school attended and year/s?
  I attended Umzinto Secondary School from 1985 to 1990
• How did your favourite teacher endear herself to you?

When I started high school, which in those years, you joined in Standard Five (Grade 7), I was always so fascinated by Mrs Lalla. She wore a sari to school every day and always had her hair in an updo. She looked so beautiful and really glamorous.

My admiration for her was certainly from afar because she only taught Standard Nine and Matrics – so I had to wait a bit longer before I could join her class.

• What subjects did she teach you?

English. It was my favourite subject. I loved everything about it. The set-works, the grammar, the creative writing and most important of all – the class speeches. I had always been a voracious reader and gobbled up books at a fast pace.

I also had a flair for speech and creative writing – I really did look forward to opportunities where I could flex myself.

• Did you look forward to her subject?
  Absolutely!!!! Without a doubt. She was just so smart, and she did the cryptic crossword every day from the Natal Mercury. I felt we were kindred spirits and I love how she bent her mind, and mine too!
• What did you like about your teacher?
  I had to wait till Matric when I finally got to sit in her English class. I loved how she challenged me and kept pushing me to experiment with new writing styles.
• What was your favourite subject at school?
  English. There was no contest there!
• Has this influenced your choice of career?
  Mrs Lalla and I shared a deep love for the English language. I knew that writing would be the backbone of any career I chose.
• What was the one phrase from any teacher that stuck with you or inspired you?
  Mrs Lalla’s famous line was “do not be a one trick pony.”
• Have you kept in touch with your favourite teacher?
  I did stay in touch with her, but she sadly passed away a few years ago. The outpouring from her former pupils was testimony to the impact she had had on so many of us, growing up in apartheid South Africa.
• If so, what was the first meeting like beyond being a learner in the classroom?
  She spoke to me for the first time when I was in Standard 5. I had won an essay competition where you had to write an impactful piece on road safety. I titled it “Licence to Kill” and I still remember that moment when she came up to me as I was leaving the principal’s office and congratulated me with these words: “If you continue writing like that, then you will get an A in English in matric. But, you must continue to work hard at it.” I was beyond thrilled that Mrs Lalla, herself, had acknowledged me.

• Why are teachers so important to society?

Teachers shape young minds. They provide safe environments where their young charges can explore a variety of subjects.
Most parents are so focused on getting their families across the breadline while teachers provide spaces where you are able to nurture your true self.

• Finally, what advice do you have for learners?
  Don’t be a one trick pony!!!
• On final final were you naughty inquisitive or chirpy at school?
  I was very well-behaved. Head Girl of my high school. Extremely inquisitive and a bundle of energy.
• Did teacher’s sigh: Oh here comes big mouth Devi?

Probably – but I doubt the majority would have. I was extremely supportive of teachers, and I wouldn’t say I was argumentative.

• Is there anything you felt that was not asked and should have been?

All through school, I was surrounded by the most remarkable teachers – which is probably what motivated me to become a teacher myself! I’m a qualified senior phase educator. I taught for a year – Effingham Secondary (1994) and Nilgiri Secondary in (1995) before I joined SABC Radio fulltime.

• Anyone from your class (I know there is a huge Umzinto brigade in Jhb) doing amazing things and still in touch with you?
  Three decades later, the Class of 1990, Umzinto Secondary, still shares a very strong bond. We are in daily contact via a WhatsApp group and everybody has done well in their own fields.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post My favourite teacher – Devi Sankaree Govender appeared first on Inside Education..

“Together, we must ensure that the benefits of the digital age are accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstances.

Scaling up skills development to support innovation and the digital revolution is an investment in the future. It’s not only about empowering individuals with the tools to succeed but also about driving economic growth and societal progress.”

This was the message from Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Philly Mapulane at the Seeds for the Future, Huawei’s global CSR flagship ICT student training programme, which has been running in South Africa since 2016 in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT)

Acknowledging appreciation for Huawei’s partnership and collaboration in a broad range of initiatives aimed at nurturing ICT skills, including Seeds for the Future, the Deputy Minister said: “It has been seven years since the initiative started and it remains an important platform in our pursuit of bridging the digital divide.”

This year, Huawei has recruited 12 outstanding candidates from universities in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and Gauteng. The programme also targets a 50-50 gender split.

The transformative power of technology education, giving back to communities and continuous learning were the key messages from speakers attending the annual Huawei Seeds for the Future 2023 programme launch in Woodmead, Johannesburg.

So far, 102 students have benefitted from the programme, which aims to ensure that tech-savvy and change-resilient young people have the skills and mindsets needed to be competitive in the workplaces of the future.
The key focus areas for this year are digitalisation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.

Kian Chen, Deputy CEO, Huawei South Africa, said South Africa’s digital economy development depends on ICT infrastructure development, but without an abundant and sustainable ICT talent supply, the target will be too far to reach. “We want to cultivate young people who are socially responsible and innovative,” he added. “We want our Seeds to think about how technology can be used in the future to solve complex global problems, such as climate change, and the green transition.”

During the event, Seeds for the Future alumni who are now Huawei employees shared their experiences of the programme and their growth at Huawei, which proves the programme not only provides a learning platform but also a career path for South Africa’s outstanding youth.

Among them was Siyabonga Thomas Shandu, a University of Johannesburg graduate who now works as a project lead at Huawei. “In my two years at Huawei, I’ve been privileged to contribute to the Openserve FTTH (Fibre to The Home) Project, witnessing more South African households and businesses being connected with Openserve Fibre,” he said. “This journey has not only been about numbers but about growth – both personal and professional growth.”

Munyai Vhutuhawe, a computer science graduate from the University of Limpopo, who works as an IT Facility & Equipment Engineer at Huawei, said: “In 2021, when I participated in the programme, our team made it to the top three globally in the Seeds for the Future Tech4Good competition for our project aimed at protecting South Africa’s rhino population from illegal poaching.”

University of the Witwatersrand graduate and current Huawei IP Technical Engineer Basani Mathebula described the programme as a “transformative experience” that provided her with a “unique platform to dive deep into the world of technology and gain valuable hands-on knowledge.”

“It has not only equipped me with technical skills,” she said of the programme, “but has also nurtured my passion for innovation and fuelled my aspirations to contribute to the telecommunications industry as a wireless, microwave and IP Technical Engineer in the MTN Huawei Project.”

Kim Smalls, one of this year’s students, spoke about how much she was looking forward to grasping the opportunities presented by Seeds for the Future. “Imagine a world where technology breaks down barriers, where opportunities are accessible to all, and where innovation drives positive change,” she said. “This is the world we can create together. As we embark on this Seeds journey, let us embrace the excitement and possibilities that lie ahead. Let us harness our collective knowledge, inspire one another, and make a lasting impact on the world around us.”

Originally from the community of Malibu Village in Blue Downs, South Africa, her story is one of ambition, resilience, and a desire to make a difference. “I come from a close-knit family of 4. It is their belief in my potential that has fuelled my determination to chase my dreams and work towards a better future. Malibu Village, like many underprivileged communities, faces its fair share of challenges. Yet, it is within the midst of these challenges that my passion for change took root. I have witnessed firsthand the power of determination, the strength of community, and the transformative impact that individuals can make when they strive for something greater than themselves,” said Smalls.

Nikkesha Pillay, a third-year student at the University of Pretoria pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in (Informatics) Information Systems, said her journey in the world of technology began at a young age, inspired by an uncle who is a computer programmer.

“I always loved listening to the various projects he was working on. I’ve witnessed how the programmes he developed impacted positively on the company and made operations more efficient and effective. Technology has made it possible for the world, amid the unprecedented global crisis we experienced, Covid-19, to continue to function, monitor and recover from the consequences of the pandemic. Technology has become even more important now in the ‘new normal’ with many working remotely and online. The resilience of us as humans to adapt and create new platforms has intrigued me and reinforced my enthusiasm for ICT,” she said.

As a young woman, she said her goal is to use the skills obtained to motivate young women to empower themselves to pursue IT and business skills in this technology driven world.

“This opportunity with Huawei Seeds for The Future Programme has provided me with an excellent foundation for my career development and has further strengthened my passion for the IT environment. The Huawei programme turned learning into a truly wonderful adventure, making it an experience that I’ll cherish and carry with me in all my future endeavours,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Deputy Minister praises impact among youth of Huawei initiative to plant Seeds for the Future appeared first on Inside Education..

THE suffering of the people of Palestine hung like a cloud over proceedings at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a global platform for education established by the Qatar Foundation, which began today on November 28, at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) with a powerful account of the destruction of places of learning according to Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF).

Opening the 11th edition of the WISE Summit held under the theme ‘Creative Fluency: Human Flourishing in the Age of AI’, Sheikha Nasser told about 1200 delegates that for more than 20 years the foundation has supported education in Palestine, and especially in Gaza.

“We built the Al Fakhoora School as the first of many educational projects in Gaza. It has since been shelled by the Israeli Forces. The projects, which now constitute the Al Fakhoora program include teaching and training, building schools and universities, and funding specific research projects that are not available elsewhere in the strip. They also provide psycho-social support to cope with the devastating reality of life in times of crisis in Gaza.

“Since the start of the current Israeli aggression in October, 36 Education Above All supported schools and universities have been completely or partially destroyed. And so, Israeli forces have destroyed so much that has been accomplished by the Al-Fakhoora program. With the collapse of each school and each university, we lose a pillar in the foundation of the future. For every child deprived of education because of violence, another pillar is lost,” she said.

Her Highness said war disrupts educational institutions, exhausts health sectors, and prevents the wheels of development from turning. “Those very wheels are buried deep in the debris. And because of this the greatest threat to a society’s progress occurs after the ceasefire. The victims, their old lives buried under the rubble, must rise from the ashes left by the destruction, and start again with nothing,” she said.

“And connected to education — is anything not connected to education? — is the focus of this year’s WISE Summit: the potential of artificial intelligence: addressing related issues, and how to improve the ways we harness its capabilities and possibilities. During the war in Gaza, we have seen artificial intelligence being used to fabricate stories, falsify facts, and block publications, photos, and videos that include atrocities committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the people of Gaza and the West Bank. This makes us wonder: whose stories does artificial intelligence select to be archived as history? Whose history will be told? Which ideas will be chosen as the most credible? And then: how do we maintain our independence and preserve our educational values? How do we remain sovereign societies?” she asked.

Sheikha Nasser said it was important to ensure that WISE is a platform for new ideas that keep pace with the changes taking place in the world, and the obstacles that education faces in certain countries for obvious reasons.

“And I say as I have said many times before: there is no alternative but to innovate if we are to find solutions to intractable problems. This is the role that WISE plays. In tackling the challenges of education, scientists and researchers — like you — bear an academic and moral responsibility. You have made an honorable choice, and we here at WISE are privileged to support you on your noble paths. You excel in your efforts, and we value all that you do. I bless your past and future efforts and wish you a successful conference.

During the opening plenary, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, awarded the prestigious WISE Prize for Education to Safeena Husain, Founder and Board Member of Educate Girls. The WISE Prize for Education is the first global award of its kind that honors an individual for an outstanding contribution to education.

Husain was recognized for dedicating 16 years to building the non-profit organization focused on empowering communities for girls’ education in some of India’s hardest to reach villages.

Her journey with WISE began with a WISE Award in 2014 that acknowledged Educate Girls for its positive social impact and ability to scale. Over the years, Educate Girls has mobilized more than 1.4 million girls for enrolment and supported over 1.9 million children in their learning in India. Thanks to a precision targeting method using AI, Educate Girls is able to target, in 5 years, the same number of out-of-school girls, which would otherwise require 45 years. Through a network of over 21,000 community-based champions in some of the most marginalized communities in the country, the organization has been working to break the intergenerational cycle of inequality and exclusion.

Under Husain’s guidance, Educate Girls has evolved into a leading global force, harnessing innovative financing and AI technology to bridge the gender gap in education. This is mirrored in its global milestones: the delivery of the world’s first Development Impact Bond in education, and the organization becoming Asia’s first The Audacious Project – which, housed at TED, is a collaborative funding initiative catalyzing social impact on a grand scale.

“This is a collective win for all of us working toward girls’ education, right from the government and local communities to dedicated gender champions and our supporters. It is a testament to the array of initiatives that are actively addressing this global challenge, embracing grassroots innovations and technology-driven solutions that are tirelessly working to ensure that every girl, in every village, is in school and learning well.

“Girls’ education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet to solve some of the world’s most complex problems. We must recognize that the right to education is a girl’s inherent right – a right that must always take center stage.”

Among the highlights of the opening plenary was a heartful performance by 15-year-old Palestinian rapper Abdulrahman AlShanti – known as MC Abdul. He was given a standing ovation.

The official strategic partner of WISE 11, Education Above All (EAA), a global non-profit organization established by Her Highness Sheikha Moza, dedicated to transforming lives through
education, is at the forefront of the summit’s program creating dialogue around inclusive education, innovative financing, and protecting education in crises.

Day one was spread across distinct thematic zones that included diverse sessions covering some of the core summit discussion topics: Classrooms of the Future; AI and Digital Sovereignty; and Building Ethical AI. A series of thought-provoking panel discussions and policy roundtables explored topics such as strategies for educators to future-proof classrooms in the era of AI and navigating the impact of AI superpowers to build an inclusive global AI landscape, among others.

Young innovators and advocates led discussions on a range of topics including personalized learning for students with disabilities, and cultural perspectives of Arabic learners in classrooms at the Youth Studio.

Jeffrey Sachs, University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University, addressed the economic impact of conflict on education in his keynote speech at the session.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Destruction of schools in Gaza takes centre stage at WISE summit on education in Doha with plea for peace by Her Royal Highness appeared first on Inside Education..

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande praised the country for its achievements in skills development and for propelling South Africa forward in a world increasingly driven by technology and innovation.

Nzimande addressed the GovTech 2023 held at Durban ICC on Wednesday, under the theme of “Platform Economy for Digital Transformation and Inclusive Growth”.

He said the role of digitisation in solving simple problems and challenges remains fundamental in addressing such problems as why fax numbers and fax machines are still being utilised, and why still in many cases emails as means of communication are still rejected in favour of papers that must be posted.

Nzimande challenged GovTech to identify things they will change from one conference to the next and said that the reduction of the digital divide could effectively be facilitated by empowering women, youth and people with disabilities, with special attention to under-served rural communities to enable them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

The minister emphasised the importance of the National Open Learning System (NOLS) as one of his top five priorities for training, saying that the shift to provide for learning material for NSFAS students to include digital devices will not only address technology enabled pedagogy over the lockdown period but will truly move South African education into the modern era offering access to wider resources.

NOLS is an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) that aims to provide quality, accessible and affordable learning opportunities for anyone who wants to improve their skills and knowledge.

“I am glad to report that the NOLS is fully functional, and to date over 18 000 lecturers and students have registered on the system and have access to more than 9800 resources,” Nzimande said.

The Minister also emphasised the importance of TVET curriculum transformation and innovation as a key to unlock skills development for the modern economy, and said that TVET colleges could play a very large role in addressing the skills needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

“We have embarked on a comprehensive plan to review and update the offerings at TVET colleges in order to align our educational programs with the demands of the rapidly evolving economy and society,” he said.

He further stressed the insitutionalisation of the post-Covid shift to online teaching and virtual learning environments, but recognised the reality of the majority of historically disadvantaged universities in keeping up, reflecting the bigger challenges of the country. 

Praising government’s ten year Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation, Nzimande said it would include commitments to undertake, amongst other, regulatory reforms to create a more enabling policy environment for innovation in the country and to forge a closer collaboration between higher education and training bodies and employers, to ensure that skills development more effective corresponds to the needs of the economy. 

Based on the establishment of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) in 2011 in order to conduct foundational, directed and applied research into various aspects of Artificial Intelligence; the department was seeking to create a core driver of the nation’s vision of AI research and innovation, he said. 

He made mention of the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education, held on 13 July 2023 in the Mpumalanga province, and said the BRICS countries should explore opportunities within BRICS digital education cooperative mechanisms which includes holding dialogues on digital education policies, sharing digital educational resources, building smart education systems and jointly promoting digital transformation of education within member states. 

“Of course, the digital economy knows no boundaries, we therefore should encourage collaboration and cooperation with our international partners and leverage the expertise of global tech leaders to facilitate knowledge transfer and skill development,” the minister said. 

The minister concluded with the need for the country to remain committed to transforming all sectors of education to keep pace with the growing developments in technology and how they relate to the needs of a digital economy.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Blade Nzimande upbeat about ushering SA’s digital and technological transformation of education appeared first on Inside Education..

A Cuban delegation spent time in South Africa earlier this month to monitor the training of local teachers in Mathematics and Science.

Following the bilateral agreement between the Department of Basic Education and the Ministry of Education of Cuba in 2016, a monitoring visit by a delegation from Cuba took place from 28 August to 1 September 2023.

As part of the agreement Cuba provided skilled Mathematics and Science specialists to assist in developing training programmes and materials that will benefit subject advisors and teachers to effectively use the Mathematics and Science teaching methods from Cuba.

“What we are tracking is the extent to which more learners can better understand the areas of Mathematics that have been covered and more importantly, how we can increase the number of learners who take up Mathematics, along with the number of teachers who are able to, after the training, improve on the outputs of teaching Mathematics to improve the learners’ performance in this subject,” said Deputy Director-General, Simoné Geyer.

Geyer added that further deliberations were underway to ascertain how Cuba and South Africa can work together to improve teaching in areas such as Early Childhood Development (ECD) and technical subjects that are taught in focus schools.

As a way forward, the Cuban delegation will look at the type of support required for the Cuban specialists who are already assisting in South Africa and how best they can be supported in ensuring that the outcomes of the bilateral agreement are met, and that they are adding value to the South African context of how Mathematics and Science can be taught.

The delegation also visited KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State Provinces, where they received first-hand experience on how the Cuban team is assisting in running teacher training workshops, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and providing direct support to learners.

The monitoring visit concluded with a debriefing session to ascertain the progress that has been made by the Cuban specialists in these subject areas.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post Bilateral agreement with Cuba to train teachers in SA appeared first on Inside Education..

THE Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill wants to amend the South African Schools Act (SASA), 84 of 1996 and the Educators Employment Act (EEA), 76 of 1998 to address sexual misconduct by educators.

It was recommended that section 17(1)(c) be amended to read that an educator must be dismissed if he or she is found guilty of sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape or statutory rape of a learner.

Such an explicit identification of the different forms of serious misconduct will provide clarity and provide necessary guidance in these cases.

It was also necessary to clarify the definitions of misconduct and serious misconduct in a manner that aligns with the Constitution, the Children’s Act, and existing sexual offences laws.

Recommends were that the law should be amended not to allow teachers who are appealing a decision of educator sexual misconduct against them to continue teaching.

Instead, educators whose matters are on appeal must be placed on paid suspension and only be allowed to work with children once the appeal is finalised.

Where an educator resigns whilst under investigation for sexual misconduct or while suspended and before the disciplinary process is completed, they must be deemed dismissed. The legislative framework should be amended to provide that, where an educator who is under investigation for educator sexual misconduct seeks employment at a different school, information on the allegations should be provided to the school.

Schools must share the outcome of disciplinary proceedings with the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) and the South African Council for Educators (SACE), regardless of the perceived seriousness of the allegation of educator sexual misconduct.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post BELA Bill proposes amendments to address sexual misconduct by educators appeared first on Inside Education..

THE University of Cape Town (UCT) has launched ‘The University of the Future’ (UoF) project, an initiative that aims to create a vibrant and modern campus designed to attract talent, foster community engagement, and support UCT’s vision of a fair and just society. 

The event was simultaneously live-streamed to an online audience. It began with a video introducing the project. In the video, the project steering committee chairperson Professor Salome Maswime (also the head of the Global Surgery Division in the Faculty of Health Sciences), asked viewers to consider the question: what will UCT’s spaces, places, services and functions look like in 2034?

The Programme Director, Professor Graham Fieggen, Head of the Division of Neurosurgery and a member of the project steering committee, pointed out that it is difficult to make predictions about the future. Referring to a quote by Thomas Sankara (former President of Burkina Faso) referenced in the introductory video, Professor Fieggen said that we need “the courage and extreme clarity today to invent our future”.

UCT’s Chief Financial Officer, Vincent Motholo, said the UoF project brings about “hopefulness for the future”.

Vice-Chancellor (Interim) Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy delivered the keynote address.

“All of us who have been attracted to be at UCT should be able to be accommodated and to work in spaces in which we are able to thrive.”

Professor Reddy said that the UoF project had to do with physical infrastructure, which is “an absolutely central consideration in the planning of the university”. He said that in the longer run, how we plan and develop our critical infrastructure will determine whether we will meet our objectives. It is, therefore, important that we get this right.

“All of us who have been attracted to be here [at UCT] should be able to be accommodated and to work in spaces in which we can thrive.”

The VC (Interim) stated that the project draws inspiration from Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to unleash human potential for a fair and just society. At the core of the UoF project is a compelling vision: to establish an enabling environment that unlocks human potential. UCT aims to create spaces, services and functions that empower students, staff and the broader community to thrive and contribute to society’s betterment.

The project’s strategic importance is recognised by the UCT Council, which supports its vision of a modern and striking campus capable of attracting top talent, local businesses, donors, and industry interest.

Reddy thanked the members of the project steering committee for their hard work, which has brought the university to this point. The committee boasts diverse representation from UCT, including academic and administrative staff, student representatives, unions, and the Cape Town community. This inclusive approach ensures that the project’s outcomes align with the university’s and its stakeholders’ aspirations.

INSIDE EDUCATION

The post UCT launches plan for “University of the Future” appeared first on Inside Education..

Africa Code Week (ACW) 2018 exceeded all expectations by empowering 2.3 million youth across 37 countries with digital and coding skills – compared to 1.3 million youth engaged across 35 African countries in the previous edition.

According to Cathy Smith, Managing Director of SAP Africa, the resounding success of Africa Code Week is a wake-up call unveiling what the young generation actually needs and rightfully expects: “young people in Africa don’t just need opportunities: they need to know how to take the first steps to get there. They need role models and guidance.”

Capacity building as the cornerstone of youth empowerment

From an initial focus of introducing coding skills to African youth and raising awareness of the importance of digital education, ACW key partners focused and augmented efforts in 2018 to sustain the impact of the programme through capacity-building with governments, schools and NPOs. As a result, close to 23,000 teachers were trained on the ACW digital learning curriculum in the run-up to October 2018 events.

Leveraging Africa Code Week to accelerate nationwide ICT capacity building since 2015, Morocco stands out again this year with a record of 5,208 teachers trained throughout the year 2018. Tunisia and Nigeria follow with respectively 2,800 and 2,553 teachers trained this year.

“There is only one way to bring the promises of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the young generation: through a reference point, and that reference point is the teacher,” says Davide Storti, YouthMobile Initiative Coordinator at UNESCO’s Knowledge Societies Division. “We look forward to furthering dialogue with governments, so we can translate the powerful partnerships and networking built by and around Africa Code Week into long-term programmes that sustain the excitement around 21st century learning.”

Fast-growing stakeholder commitment

Launched in 2015 by SAP’s Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA department, ACW is an award-winning initiative taking place every year in the month of October. It is now actively supported by key partners UNESCO YouthMobile, Google, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Cape Town Science Centre, the Camden Education Trust, 28 African governments, over 130 implementing partners and 120 ambassadors across the continent.

According to Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Global Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP, “fostering powerful partnerships with a sharp focus on capacity building is one of Africa Code Week’s strengths, and a solid cornerstone as it strives to not only support UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (‘Ensure quality and inclusive education for all’), but also SDG 17 which aims to ‘strengthen and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development’.

This fourth edition saw unprecedented collaboration from our public and private sector stakeholders, as well as from NGOs, to train more teachers and reach more young people than ever before,” she says.

Supporting Africa Code Week for the third year in a row, Google expanded their grant allocations to support more organisations in their efforts to inspire a new generation of digital African workers. In 2018, Google micro grants were awarded to 53 non-profit organisations to facilitate teacher trainings and coding workshops in both urban and rural areas, allowing 100,000+ youth across 11 countries to be exposed to computer science (CS) and coding skills – 57% of which were girls.

Empowering girls, reaching the unreached

More than 46% of this year’s 2.3 million participants were female, reflecting a huge appetite for digital skills development among Africa’s girls. Dedicated grants came in from key partner BMZ, who has been supporting ACW since 2016 as part of the #eSkills4Girls initiative. This year, BMZ awarded 20 grants to organisations across 15 emerging and developing countries, introducing 13,791 girls to digital skills and employment perspectives. SAP further collaborated with UNESCO and BMZ/GIZ to strengthen the gender component of the Train-the-Teacher package for Africa Code Week.

“Female representation in African companies in STEM-related fields currently stands at only 30%, requiring powerful public-private partnerships to start turning the tide and creating more equitable opportunities for African youth to contribute to the continent’s economic development and success,” concludes Sunil Geness, Director of Government Relations and CSR at SAP Africa and Global Coordinator of ACW 2018.

More partners joined forces this year to reach youth with special needs or living in remote areas. In Botswana for instance, more than 150 children got to touch a computer and code for the first time using solar-powered devices. Mining company and SAP partner Debswana aligned their own CSR programme to Africa Code Week, engaging 1,181 children at their Orapa Mine alone.

In Mozambique, ACW volunteers joined forces with INAGE and Mapal to train teachers from special needs schools, who in turn were able to introduce coding skills to hundreds of hearing-impaired students. Another highlight came from Cameroon, where Train-the-Trainer sessions were organised in October 2018 for vision-impaired teachers in Yaounde’s CMPJ.

The post Africa Code Week 2018 touched over 2 mln young Africans appeared first on Inside Education..