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Gauteng Schools Should Refrain From Opening Until February 15 – Lesufi

Charles Molele
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Gauteng Schools Should Refrain From Opening Until February 15 – Lesufi

NYAKALLO TEFU|

GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has issued an ultimatum to both public and top private schools, saying they should refrain from opening their classrooms until February 15.

This follows last week’s decision by the Department of Basic Education to delay reopening of schools by another two weeks due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Until recently, it was believed globally that children were by and large mildly affected by COVID-19 and that their role in the transmission was limited. But now, that perception is changing with new emerging research – conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – proving the point that children did indeed contract the virus and transmit it to others.

Lesufi was speaking during a school visit to Helpmekaar College in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Monday after the school sent newsletters to parents in the last few days, informing them that 1 200 boys must return to school despite government’s decision to delay reopening of schools by another two weeks.

“No school should be allowed to operate in Gauteng until February 15. Any other school, public, private or independent that is operating in Gauteng, are in defiance of the State. We will persuade them to a certain limit. If not, we will act and we will do it within the confines of the law,” said Lesufi. 

Lesufi visited the school to find out why it was letting learners return after government instructed schools not to reopen until February due to growing concerns over the increasing COVID-19 infections. 

“This decision to delay the reopening of schools by two weeks needs to be gazetted so that we have a leg to stand on,” Lesufi added. 

Lesufi said his department expected all schools to be closed until February 15.

Department of Basic Education announced on Monday that learners will only return to school on February 15 while staff will return on February 1 and School Management Teams (SMT) on January 25.  

“The people who advised us to close are now complaining but the fact of the matter is that we listened to health officials when making such decisions,” said Lesufi. 

Commenting on the COVID-19 vaccines, Lesufi said school children needed to be prioritized as well.

“I really believe we must protect the future and give the vaccine to the children. In the list of people who will be vaccinated, include the children. They are our future,” said Lesufi. 

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

2021 Tertiary Academic Year To Begin In March – Nzimande

Charles Molele
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2021 Tertiary Academic Year To Begin In March – Nzimande

NYAKALLO TEFU

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Blade Nzimande, says universities will open for first year applications between March and April.

Nzimande briefed the media on Monday on his department’s plan for higher institutions of learning following the decision by Basic Education Department to delay the reopening of schools by two weeks. 

“Universities will only open at the end of March and beginning of April to accommodate first year students. However, some returning students may be called to return earlier by their respective institutions.” 

He said all universities have agreed to open in line with the release of the matric results in February 26.

“We have given instruction for now that institutions should open between March and April 2021,” said Nzimande. 

Meanwhile, the minister said the National School Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has received 750 000 applications for the 2021 academic year. 

“This is a 25% increase from the previous year. We had 185 000 more applications and 61% of them are SASSA beneficiaries,” said Nzimande. 

Nzimande said DHET has been getting requests to extend applications for NSFAS for 2021. 

“We are not going to reopen NSFAS applications. We gave people four months last year to apply. We will certainly not reopen applications for 2021,” added Nzimande.

He also touched on the issue at the University of South Africa (UNISA), where it is being reported that first-time applications will be cut by 20 000.

“Enrolment planning is very important. Universities give the department its enrolment plans. However, UNISA did not do this and so we had to assist. We found that they are admitting more than the university can accommodate,” said Nzimande. 

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

Amid COVID-19 Surge, South Africa Delays Reopening Schools

Charles Molele
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Amid COVID-19 Surge, South Africa Delays Reopening Schools

MOGOMOTSI MAGOME

FACED with a rapid resurgence of COVID-19 overwhelming the country’s hospitals and driven by a more infectious variant of the virus, South Africa has delayed reopening its schools.

The variant is having far-reaching consequences for Africa’s most developed nation as several countries trying to prevent its spread have stopped or reduced flights with South Africa.

South Africa has the highest prevalence of COVID-19 in Africa with a cumulative total of more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, including 36,851 deaths.

In the last 24 hours, the country has recorded 13,973 new infections and 348 deaths.

South Africa’s 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has risen over the past two weeks from 22 new cases per 100,000 people on Jan. 2 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Jan. 16. according to Johns Hopkins University.

“Given the pressure experienced by the health system in the past few weeks, occasioned by increased COVID-19 infections which has led to the second wave, the council of education ministers in conjunction with the national coronavirus command council and Cabinet has taken the decision to delay the reopening of both public and private schools,” said basic education deputy minister Reginah Mhaule.

The department has not released statistics of how many teachers or students have succumbed to COVID-19, two teachers are confirmed to have died recently during the marking of last year’s examination.

“Some of our markers have passed away, while others withdrew from marking due to fear and anxiety, but also because some of their own family members have tested positive,” said Mhaule.

South Africa’s education officials are on Monday expected to announce plans for universities and colleges, which closed last year as part of restrictions.

Several international airlines have stopped or reduced their flights to South Africa to curb the spread of the new variant.

The Dubai-based airline Emirates has suspended all scheduled flights to South Africa until Jan. 28 “due to operational reasons,” it said in a statement.

It joins a growing list of foreign airlines from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland, which have tightened restrictions for travel to and from South Africa since the emergence of the new variant.

South Africa itself has closed 20 land borders with the neighbouring countries of Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Mozambique as part of its efforts to curb the spread of the virus during its second wave.

South Africa has also reintroduced a night-time curfew, banned the sale of all alcoholic beverages and prohibited large gatherings.

(SOURCE: AP)

Coronavirus: Rwanda and Malawi Shut Schools As Cases Surge

Charles Molele
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Coronavirus: Rwanda and Malawi Shut Schools As Cases Surge

RWANDAN and Malawian authorities shut nurseries and schools on Monday as coronavirus cases surge.

Rwanda closed schools just in the capital Kigali but the education minister said schools in other regions would also shut if more cases are confirmed there.

It comes after schools reopened in November after eight months of being closed.

The country has reported more than 11,000 cases and 142 deaths since the outbreak.

Malawi said it would shut schools for at least 15 days and announced all bars will also close at 8 pm.

After reporting no positive cases for almost two months, the country has seen a sudden resurgence.

Malawi reported over 12,000 cases and some 300 deaths since the pandemic started last year.

Authorities said a third of those deaths were reported in the past 16 days.

The president said the government was allocating a further $2m to provide healthcare staff and equipment.

Africa has reported over 3.1 million cases and more than 76,000 deaths.

The millions of coronavirus vaccine doses secured by the African Union are unlikely to emerge on the continent before April.

(SOURCE: AFRICANEWS)

Family Of Murdered 19-Year-Old DUT Student Thabiso Mhlongo Wants Justice

Charles Molele
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Family Of Murdered 19-Year-Old DUT Student Thabiso Mhlongo Wants Justice

THE family of a murdered DUT student has called for justice and wants police to intensify their search for her son’s killer.

19-year-old Thabiso Mhlongo was stabbed to death last Thursday, allegedly by another student, after a fight broke out at a university residence in the Durban CBD.

His mother, Thandeka Mhlongo says her son was pursuing a better future and didn’t deserve to die in the manner he did.

She says her family is still traumatised by what happened. 

“Our family is not coping and everyone is struggling to come to terms with what has happened. We haven’t heard from the police and despite everything that is happening, we have to prepare for the funeral. Thabiso will be laid to rest at his home in Mtunzini. 

KwaZulu Natal police are still on the hunt for the known suspect.

(SOURCE: EASTCOASTRADIO)

Stellenbosch University Mourns Passing Of Professor Mohammad Karaan

Charles Molele
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Stellenbosch University Mourns Passing Of Professor Mohammad Karaan

STELLENBOSCH University (SU) has learnt with sadness of the passing of Prof Mohammad Karaan (52), a former Dean of the Faculty of AgriSciences who also served as acting Vice-Rector: Community Interaction and Personnel at one point.

At the time of his death on 13 January 2021, he was Professor in Agricultural Economics at SU, and President of the Maties Rugby Club.

“It’s really shocking to hear of Professor Karaan’s untimely death. He was a particularly valued and beloved colleague who made his mark – at SU, but also nationally and internationally,” SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers said.

Prof Karaan helped write South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) in the two terms that he served on the National Planning Commission (NPC).

Faculty of AgriSciences

“We will remember him as a remarkable leader, conciliator, true influencer in agricultural circles and a friend,” Prof Danie Brink, current Dean of the Faculty of AgriSciences, said.

“His death is a huge loss to the South African agricultural sector at large, and in particular also to our faculty. He was a special man who had the ability to bring people from different spheres together. His heart was in agriculture, and he believed in strengthening it.”

Prof Brink says the Faculty will remember Prof Karaan for his empathy towards others, the way in which he recognised and supported colleagues and others, for his insight and ability to unravel complex issues.

“He has had a lasting impact on the vision of the faculty, the University, on agriculture and South Africa.”

During his career, Prof Karaan served as chairperson of, among others, the National Agricultural Marketing Council, the Ministerial Committee on Agricultural Marketing in South Africa, and the Ministerial Committee investigating the SA Wine Industry Trust. He was also as an advisor to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture.

Maties Sport

“We will miss his leadership, patience and absolute amazing listening skills. He was a voice of reason who would allow us to think differently and move us forward during difficult conversations,” Ms Ilhaam Groenewald, Chief Director: Maties Sport, said.

“He had big dreams for our Maties Rugby Club, especially the role of SU in developing the game through a major focus on coaching education and community development.”

“It really is a big loss , and our hearts go out to his family in this very sad time,” Prof Wim de Villiers said.

Prof Karaan is survived by his wife, Basheerah, and children, Zayne, Kamilah, Tauriq, Burhan and Adam.

More about Prof Karaan

Prof Karaan received all of his qualifications from Stellenbosch University: a BSc (Agric) degree in 1990, an MSc (Agric) in 1994 and a PhD (Agric) in 2006.

He started his career as an economist at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, before returning to Stellenbosch as head of research of the then Rural Foundation.

In 1996, he began lecturing in agricultural economics at SU. In 2008, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of AgriSciences, and in 2013, he was appointed for a second term. In 2014/5, he served as acting Vice-Rector: Community Interaction and Personnel, as this Rectorate portfolio was known then.

Since 2010, he served two terms as member for agricultural affairs on the NPC. He was instrumental in writing a chapter in the NDP – Vision 2030 on shaping an integrated and inclusive rural economy for South Africa.

Before his passing, he was also a member of the presidential inter-ministerial commission on land reform, and his term as management committee member of the Bureau for Economic Research was extended.

Through the years he was honoured for his leadership role by, among others, Agbiz, Agri SA and Agricultural Writers SA.​

(SOURCE: STELLENBOSCHUNIVERSITY)

Official: Schools To Reopen On February 15 As Country Fights Second Wave Of COVID-19, Basic Education Confirms

Charles Molele
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Official: Schools To Reopen On February 15 As Country Fights Second Wave Of COVID-19, Basic Education Confirms

NYAKALLO TEFU

THE Department of Basic Education has delayed the reopening of public and private schools until February 15 as the country fights a second wave of COVID-19.

Deputy Basic Education Minister Reginah Mhaule said the decision to delay the opening of schools was taken by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) in conjunction with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the Cabinet.

School management teams, made up of senior teachers and principals, will begin work on January 25.

Other teachers will report for duty on February 1.

“We have consulted with all education stakeholders and have agreed to delay the reopening of schools. Given the pressure experienced by the health system in the past few weeks, occasioned by increased COVID-19 infections which has led to the second wave, the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) in conjunction with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and Cabinet, has taken the decision to delay the reopening of both public and private schools with two weeks,” said Mhaule.  

“This includes private schools that have reopened already. They will need to postpone their reopening to a later date. This is done to provide relief to the health system which is already struggling to cope with the current demands. The new dates for the reopening of private schools will vary depending on the calendar that they follow.”

Mhaule has also called on all private schools that have already reopened this week to close until February 15 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.

“We are all affected by the virus, including private schools. We therefore urge everyone to adhere to the call for the reopening of schools to be delayed,” said Mhaule.

Private schools that have already reopened will have to postpone their reopening to a later date.

She said while government cannot force private schools to suspend classes until February 15, it urged them to nonetheless heed the call in the interest of learners and teachers.

“We decided that this will also help ease the country’s healthcare system because learners will not be exposed to the virus in large numbers at school,” said Mhaule.

Elleck Nchabeleng, the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture, has welcomed the announcement that the reopening of schools will be delayed by two weeks. 

Nchabeleng called on the Department of Basic Education to take its cue from the National Coronavirus Command Council on the reopening of schools.

“Government’s voice is the only credible one for guidance on matters of education and COVID-19,” said Nchabeleng.

“Other voices on the matter have the potential to sow confusion and indecisiveness as they are not based on expert advice but populism. The disruptive effect of COVID-19 on schools demands that we listen to credible and knowledgeable voices.”
Nchabeleng said the Department of Basic education needs to build on experiences from last year.

“We have experience on this matter. Let us use that to better prepare and implement plans,” he said.  

“The Department should facilitate online learning where it is possible to do so. Class rotation systems should be enhanced, and schools need to ensure that sufficient teaching occurs.”

Nchabeleng called on the Department of Basic Education to ensure that all required materials like personal protective equipment, sanitisers and adequate water provisions were available in every school ahead of reopening and that all safety measures are adhered to at all times.

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

EFF Asks Government To Delay Reopening of Schools Until COVID-19 Storm Is Over

Charles Molele
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EFF Asks Government To Delay Reopening of Schools Until COVID-19 Storm Is Over

THE Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called on government to delay the reopening of schools, scheduled for 27 January, until the COVID-19 storm is over.  

The party’s leader Julius Malema appealed to government to avoid risking the lives of children amid the coronavirus pandemic during the party’s first media briefing on Thursday.

The Department of Basic Education is under pressure to halt the reopening of schooling from trade unions, pressure groups and NGOs.

“We further call for the postponement of the reopening of all schools in light of the spike in new COVID-19 infections and uncontrollable rate of COVID-19 related deaths,” said Malema.

“All of civil society, trade unions, school principals and parents must unite and call for the postponement of the resuming of schooling activities, until such a point where it is safe to send children to classrooms.”

Malema said the country will be confronted by unprecedented levels of depression and sorrow, should children begin dying in their numbers at the hands of this virus.

“We do not want to be in a position where we tell this government we told you so, when the lives of children are lost to COVID-19,” said Malema.

“Our country will be confronted by unprecedented levels of depression and sorrow, should children begin dying in their numbers at the hands of this virus.”

“As the EFF, we oppose the gambling of the lives of children, to a virus that all of humanity is yet to properly understand. It will be extremely painful when. Families start losing their children because as leaders we failed to respect the situation we find ourselves and preserve the future of our nation.”

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

University of Pretoria Researcher’s Team Discovers New Compounds With The Potential To Eliminate Malaria

Charles Molele
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University of Pretoria Researcher’s Team Discovers New Compounds With The Potential To Eliminate Malaria

THE University of Pretoria (UP) has discovered new potent chemical compounds that show potential as candidates for both the treatment and elimination of malaria.

Professor Lyn-Marie Birkholtz, Professor in Biochemistry and South African Research Chair in Sustainable Malaria Control (part of the South African Research Chair Initiative, SARChI), was part of an international team that published this discovery in the journal Nature Communications on 11 January.

“The breakthrough involves the identification of unique compounds that are able to kill several stages of the malaria-causing parasite and can block the transmission of the parasite between humans and mosquitoes,” she explained. 

The deadly human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum occurs in South Africa. These parasites are transmitted to humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes.

The only means of killing the parasite itself is to use chemical drugs, but new antimalarial drugs are urgently needed to address the growing concern of antimalarial drug resistance.

Prof Birkholtz describes the parasite as a “shape shifter” since it can take on multiple forms while in humans. Some of the forms cause disease and others allow the parasite to be transmitted back to mosquitoes to continue the life cycle. Prof Birkholtz states: “To eliminate malaria, it is essential that we have the necessary tools to kill all these different forms of the parasite. We can then cure patients of the disease but, importantly, also block the malaria transmission cycle. This is the only way to achieve malaria elimination.”

South Africa is leading regional malaria elimination efforts as part of four frontline countries in southern Africa including Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini.

In an innovative strategy, the team looked for new chemical compounds that can do exactly this, but that are completely new so that the parasite does not have resistance against them.

The team runs a unique research platform on the African continent, in which all of these stages of the malaria parasite can be produced in the lab and be used to test chemical compounds.

The team discovered compounds that kill the disease-causing form and compounds that blocked the parasite from infecting mosquitoes in the lab.

Two potent compounds target processes essential to the parasite’s survival: one is a clinical candidate against tuberculosis and blocks cell membrane synthesis and another is an anti-cancer candidate that targets epigenetic mechanisms (mechanisms that control cell fate beyond the genome).

“This is the first time that these compounds were shown to have activity against malaria parasites and since they are not toxic to humans, they show the potential to be developed as antimalarials for both the treatment and elimination of the disease,” said Prof Birkholtz.

The discovery was made possible by the team’s use of an open-source chemical compound set called the Pandemic Response Box, developed by the Switzerland-based Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi).

This compound box contains compounds that can be used for drug repurposing/repositioning, a process where drugs that have activity against a specific disease (e.g. cancer) can be reused for another disease (e.g. malaria).

Dr James Duffy, MMV Project Director, describes the discovery “as an important breakthrough that emphasises the potential to use existing drugs as inspiration for drug discovery projects targeting different diseases. Never before has this been more important than in light of current outbreaks, where the rapid response to discover new chemicals able to kill infectious organisms is essential.”

Prof Birkholtz directs the parasite cluster of the UP Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (ISMC), a multidisciplinary institute with a focus on integrated innovations towards malaria elimination in South Africa.

Professor Tiaan de Jager, Director of the ISMC and Dean of Health Sciences at UP, said: “A discovery of this kind attests to the leading expertise in antimalarial drug discovery at UP, and in South Africa, addressing African-centred societal challenges. This work also shows the commitment of scientists at UP to contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal for Good Health and Wellbeing.”

Prof Birkholtz’s team led the transmission-blocking drug discovery effort as partner in the South African Malaria Drug Discovery Consortium (SAMDD) that includes two other South African Research Chairs, Professor Kelly Chibale (Chair in Drug Discovery at the Drug Discovery and Development Centre, H3D, at the University of Cape Town) and Professor Lizette Koekemoer (Chair in Medical Entomology at the WITS Institute for Research on Malaria at the University of the Witwatersrand) as well as scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and international partners from the USA and Spain.

The work has benefitted from sustained funding from the MMV and the Medical Research Council’s Strategic Health Innovation Programme (SHIP) and affirms that investments in health innovations places South Africa at the forefront of discovery.

(SOURCE: UP)

Matric Marking Will Be Completed On Time, Department Of Basic Education Confirms

Charles Molele
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Matric Marking Will Be Completed On Time, Department Of Basic Education Confirms

NYAKALLO TEFU

THE Department of Basic Education says despite a huge number of markers pulling out of marking the matric exams, the process will be completed on time.  

Over 1 600 teachers, mostly from Gauteng, have pulled out of marking in fear of contracting COVID-19.

Nearly 170 markers have been reported to have tested positive.

Over 40 000 markers have been appointed to mark matric papers across the country.

“There has been anxiety and fear among markers and their families to the extent that some of the marking personnel opted to withdraw from the process,” said Director-General Mathanzima Mweli.

Marking is expected to be completed by 22 January 2021.

 “In the monitoring visits to the marking centres we have impressed upon our colleagues to do everything possible to avoid infections. We have pleaded with the management at centres to monitor compliance so as to avoid outbreaks,” said Mweli.

Mweli added that he was impressed with what he has seen in different provinces regarding the wearing of masks, social distancing and the availability and use of sanitisers.

On Monday, the Department held a briefing on progress made by markers as they entered week two of marking.

“All processes are on track to ensure that there is no delay in the release of matric results,” said Mweli.

The Department said it would also continue to monitor the marking process with a special focus on health and safety due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Nothing should be above health and safety in the marking centers, not even the standard of marking. The standard of marking must remain subordinate to health and safety as a priority,” Mweli.

Matric results are expected to be released in February.

“We held a session with our key stakeholders at the weekend; we met with school governing body associations, principal associations, and civil society and teacher unions,” said Mweli.

“The engagement has been fruitful and the support extremely useful. It is because of this commitment from colleagues in the marking centres that as a sector we feel that we are still on schedule to complete marking as scheduled on 22 January 2021,” said Mweli.

Meanwhile, the South African Democratic Teachers union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu Natal has expressed concern on marking centers in the province.
“Since markers reported for duty there are cases where the Union has intervened, which include a large number of teachers who did not have accommodation,” Sadtu said in a statement.

 The teachers union said it had sent out monitors to check that the safety of the markers is not compromised as they complete their work during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, SADTU said it had found that some markers’ health has been compromised.
“SADTU monitors have been visiting centers and, in some centers, compliance is highly compromised. Markers were found chatting in large groups,” the union said in a statement.

SADTU added that the Department had told them that there is a compliance officer in each center and they called upon these officers to take full responsibility for compliance related matters in their centers.

“We wish our markers all the best as they execute such an important task as Grade 12 learners and their parents are waiting for the best,” added the union.

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

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