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Umalusi To Report On Credibility, Fairness Of Matric Results Amid Doubts Over Leaked Exam Papers

Charles Molele
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Umalusi To Report On Credibility, Fairness Of Matric Results Amid Doubts Over Leaked Exam Papers

NYAKALLO TEFU

SOUTH African parents are waiting nervously and impatiently for Umalusi’s report on the credibility of the 2020 matric results.  

The quality assurance body is expected to announce this week whether the matric exams were credible or not, this after two papers were leaked last year, creating panic and deep concerns among parents, teacher unions, civil society organisations and the Department of Basic Education.

Matric results are expected to be announced on February 22.

 For the first time in history, the release of the matric exams results was delayed due to the unexpected coronavirus pandemic.

Two papers – Mathematics and Physical Sciences – were leaked during the exams, prompting a court action against the Department of Basic Education after it tried to force learners to rewrite.

The court ruled that the quality of the examinations was not compromised, and therefore there was no need for learners to rewrite the two papers. 

 “In terms of the GENFETQA Act of 2001, Umalusi is required to approve the release of results once it is satisfied that the examinations have been conducted in a credible manner,” the quality assurance body has said.. 

Umalusi said gaining the approval of its council for the release of its results was a complex process of which standardization is one of the last steps. 

“Standardization is a process used to mitigate the effect of factors other than learners’ knowledge and aptitude on the learners’ performance,” added Umalusi.

(Source: Inside Education)

Cyber Heroines: Changing The Future For African Girls

Charles Molele
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Cyber Heroines: Changing The Future For African Girls

THE 2021 Tomorrow’s Cyber Heroines study undertaken by CyberHeroines, KnowBe4 Africa and Infosphere Limited surveyed more than 445 teachers across 14 African countries to unpack the complexities that face African girls in the technology landscape.

With Africa’s future reliant on its ability to adapt to digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), levelling the playing field for women has become critical.

It has never been more important to change the cyber security workforce gender statistics than it is today.

“We have to give girls more opportunities, inspire them to get involved in technology and the cybersecurity field, and to remove the preconceived and socialised ideas that prevent women from pursuing careers in technology,” says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and Evangelist KnowBe4 Africa.

“The world is digitising rapidly and women are at risk of being left behind. We have to change the dialogue around technology and make it more inclusive for women and girls.”

Women are already at a disadvantage. 

A recent study by the Association for Progressive Communications underscored the reality of the gender digital divide. In Africa women have less access to internet-based technologies than men, they have fewer opportunities, they are even more limited in their ability to move out from under poverty.

As the world continues to move into automation, women will be the most affected as their roles are replaced by machines.

Change has to start now, it has to start at home, and it has to be carried through into education.

“We want African women to participate in the digital age – we cannot leave them behind,” says Aprielle Oichoe, Managing Director of InfoSphere. “We must empower girls to go into technology and this starts at a young age. We need to make a conscious decision to change the way we treat young girls. The dialogue needs to focus on making technology interesting for girls, not just something that they should ‘leave to their brother.”

The study found that a lack of education, limited guidance, minimal role models and societal preconceptions are having a serious, long-term impact on women’s careers and futures. With cybersecurity and technology struggling to find skilled people, the market is wide open for those with the talent and the training to build sustainable and successful futures. In addition to thriving careers, training and education in technology and cybersecurity is essential for the wellbeing of young girls and women in Africa.

“According to research, women of colour are 34% more likely to be targeted by online hate speech than their white counterparts, and a huge percentage of African girls are concerned about their online safety,” says Collard. “We must give them the tools, training and confidence they need to prepare for this online vitriol, and protect themselves.”

The key factors inhibiting women’s entry to the worlds of technology and cybersecurity include: negative stereotypes, lack of role models or mentors, low self-confidence, and competing in a male-dominated industry. Women are generally discouraged from careers in STEM and steered towards traditionally female roles instead.

“There is no such thing as a female role, not anymore,” says Oichoe. “Now there is just opportunity. We just have to make sure that this opportunity is given to everyone.”

The report unpacks the findings, the insights, and the solutions put forward by educators and experts across Africa. It examines the education curriculum, the challenges facing young African girls today, and it looks at suggested initiatives that can be implemented to shift perceptions and transform the future for the women of Africa.

(Source: APOGROUP)

Thousands Of Northern Cape Learners Still Waiting To Be Placed At Schools

Charles Molele
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Thousands Of Northern Cape Learners Still Waiting To Be Placed At Schools

THE Department of Education in the Northern Cape has promised that all learners will be placed before schools reopen on February 15, SABC NEWS reported this week.

At least 11 000 learners in the Northern Cape are still awaiting placement at schools, two weeks before the start of the school academic year. The learners include late applicants and those awaiting outcomes of appeals of unsuccessful placement at schools of their choice. 

At least 3 600 placement offers are also yet to be accepted by parents.  

A further 5 250 learners are awaiting the outcome of placement appeals from the office of the provincial Education MEC.  

The Department of Education has promised that all learners will be placed before schools reopen on February 15.  

Public schools reopening delayed  

Last month, the Department of Basic Education delayed the reopening of 2021 academic school year to February.

The move was due to a surge in COVID-19 infections in the country.

Ghana’s 2020 Best Teacher, Eric Asomani, Launches Maiden ICT Fun Club

Charles Molele
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Ghana’s 2020 Best Teacher, Eric Asomani, Launches Maiden ICT Fun Club

Eric Asomani Asante, the winner of the 2020 Best Teacher Annual Awards has launched his maiden ICT Fun Club in Tema, south eastern Ghana, over the weekend.

Mr. Asomani Asante explained that, his main motive for the club is to train four students and a teacher selected from each school among eight selected schools.

He added, these four students and a teacher selected would serve as master trainers who are required to act as ambassadors to train their peers in their respective schools.

The actual training for the master trainers according to Mr. Asomani Asante starts on the 12th of February, 2021 at the Naylor SDA School Computer Lab located at Tema Community Six. He added, the training will be on every Friday between 2pm and 3pm.

The 2020 Best Teacher added that, he intends to expand the activities of the Club to Akoase and its environs since he received his basic and secondary education from that district.

According to him, technology would be the driver of the world going forward and this is his contribution towards making more students have access to ICT education and become technologically inclined.

He stated further that, his gesture was to ensure fair usage of technological tools in education in this digital age.

The program hosted important dignitaries such as the Tema Metro Director of Education, Mrs. Bernice Ofori, Hon. Nii Noi, Tema Cental Member of Parliament, headteachers, officers from the Metro Education Directorate and participants from the selected schools.

(Source: Modern Ghana)

School Sport: Egoli Squash Rerouting Former Colonial Sport

Charles Molele
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School Sport: Egoli Squash Rerouting Former Colonial Sport

LEONARD SOLMS|

HAVING been brought to South Africa in the early 20th century by the British military, squash began as an elitist sport in private schools. As is the case in any sport with such a history, transformation requires a deliberate effort to make the game more inclusive. 

That’s where Egoli Squash comes into the picture. After years of persisting in its efforts to change the lives of its athletes off the court, the non-profit organisation is beginning to reap the rewards.

In a decade of existence, the brains behind Egoli Squash have sought to grow the game in disadvantaged areas where children would previously not have been exposed to the sport.

The organisation’s focus is on Soweto and the Johannesburg inner city.

“Basically, what prevented most people from knowing the game of squash was [a lack of] facilities and equipment,” said Egoli Squash co-ordinator Sharon Sibanda.

“You will find most of the squash courts are located in suburbs. For other players who aren’t players in suburbs, they are not able to get a taxi and go to practice sessions. We’ve seen that with our players. Whenever they go for tournaments, we have to transport them from Hillbrow, Berea and Soweto areas to play at Wanderers and all the other different places.

“I’d say that is a challenge. Also, the other challenge for the game of squash is it has been perceived as a Cinderella sport – a sport for the privileged. That is not the case. It’s basically that it hasn’t gained much traction in the media.”

Egoli Squash has taken on the task of raising awareness of the sport. “Most of the schools we work with do not have sporting facilities,” said Sibanda. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s squash facilities – any sporting facilities [are lacking]. 

“Take, for instance, the inner city. Most of the schools are within flat buildings, so they do not have enough space in the schools to set up any sporting facilities. What they do is they actually source sporting facilities outside – it might be municipal sport and recreation facilities – just so they are able to get their learners to participate in a sport. 

“So, for us, what we do is we basically approach the schools through what we call road shows. A road show is a 15-minute presentation where we go to the schools and introduce the game during assembly time. We show them a bit of racquet skills to get learners interested in the game. At times, we also carry our mobile squash court to the schools. “Afterwards, the learners and sports coordinators would register. We not only introduce the sport to the learners, we also introduce the sport to the sport coordinators. When they come for the sessions, it’s not only about them accompanying the learners to the squash court. They also get to train and assist our senior coaches as well.

“The schools do not pay any amount to be part of the programme. For us, basically, it’s all about changing lives and grooming youths to become responsible adults. That’s the passion that keeps us going – and getting as many learners as possible to participate in the game of squash.”

Development on and off the court 

Sibanda explains that the organisation’s recruitment of schoolchildren is done with an eye to potentially producing top competitors. However, rather than scouting and grooming already established squash players, it has to start from scratch, teaching the basics of the game and encouraging youngsters to get involved. Aside from its ambitions on the court, Egoli Squash hopes to achieve plenty off it too.

“Basically, our programme is focused [mostly] on promoting the game – also with the vision of producing elite players who not only represent our province, but can also get to play and compete for national rankings. Also, we want to empower them not only from a squash perspective [but] in life skills, and to develop them into responsible young adults,” explained Sibanda.

“We do have players who have evolved from just being grassroots junior players, who came into the programme without even having an idea of what squash is.

“I remember some of the players, when we introduced the game to their schools, were saying: ‘Oh, squash? Is it some form of juice, or what is it?’ Squash, basically, in the inner-city and Soweto schools, does not exist. They do not have the facilities and the sports coordinators also do not know about the game of squash,” said Sibanda.

“We had to start from scratch and build up from there – introducing the game and promoting it to the players who had never heard of squash in their lives. After introducing the game, we saw that our players thrived.

“We decided to filter them into our Colts Future Champions programme. Basically, it’s our high-performance programme. Once we have identified the players, we groom them using all the different high-performance techniques. We partnered with the UJ [University of Johannesburg] Sports Sciences Institution. They [help us] equip these players to be elite players.”

Preparing young athletes for life both on the court and off it is easier said than done, as many in South African sport have discovered. Fortunately for Sibanda, she is able to combine her training as a psychologist with her squash coaching qualifications.

“I have a background in psycho-social support for players. That was how I got involved [in] the programme. I did basic level one coaching. It’s just that if I am to interrupt the kids, I have to know more about the game. This will ensure that I can easily relate to the kids and whatever day-to-day issues they face, at least in the programme,” she said.

Egoli starlets going for gold

The investments Egoli Squash have made into its top athletes are beginning to pay off. Muzi Buthelezi was the top-ranked Central Gauteng Under-16 squash player in 2019, also ranking fourth in South Africa in his age category. His father passed on when he was 10 years old, but Egoli Squash ensured that he remained cared for, helping him secure a bursary at King Edward VII School. Buthelezi aims to become a professional squash player.

“I didn’t really know what squash was, but at my old school I wanted to try something new, because I was playing soccer and tennis before squash. When I went to squash, I didn’t really know that you were using a racquet like tennis,” said Buthelezi. 

“What the Egoli Squash programme did was they went to each and every school. That’s where they started introducing squash and they told us more about squash, which I started liking. I obviously went to the organisation and then I started playing. The coaches really helped me to improve my squash and everything has been great since then.

“In the next two to four years, I want to be in the South African national team. If not, I want to be in the top 20 in South Africa. After that, I want to be a professional squash player and get SA colours, and to qualify into the Professional Squash Association and be in the top 50.”

It is inevitable that not every squash player will achieve the ambitious targets that Buthelezi has set. Fortunately for its players who fall short, Egoli Squash’s support is not wholly dependent on success on the court. 

One of the programme’s stalwarts, Clinton Ndebele, who joined in 2011 and learned the game from scratch, has played squash at junior and senior provincial level but decided to pursue a career in education. Egoli Squash used his skills off the court to its advantage, bringing him in as a facilitator. By his own admission, Ndebele was not as talented as Buthelezi is, but Egoli Squash still covered his high school fees.

“Coach Lawrence [Dlamini] and Coach Sharon were like mother and father figures to me. Being with a single mother, Lawrence was the one guy who was literally our father. He coached us and disciplined us and all of these things. Even Sharon was like a mother,” Ndebele said.

“I think when I pursued teaching, the programme saw someone [who could] elevate the homework support side of things.The programme paid for my entire high school. My mother was struggling with the school fees.”

Sharon, on one of the days, said: ‘Show me your report and I’ll see what I can do.’ That took me all the way from grade 9 to matric. This, I guess, is my way of giving back to a programme that has done so much for me.”

Ndebele is a prime example of what Egoli Squash’s off-court endeavours aim to achieve. The Covid-19 pandemic also affected the organisation, which adapted by devising both short-term and long-term strategies to combat food shortages.

Egoli Squash sought to address its members’ immediate needs by initiating the Ubuntu Drive, seeking donations for food parcels along with sanitary and cleaning products. In the long run, it aims to promote food sustainability to avoid an overreliance on donors.

“We are growing it [the Ubuntu Drive] into a long-term programme. Our long-term programme will be implementing urban farming. Most of our players, especially in the inner city, stay in flats. They do not have areas to cultivate any plants where they stay because they do not have enough space,” Sibanda said.

“We’ve already set up our strategic plan and everything. We’ll be rolling out the urban farming project hopefully next year… We want to set up a sustainability plan. What if the donors are no longer able to fund our Ubuntu Drive? Would that mean that we were not going to continue feeding our players and families? That’s why we are coming up with this long-term strategy.”

The seeds of change have been planted in communities which may otherwise never have learnt about the game of squash. Whether or not they will spread quite enough to become endemic across Johannesburg’s race and class divides remains to be seen.

(Source: NewFrame)

Opinion: Re-evaluating The Costs Of Education in South Africa In The Face Of COVID-19 Pandemic

Charles Molele
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Opinion: Re-evaluating The Costs Of Education in South Africa In The Face Of COVID-19 Pandemic

CRAIG TORR|

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost every aspect of our lives, including education. As we wait for the official re-opening of public schools which has been postponed to February 15, many parents feel concerned about the 2021 academic year.

With the benefit of hindsight, most of us now know that home schooling is not for the fainthearted and can be a full-time job. If you worked from home during last year’s lockdown, you will no doubt appreciate just how difficult it is to focus on your work while home schooling your children on the side.

For many parents, facing another year of interruptions when it comes to education has forced them to investigate alternatives to the traditional school. But, everything comes at a price, and in this article, we explore the costs of the various options available for parents.

Traditional government schooling

Reputable government schools in our major centres charge school fees ranging between around R2 800 and R5 000 per month, with these fees being generally all-inclusive with regard to extra-mural activities. Some schools charge additional fees for activities such as music and art lessons, school outings, and tours. These schools provide a range of mainstream sports which keep learners active throughout the afternoons, into the evenings and over weekends. With most sporting and extra-mural activities having been put on hold as a result of the pandemic, many parents who work full-time have had to incur additional aftercare and au-pairing costs, the costs of which we have broken down later on in this article.

Private schooling

Contrasted to this is the cost of private schooling which can be considerably higher than fees charged by government schools, and this includes a number of relatively recent entrants into the private education space including the likes of Curro, Reddam and Valenture, with the latter now offering campus-based education in larger centres. Fees to attend one of Valenture Institute’s boutique campuses range from between R5 900 and R9 300 per month, while Reddam Constantia’s fees range from R5 593 to R14 934 depending on your child’s grade. From a mere comparative perspective, school fees at Curro Hillcrest in Durban range from R4 780 to R7 975 per month, while St Mary’s Waverly in Johannesburg charges from R9 150 per month (Grade R) to R16 800 per month (Grade 12).

Online schooling

Many parents, fearful of school campus life being continually interrupted as a result of the pandemic, have investigated online learning options, and the choice seems to be growing. Valenture’s online fees range from R5 600 to R8 000 per month, and class sizes are limited. Curro also has an online offering for school learners at a flat rate of R4 200 per month regardless of the child’s grade. Think Digital Offering, a virtual schooling provider, delivers online school education with tutor support from R4 437 per month (Grade R) to R14 841 per month (Grade 12). Most cost-effective options for online schooling include Teneo School which charges a flat fee of R2 176 per month regardless of your child’s grade. Similarly, Brainline offers virtual schooling at R1 833 per month, while Virtual Schools charge R1 300 per month.

If your older child is sufficiently disciplined then online schooling may well be an option, although you would need to factor in the costs of extra-mural activities. If you are contemplating online schooling for your younger children (primary school), bear in mind that you would still need a physical presence at home to care for them and assist them with their studies, and this could add an additional layer of costs. Similarly, you would need to budget for their extra-mural activities such as club football lessons, horse-riding, ballet or tennis. If you’re working full time, you may need to incur transport or au-pairing costs to transport your children to and from their extra-murals.

Cottage schools or home-schooling centres

Cottage schools and smaller home-schooling centres have become more popular over the years, being particularly attractive to those learners who aren’t well-suited to mainstream-type education. These schools generally offer smaller, more intimate campuses with small tuition classes and more personalised tuition support. In terms of costs, well-known Seren House in Randburg charges tuition fees of R4 300 per month, while Sandra’s House, also Randburg-based, charges R3 800 per month. Maara House in Cape Town charges between R5 000 and R5 850 per month per child. Tate International charges fees ranging from R3 600 per month for Grade R to R8 200 per month for Grade 12. Once again, you may need to factor in transport costs and the costs of extra-murals for your child.

Special needs education

If your child has learning disabilities or requires special needs education, you can expect to pay higher schools fees in return for more specialised expertise and individual care. Oakley House in Cape Town charges from R7 455 per month for Grade R up to R11 958 per month for Grade 12. Shanti Private Remedial School, based in Table View, provides special needs tuition from Grade R to Grade 7 at a fee of R7 250 per month. The Academy for Learning’s tuition comes at a cost of R6 200 per month from Grade R to R7 400 per month for Grade 6. Crossroads School in Johannesburg costs R12 090 per month (11 months) regardless of your child’s grade. If you intend hiring an au pair to assist with your child’s transport, care and tutoring, you can expect to pay more for an au pair who has the necessary experience and/or qualifications to work with special needs children.

Aftercare, au pairing and school transport

Most schools tend to charge between R600 and R1 000 per month for aftercare which includes homework assistance. Where the aftercare facility is separate from the school and provides pick-up and drop-off services, you can expect to pay between R2 000 and R2 500 for this benefit. There are a number of private companies that provide safe, reliable transport for school children needing to be lifted to and from school and/or extra-mural activities, and the costs will depend largely on the distance and frequency.

When it comes to au pairing, the going rate can range from R60 to R120 per hour or a full day rate of around R350 – R500, depending on the nature of the job. For instance, au pairs required to work with three or four siblings or with special needs children may charge a higher rate. An au pair who has a regular position of three hours every afternoon can earn around R5 000 per month, plus petrol reimbursement at AA rates.

When comparing schools and aftercare options, it is important to ensure that you are always comparing apples with apples to ensure that you are not faced with unexpected bills. For instance, some aftercare facilities include lunch and afternoon snacks in their costs, whereas others require parents to send meals or snacks for the children.

Further, some online schools have unlimited class sizes whereas others restrict their class sizes to ensure that your child still receives individual attention, albeit online. When investigating online schooling, be sure to understand exactly what is meant by ‘tutor support’. If the online tutor assistance is not sufficient you may end up incurring additional costs in the form of personal tutors for your children. Depending on your child’s age and the subject they need assistance with, private tutors in major centres charge around R150 and R300 an hour.

Textbooks, course material and stationery are expensive, so find out to what extent these are included in the school fees.

  • Craig Torr read for his B.Comm degree at Nelson Mandela University. He is a Certified Financial Planning® professional and is passionate about helping clients create sustainable wealth. Craig is a founding director and shareholder of Crue Invest (Pty) Ltd which he started in 2004 together with his wife, Sue. They have grown the business organically into the niche financial planning practice that it is today

(Source: Moneyweb)

‘Disappointment’ As SA Government Halts Rollout Of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 Vaccine After Shot Falters Against Variant

Charles Molele
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‘Disappointment’ As SA Government Halts Rollout Of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 Vaccine After Shot Falters Against Variant

SOUTH Africa has suspended plans to inoculate its front-line health care workers with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after a small clinical trial suggested that it isn’t effective in preventing mild to moderate illness from the variant dominant in the country.

South Africa received its first 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last week and was expected to begin giving jabs to health care workers in mid-February. The disappointing early results indicate that an inoculation drive using the AstraZeneca vaccine may not be useful.

Preliminary data from a small study suggested that the AstraZeneca vaccine offers only “minimal protection against mild-moderate disease” caused by the variant in South Africa. The variant appears more infectious and is driving a deadly resurgence of the disease in the country, currently accounting for more than 90% of the COVID-19 cases, health minister Zweli Mkhize said Sunday night.

“The AstraZeneca vaccine appeared effective against the original strain, but not against the variant,” Mkhize said. “We have decided to put a temporary hold on the rollout of the vaccine … more work needs to be done.”

The study, which hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed, involved 2,000 people, most of whom were young and healthy. The volunteers’ average age was 31.

“Protection against moderate-severe disease, hospitalization or death could not be assessed in this study as the target population were at such low risk,” said a statement issued by Oxford University and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Scientists will be studying whether or not the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective in preventing severe disease and death against the variant, Mkhize said.

Other vaccines have shown reduced efficacy against the variant, but have provided good protection from serious disease and death.

Public health officials are concerned about the South Africa variant because it contains a mutation of the virus’ characteristic spike protein, which is targeted by existing vaccines. South African officials say the variant is more contagious and evidence is emerging that it may be more virulent.

South Africa will urgently roll out other vaccines to inoculate as many as possible in the coming months, Mkhize said. Other South African scientists on Sunday said the clinical trials for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine show good results against the variant.

The early results for the AstraZeneca vaccine against the variant could have far-reaching implications as many other countries in Africa and beyond have been planning to use the AstraZeneca shot. The international COVAX initiative has bought the AstraZeneca vaccine in bulk from the Serum Institute of India.

Developers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine expect to have a modified jab to cope with the South Africa coronavirus variant by autumn, the vaccine’s lead researcher said Sunday.

Sarah Gilbert, lead researcher for the Oxford team, told the BBC on Sunday that “we have a version with the South African spike sequence in the works.”

“It looks very likely that we can have a new version ready to use in the autumn,” she added.

Authorities in England last week went house-to-house to administer COVID-19 testing in eight areas where the South Africa variant is believed to be spreading, after a handful of cases were found in people who had no contact with the country or anyone who traveled there.

More than 100 cases of the South African variant have been found in the U.K. The testing blitz is a bid to snuff out the variant before it spreads widely and undermines the U.K.’s vaccination rollout.

Britain has seen Europe’s deadliest coronavirus outbreak, with over 112,000 confirmed deaths, but it has embarked on a speedier vaccination plan than the neighboring European Union. So far, the U.K. has given a first coronavirus vaccine jab to about 11.5 million people.

(Source: Associated Press)

New UNISA Council Chair To Spearhead Quality Agenda, Improve ICT Infrastructure For Both Staff And Students

Charles Molele
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New UNISA Council Chair To Spearhead Quality Agenda, Improve ICT Infrastructure For Both Staff And Students

NANCY LEGODI|

WHILE the Unisa Council operates within the vision and mission of the university, Mashukudu James Maboa, recently appointed Chairperson of Council, explains that one of the focus areas would be to improve information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for both staff and students, especially in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The university has adopted an open, distance and e-learning (ODeL) strategy,” he adds, “and we cannot roll out the programme without a proper, efficient and well-capacitated ICT environment.”

Council, which is equivalent to a board of directors in the private sector, is, among other purposes listed in the Higher Education Act, set up to effectively govern the university, and provide oversight and strategic direction. In terms of strategic direction and what the university plans and aims to achieve, Council is guided mainly by the university’s Strategic Document and the Annual Performance Plan. “My role in Council is to provide leadership, ensure that policies and Council resolutions are implemented, and further ensure that committees within the Council are operating efficiently,” Maboa says.

Maboa asserts that other focus areas of improvement include output in terms of what the university does and produces, as well as financial sustainability. He would like to see improvement in areas such as research outputs and pass rates. According to him, these have implications for the stature of the university and public perception thereof.

Regarding financial sustainability, Maboa says it means that Council would have to focus more on third-stream income. “It would have to ensure that the university gets return-on-investment from its assets,” he says, “and also improve its fundraising activities through Unisa Foundation and Unisa Alumni. I realise that the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the economy, which strains the university, hence an effective financial sustainability strategy needs to be in place.”

A track record second to none

Maboa’s career profile is remarkable. A chartered accountant (CA) by profession, and a registered auditor, he has been good with accounting from a young age. After being inspired by his friend’s father, who was a CA, he knew which profession he would follow.

He has vast experience in various fields including accounting, auditing, corporate governance, tax, developmental finance and broader corporate finance. His career highlights include an international secondment to Deloitte Boston in the United States of America. He is currently an Executive Director at Movundlela Consulting, heading up the Corporate Finance Division.

Maboa has previously served in non-executive roles on several boards and audit committees, in both the private and public sector. Institutions that made use of his expertise include the Government Employees Pension Fund, the Hosmed Medical Scheme, the Johannesburg Roads Agency, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, and the National School of Government.

His current board memberships include Eyesizwe Mining Pty Ltd, the Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting SETA, and NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd. He is also the Audit Committee Chairperson of the Medshield Medical Scheme, as well as the Construction SETA. Maboa is no stranger to Unisa, and has previously served as Chairperson of the Finance, Investment and Estates Committee of Council.

Appreciation of stakeholders

While Maboa appreciates various Unisa stakeholders, he is grateful to students and alumni for being patient with the university as it addresses their challenges. “Through interactions with structures such as the National Students’ Representative Council and the Convocation, I will assure that their issues are addressed and that service delivery improves,” he says.

Asking for support from alumni, he says: “good alumni who are interested in the activities of the university can only make the institution stronger and move it forward.” He urges staff to adapt to the new environment that the institution is operating in, and be flexible and agile in delivering on the university’s mandate.

Maboa concludes: “I urge the Unisa community to hang on and stay strong. Let us adhere to and comply with the COVID-19 regulations as this pandemic is very serious. We need to assist the government to fight the health crisis.”

(Source: UnisaNews)

Professor Thuli Madonsela Receives French Knighthood From French President Emmanuel Macron

Charles Molele
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Professor Thuli Madonsela Receives French Knighthood From French President Emmanuel Macron

PROFESSOR Thuli Madonsela, Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Law, has been appointed as Knight of the Legion of Honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron, the university said in a statement on Thursday.

The French Legion of Honour celebrates the accomplishments of distinguished individuals, irrespective of social background or nationality.

“I can’t find the right words to express the depth of my gratitude to the President and people of France for this immense honour. As indicated in respect of previous awards, I do my work to add value to humanity out of love and gratitude for the privileges life and humanity have given me and in pursuit of my duties,” said Madonsela.

“However, a recognition of this magnitude does inspire immense gratitude while spotlighting my work on social justice, the rule of law and ethical governance. I believe it comes from a place of appreciating our interconnectedness as humanity though separated by oceans and borders.”

Viewed as the highest decoration in France, it was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.  

Former President Nelson Mandela is a Grand-Croix recipient – in 1994.

Previous South African recipients of the degree Chevalier (Knight) include Nadine Gordimer, Ahmed Kathrada, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mamphela Ramphele, Miriam Makeba, André P. Brink and Zanele Muholi.

One of the knighthoods famous recipients is soccer legend and Real Madrid coach, Zinedine Zidane.

The title to Madonsela was conferred by Macron on 20 November 2020.

The official ceremony to bestow the insignia on Madonsela will take place as soon as the COVID-19 situation eases significantly on a date to be mutually agreed between the French Ambassador to South Africa, Aurelien Lechevallier and Madonsela.  

University of Stellenbosch said in a statement that an announcement to this effect will be made as soon as the date is set.

Madonsela added that she accepted the honour on behalf of the Public Protector Team that worked with her in the pursuit of ethical and accountable government for seven years.

“I also accept the award on behalf of my colleagues at Stellenbosch University with whom we are pioneering research, policy reform and civic mobilisation on social justice with the hope of catalysing progress towards ending poverty and reducing structural inequality by 2030 in line with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Madonsela.

“I also accept it on behalf of my Thuma Foundation colleagues, who are mostly volunteers dedicating their time and resources towards making democracy work for all through democracy leadership and literacy.”

In his letter to Madonsela, Ambassador Lechevallier said that Madonsela is honoured in recognition of her remarkable achievements in defence of the rule of law and the fight against corruption in South Africa.

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

Science 4.0: As The World Changes, Science Does Too – And That’s A Good Thing

Charles Molele
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Science 4.0: As The World Changes, Science Does Too – And That’s A Good Thing

THE term “Industry 4.0” has been used for years to describe the need for societies to adapt their work and productivity to the “4th Industrial Revolution”, in which new technologies bridge the virtual, physical and biological domains. These terms have become so dominant that governments have adopted them into their policies and planning.

Against this backdrop it is important to ask whether – and how – the world of science is effectively adapting to an ever more connected and data intensive world. Is there such a thing as “Science 4.0”? What does this mean for society?

As scientists who have been involved in research, technological development, advocacy, diplomacy and the realisation of societal benefits from science, we believe that yes, “Science 4.0” is real. It is about a revolution in which science is an integral part of society, rather than being confined to public or private laboratories and institutions of higher learning. It is about recognising that scientists are people, subjective and opinionated – and people are scientists, curious and eager to learn. It is about embracing new technologies to do better science more responsibly and more inclusively.

Over the past nearly three decades, we have observed trends that show what is possible. These include openness, the importance of data, artificial intelligence, inclusion and crucial changes in the culture of science.

Openness

The term “open science” was first captured by the Budapest Open Access Initiative in 2002. It originated from open source software and open access literature; it includes the openness of data, methods, software, results and publications.

Openness is a shift away from traditional thinking around the protectionism of intellectual property. Its benefits to science have become increasingly clear.

Today most organisations have policies of openness, from the National Institutes of Health in the US to UNESCO. The African Open Science Platform, meanwhile, aims to grow open science practices across the continent.

Several business ventures have emerged. The Center for Open Science, for instance, sees people generating value by helping scientists to make their science more open.

Data-driven science

Increasingly, scientific research involves very large data sets. From the massive genomics data to the data expected from future telescopes, data-intensive research is becoming the norm.

There is a shift in the scientific method from, for example, single observations to large scale statistical analyses. This progression calls for new infrastructure models to support scientific research. Cloud computing technologies are at the forefront of this shift; these combine easy access to and collaboration on data and analysis with high-performance computing.

Nowadays, data and codes are part of scientific publications. Containerisation, a technology that packages code and the computer environment in which codes are run, helps make results easily reproducible by others. Containers can be shared and cited.

AI scientists

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a tool of science as both data storage and computing power have become cheaper. Machine learning (computer algorithms improving with experience) is accelerating the rate of discovery in anything from drug development to image analysis.

AI is becoming advanced enough that it could do the whole cycle from hypothesis to result. As research accelerates, the rate of publications follows and AI can even be used to sift through the overwhelming literature. Scientific unions and other councils are also now discussing the ethics of AI.

Culture of science

Science 4.0 is not just a transformation of scientific tools and methods. It also affects the culture of science and how we evaluate scientific work. Outreach is increasingly valued as a part of a scientist’s tasks. Counting publications and citations is limited and doesn’t reflect the true impact of research.

Scientists are also admitting that science is done by people – and that means acknowledging their failings. Misconduct by scientists is not taken lightly. Science is slowly becoming more family friendly too, with some conferences offering childcare facilities.

One area that’s worth watching is the speed of science. The race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 has demonstrated that science can be done fast, albeit sometimes at the expense of quality.

This speed may become more common in some areas of science. And that’s potentially a good thing because it brings the benefits of science to more people, more rapidly.

Inclusion

However, these new ways of science won’t benefit everyone unless scientists have a serious conversation about inclusion. For example, the pandemic also showed a disproportionate effect on women scientists as compared to men.

Inclusion has risen to the surface in recent years: minorities have denounced science as an unwelcoming space of rampant implicit bias that needs to be claimed by diverse identities. This has given rise to large grassroots visibility campaigns such as the #BlackInSTEM hashtag on social media and open conversations about inclusion.

In the developing world, academic isolation is a multifaceted challenge. Academics in relative isolation can become the targets of predatory publishers. Developing countries can be led to giving away their data, for example genomics of endemic species, or oral traditions recorded without permission but with misplaced good intentions of preservation.

This situation is not sustainable. Initiatives are emerging to ensure communities are involved and benefit from research carried out on them, on their environment, and ultimately their universe.

It is also worth noting the growth of citizen science and its evolution from passive data gathering to participatory approaches to research.

Role of Science 4.0 in a changing world

Progress in science is not about bringing more people into an ivory tower. It is about breaking down the tower completely and helping scientists work with and among people.

As the world grapples with building back better, the scientific community needs to display engaged leadership and play an active, humanistic role in shaping policies, public perceptions and technologies for a sustainable future.

(SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION)

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