INSIDE EDUCATION REPORTER
THE Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) will present its findings and recommendations of the South African National Survey on Health Life Experiences and Family Relations study to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation in Parliament on Friday following another violent incident at a tertiary institution in the country.
A University of the Western Cape student who reportedly stabbed a female student believed to be his wife at a private student residence at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town was arrested in connection with the incident.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Science and Innovation, Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, welcomed the arrest and said tertiary institutions must do more to address violence on campuses.
“Institutions of higher learning are one of many social institutions that ought to play a role in shaping and harnessing the social construction of societies in alignment to our constitution that speaks of a non-sexist society.”
The committee continuously invites the portfolio committees on police, and women, youth and people with disabilities on a wide range and cross cutting GBV and gender related matters.
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Science and Innovation has extended an invitation to the chairpersons of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and of the Multi Party Women’s Caucus to its upcoming meeting.
Furthermore, the committee further urged Higher Health and the institution’s mental health services to ensure that the victim and the entire CPUT community receives the support it needs to get through such a traumatic experience has welcomed the arrest of the University of the Western Cape student who reportedly stabbed a female student believed to be his wife at a private student residence in Cape Town.
The committee wishes the victim of the assault from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPTU) a speedy recovery and further calls for a multipronged approach to addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in society and at institutions of higher learning.
The committee is concerned that a scourge of GBV continues to plague society and has reached unacceptable levels, in which institutions of higher learning have not been spared.
The committee calls upon the full implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBV which aims to provide a multi-sectoral strategic policy and programming framework to strengthen a coordinated response to the GBV crisis.
The committee welcomes initiatives of the Department of Higher Education and Training in introducing programmes such as the Higher Health Civic Education and Health Skills Programme as well as the Transforming MENtalities programmes as part of the curriculum.
The Transforming MENtalities Initiative is a programme focused on men in the higher education sector to be part and champions of a world free of GBV and against all forms of discrimination.
The committee welcomes the introduction of these programmes in the Post School Education and Training sector as they contribute to assist in shaping the social construction of students.
The committee said it engages with the Commission for Gender Equality on its investigations in universities and TVET colleges regarding GBV, and gender related matters reported at institutions.
The committee has had follow up meetings with institutions to ensure that they implement observations and recommendations of the CGE.
INSIDE EDUCATION
