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Racial Microaggressions Contribute To Disparities In STEM Education

Charles Molele
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Racial Microaggressions Contribute To Disparities In STEM Education

CAREERS in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are one of the fastest-growing areas of work in the United States, yet racial and gender disparities remain in STEM occupations.

A recent study from University of Illinois researchers examining reasons for such disparities shows the overall racial climate on a college campus–informed by experiences of racial micro-aggressions–is a contributing factor in the lack of representation of students of color in STEM education programs.

In other words, the study found when students of color in STEM majors felt excluded, invisible, or isolated on their college campus because of their race, sometimes combined with discouraging experiences in academic settings, they were less likely to continue in STEM.

“Racial microaggressions are subtle, as opposed to overt, behaviors or remarks that can serve to demean, degrade, invalidate, or otherwise make a person take a step back to try to figure out, ‘was that because of my race?’ That’s the difficult thing about racial microaggressions, they can catch you off guard to a point where, in the moment, you may not necessarily know how to react,” explains Jasmine Collins, assistant professor of organizational and community leadership in the Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications program at Illinois and co-author of the study.

For the study, Collins and colleagues from disciplines including sociology and African American studies analyzed the experiences of students of color in STEM majors who reported experiencing racial microaggressions across three levels: on campus (characterized by students’ general feelings about being a student of color on their university campus); in academic settings (e.g., classrooms or exchanges with instructors or academic advisers); and with peers (e.g.. interpersonal interactions with other students).

Using data collected from more than 4,800 students of color at a large, public university in the United States, the study also found Black students in STEM majors are more likely to experience racial microaggressions than other students of color in STEM, with Black women reporting the highest rates.

Black men and women, Latina women, Asian women, and Indigenous women in the study, in particular, reported experiencing racial microaggressions more frequently at the campus level than in classrooms or between peers.

The researchers hope the findings from the study, published in the International Journal of STEM Education, will encourage STEM-related academic programs to address the larger campus culture in their classrooms and other academic settings. “The aim is not to call attention to a particular campus, but we do make the connection to the broader national context. Colleges and universities play an important role in the STEM pipeline,” Collins says.

Survey participants responded to questions asking, for example, if they have had their contributions minimized in classrooms because of their race; experienced negative and insulting comments because of their race; or felt invisible or unwelcome on their campus because of their race.

Some students reported dropping out of STEM majors because of these experiences or having been encouraged by advisers or instructors to change to a non-STEM major.

As one respondent in the study, a Latina woman who changed from a STEM to a non-STEM major, noted, “I changed my desired major from Engineering to Latin American Studies because of my race and sadly encountered others like myself within the humanities who had to change their major because of their race. If you aren’t White, and you aren’t Asian, and you aren’t ‘Indian,’ you aren’t an engineer.”

One Black woman who is a STEM student noted, “A lot of people automatically assume that since I’m a Black female that I should be a [non-STEM] major. Every time I walk into a lab, I always get looks. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t ‘look’ like a [STEM] major in general or if it’s because I’m Black.”

Others described eagerness to meet new people at the beginning of the school year, but experienced rejection when they tried to make friends.

A significant contribution of this study, Collins explains, is the layering of different levels at which students encountered microaggressions. “We introduce this framework of the campus racial climate to show how, for students of color in STEM who experience racial microaggressions, they not only receive messages in their classrooms, but it’s part of the institutional fabric. It’s the culture of the institution that tends to reinforce these messages.”

Collins says universities must find ways to create more welcoming and supportive environments for students of color, for all majors, and employ a level of accountability at the campus and departmental level.

“In order to educate our workforce, students have to come through our doors and if these are the kinds of experiences [students of color] are facing–the campus signals to them they don’t belong in STEM, their peers in class don’t want to work with them because they think they’re incompetent, or their adviser recommends they switch majors because this might be too hard for them–if it’s just message after message saying, ‘you don’t belong here, you’re not smart enough, you’re not skilled enough to have this kind of job,’ then we’re losing a lot of talent in the pipeline,” Collins says.

“It’s one of the reasons why we see such stark racial and gender disparities in the STEM workforce. And it really is a pipeline issue.”

Collins hopes to see a shift in research that focuses a little less on confirming that these things happen and focuses more on solutions. “I find it to be quite taxing as a scholar, and even personally as someone who also faces racial microaggressions, reading through the data in the midst of a global pandemic, in the midst of racial protests, and seeing that not a lot has changed,” she says. “I think we have enough evidence that these things occur.

“If we can find those ways to reenergize ourselves toward solutions and toward working collaboratively to find solutions, that’s where I would love to see future research in this field go.”

Funding was provided in part by grants from the Center on Democracy in a Multiracial Society, Campus Research Board (including the Multiracial Democracy Initiative), Graduate College Focal Point, and University Housing at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications is housed in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

(SOURCE: Eurekalert)

Ramaphosa Praises #ImStaying Facebook Page, Encourages Unity, Reconciliation in South Africa

Charles Molele
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Ramaphosa Praises #ImStaying Facebook Page, Encourages Unity, Reconciliation in South Africa

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

I WAS recently sent a photo that featured on the popular #ImStaying Facebook thread. Two women are seated side by side at a bus stop somewhere in Cape Town. One is white, elderly and frail, and rests her head on the shoulder of the younger black woman.
 
This simple image, of these two women sitting there with their hands locked tightly, resonated deeply with me as we approach Reconciliation Day on 16 December.
 
It brought to mind the powerful words of Steve Bantu Biko that captured our aspirations for a new country: “In time we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift – a more human face.”
 
Such a scene, of kindness and compassion, and of two people simply being human, would have been unthinkable in South Africa just over three decades ago.
 
Under that most insidious manifestation of petty apartheid, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, only the white woman would have been allowed to sit at that bus-stop, or travel on the bus. A black woman holding a white woman’s hand would have been met with disapproval from the city’s white residents.
 
It is often difficult to explain to the younger generation of South Africans, who were born to freedom, that apartheid was both brutal and extraordinarily petty. It is difficult to explain the lengths to which the regime would go to keep the races apart, from banning interracial relationships, to creating separate bus stops, entrances to buildings, public toilets, to even segregating beaches.
 
On Reconciliation Day each year, we reflect on how far we have come in advancing national reconciliation. It is important that we deal decisively with the obstacles to reconciliation, among them the high levels of inequality in our country and the persistence of racist attitudes and practices.
 
But it is equally important to acknowledge just how vastly different our country is today to what it was 26 years ago. For every negative story of racism that makes the news, there are countless other positive stories of racial integration, communities living in harmony and social cohesion that do not generate headlines.
 
Many of these can be found on the same #ImStaying thread. They are simple, everyday stories of South Africans living and working alongside each other, being friends, and helping each other.
 
We know that divisions of race and class remain very real in South Africa, but these stories do show that race relations in our country are not as toxic as we are often led to believe.
 
Last year’s National Reconciliation Barometer, which is published by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, noted that the optimism of respondents regarding racial unity was the highest since the inception of the study.
 
It also found that the majority of respondents believed race relations have improved since 1994.
 
It is noteworthy that most South Africans report they would like to interact more often with people from other race groups but cite language and confidence as the two greatest barriers.
 
This is ahead of other perceived factors such as lack of common ground, anxiety, or negative prior experiences.
 
It is obvious that true reconciliation is impossible unless we overcome the social and economic inequalities that persist in our society. It is only when the playing fields of opportunity are levelled and the lives of all South Africans improve that social cohesion will be strengthened.
 
But we should at the same time not discount the important gestures in our everyday interactions that demonstrate our commitment to reconciliation between the races; and breaking language barriers is perhaps among the most important of them.
 
Reconciliation is a weighty concept, and there may be many who are unsure as to what they can actually do to advance racial reconciliation. We may feel reticent to take the first step or to reach out, for fear of being judged or even rejected.
 
On this Reconciliation Day, I call on each of our citizens to think of the simple things they could do to reach out across the racial divide in their everyday lives. One way of doing this is to learn another South African language.
 
By trying to learn the language of your friend, your colleague, your neighbour or the people you interact with daily in public places, you go beyond just demonstrating cross-cultural understanding. You open up the space for real communication.
 
We need to find ways to reach beyond our social and professional circles, to appreciate other people’s points of view. Through sporting, cultural and religious activities, we can find ways to interact with fellow South Africans from a diversity of backgrounds.
 
We should recognise that in addition to the fundamental changes we need to make in the structure of our economy and society, reconciliation can be built through our every-day activities. Madiba saw this in sport, for example, and demonstrated its great potential for nation-building. He said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite in a way that little else does.”
 
Our response to the coronavirus pandemic has shown that we are at our best when we extend hands of solidarity and compassion to one another.
 
Now, as we rebuild our society, let us place this spirit of generosity at the centre of our national character.
 
I wish you all a joyful and a meaningful Reconciliation Day.

(SOURCE: FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT)

Nigeria School Attack: 800 Pupils Missing After Gunmen’s Raid

Charles Molele
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Nigeria School Attack: 800 Pupils Missing After Gunmen’s Raid

THE Nigerian military had located and exchanged fire with gunmen who kidnapped scores of secondary school students in northwestern Katsina State, according to a statement from the country’s president on Saturday.

The gunmen stormed the Government Science secondary school in Kankara district at about 9:40 p.m. local time on Friday, police and locals said.

A parent and school employee told Reuters that roughly half of the school’s 800 students were missing.

President Muhammadu Buhari said in a statement that the military had located the kidnappers in a forest and was exchanging fire with them, aided by air support. In the statement, Buhari condemned the attack in his home state.

Police and the military were still working to determine how many were kidnapped and missing.

Police at the scene on Friday exchanged fire with the attackers, allowing some students to run for safety, police spokesperson Gambo Isah said in a statement.

Police said they would deploy additional forces to support the search and rescue operation.

One officer was shot and wounded in the exchange of fire with the gang, they said.

Katsina is plagued by violence the government attributes to bandits — a loose term for gangs of outlaws who attack locals and kidnap for ransom. Attacks by Islamist militants are common in northeastern parts of the country.

Violence and insecurity across Nigeria have enraged citizens, particularly after scores of farmers were killed, some beheaded, by Islamist militants in northeast Borno state late last month.

Buhari, who arrived on Friday for a week in his home village some 200 kilometres from Kankara, was scheduled to brief the country’s National Assembly on the security situation last week but cancelled the appearance without official explanation.

(SOURCE: CBC)

Basic Education Decision To Rewrite Matric Exams Declared Irregular, Unlawful – Court

Charles Molele
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Basic Education Decision To Rewrite Matric Exams Declared Irregular, Unlawful – Court

THE Gauteng High Court has set aside the decision of the Department of Basic Education to force learners to rewrite Maths and Physical Science exams, saying it was irregular and unlawful.

The department is also liable for all legal costs, according to the ruling.

The court ordered that all examination scripts must be marked by the Department of Basic Education.

The judgment follows an urgent court application involving AfriForum, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), and other concerned parties, who disputed the decision to have matriculants rewrite their exams. 

“We welcome the judgment to ensure learners are not being punished unnecessarily by Basic Education. The department jumped the gun. They don’t have to make irrational decisions but rely on hard evidence,” said Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke.

“We feel vindicated.”

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

Dr Blade Nzimande Congratulates SANSA on Ten Year Anniversary

Charles Molele
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Dr Blade Nzimande Congratulates SANSA on Ten Year Anniversary

THE Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, congratulates the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) on marking a decade since its establishment.

Ten years ago, on 9th December 2009, the Department launched the much-anticipated Space Agency, marking the beginning of South Africa’s commitment to an era in service of humanity through investment in space science and technology. 

It is widely acknowledged that the use of space generated knowledge and applications is essential in addressing many current and future global challenges.

The intent of the establishment of SANSA was to converge and optimise resources and maximise the benefits of space services and applications to society. 

“As a technological advancing country, South Africa is reliant on space-based applications and services and therefore the establishment of SANSA was strategically important in addressing our local challenges and improving the lives of our citizens,” said Minister Nzimande.

Minister Nzimande said that a decade ago, South Africa had a number of organisations working in isolation on various space-related products and services such as the Satellite Applications Centre aligned to CSIR and the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory from the fold of the NRF amongst others. These two have since been realigned within the programmes of SANSA, making up the four strategic programmes of Space Science, Space Operations, Space Engineering and Earth Observation. 

SANSA, through support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, ensured increased focus on transforming the space sector through skills development and public outreach.

“Specific activities target women in science and previously disadvantaged youth whilst also using space to inspire future generations of space scientists and entrepreneurs across the country through public engagement,” said Minister Nzimande. 

“Thousands of learners have through the years engaged with SANSA experts at science and career festivals, school visits, science centres and now, even online. Our science centre in Hermanus also hosts educator workshops to support the educators in the teaching of physics at schools,” emphasized the Minister.

Space is a global industry and SANSA has extensive partnerships with space agencies and organisations across the world through which it has provided numerous opportunities for the local space industry and academia. 

Africa and the African space partners are a priority for SANSA with the intention to address African challenges with African solutions. 

The Agency partners with African countries to provide training on applications of space technologies as well as create a network of scientific nodes for aligned research on the continent. 

The African Resource Management Constellation is one such initiative that looks at African partners contributing a constellation of Earth observation satellites to allow Africa to manage its natural resources and ensure food security whilst reducing the cost and reliance on international satellite providers. 

“I am heartened to witness the incredible contribution by SANSA to our people and the global space industry through knowledge generation, service support excellence to our space partners around the world and contribution to the local industry and our economy despite the budget constraints the Agency had to endure for a period of years. This Agency has consistently produced clean audits since its establishment and is a sign of effective management and governance,” said the Minister. 

“I am also excited to share that SANSA was recently awarded funding towards the establishment of a Space Infrastructure Hub. This is because of the South African government’s plan to boost economic growth through infrastructure development,” Minister Nzimande added.

The Agency will contribute significantly to the national economy and job creation through various projects such as satellite development and testing for various space missions, Big Data platforms such as a data visualization centre, activate satellite-based augmentation system over southern Africa and ensure the development of required human capital.

(SOURCE: AfricaNewsSpace)

Motshekga Defends Her Decision to Order Rewrite Of Matric Exams Despite Court Action, Fierce Opposition From Learners, Teachers’ Unions

Charles Molele
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Motshekga Defends Her Decision to Order Rewrite Of Matric Exams Despite Court Action, Fierce Opposition From Learners, Teachers’ Unions

NYAKALLO TEFU

BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga says she will defend any legal action brought against the Department regarding the re-write of leaked matric exam papers.

Congress of South African Students (COSAS), SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), including Afriforum, have filed an urgent applications in the High Court in Pretoria to block the rewrite of the Maths Paper 2 and Physical Science Paper 2 exams.

The matter is expected to be heard in court soon.

“There won’t be any compromise. We either write or we don’t rewrite. The court will decide,” said Motshekga on Tuesday.

Last Friday, Motshekga announced that the two leaked exam papers will be written on Tuesday December 15 and Thursday 17 December.

On Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow Minister of Basic Education Baxolile Nodada called on Motshekga to publicise the preliminary report of the National Investigation Task Team on the leaked matric examination papers.

“It is unfathomable how a Minister of Basic Education can jump to the conclusion that the leaked papers are too widespread before an official report on the investigation has determined this as evidence,” said Nodada.

“It is further worrying that a leak of this kind warrants a total rewrite into not one, but two papers – a first in South African history.”

Nodada said the party demands that Motshekga publish the report so that the investigation can be scrutinized for its thoroughness.

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

COSAS, Sadtu Heads To Court To Block Basic Education From Forcing All Learners To Rewrite Leaked Exams

Charles Molele
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COSAS, Sadtu Heads To Court To Block Basic Education From Forcing All Learners To Rewrite Leaked Exams

NYAKALLO TEFU

THE South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), and the Congress of the South African Students (COSAS), are heading to court to challenge the decision by the Department of Basic Education to force matriculants to rewrite their leaked exams.

COSAS spokesperson Douglas Ngobeni said the student organization was currently working with Sadtu to challenge the decision to rewrite exams.

“We are getting our papers ready together with SADTU to take DBE to court. There were delays on Monday because we needed learners to give us memorandums to hand over to the court. It is an urgent application and should be heard by tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Ngobeni.

“The Department of Basic Education must take responsibility and see how they deal with the mess. Learners who sat and wrote the papers had concluded that they were finished and some have travelled back home, and now they must come back to write because of a leaked paper.”

Ngobeni said the decision to rewrite was irrational and called on pupils to boycott it. 

“Learners must heed our call. When we say that learners must boycott, we are also assisting them to boycott. Our ground forces will be at school gates to make sure rewrites don’t happen,” said Ngobeni.

Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the decision has left many learners and teachers distraught and frustrated.

“It undermines the work of our teachers and learners who worked under difficult circumstances due to COVID-19. Learners are being punished for something that is not of their making as only a few saw the paper,” Maluleke said.

NAPTOSA president Basil Manuel said the union supported the view that Basic Education’s decision was ‘irrational’.

“We don’t believe that you can punish the sheer number of learners because of 195 learners. We don’t believe that the DBE has done enough to stand up to the threats of Umalusi, because when Umalusi threatens not to endorse because they believe that the papers may have been compromised, we have to be clear and say prove it and show that the entire exam has been compromised,” said Manuel.

“But Umalusi is being treated as if it is beyond question and making mistakes. They must be held accountable because they cannot be allowed to put our children in such a stressful situation based on very poor evidence.”

Speaking to a local radio station on Monday, Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi said the decision [to have the papers rewritten] was not premature.

“We do not know the extent of the damage in terms of the learners who have had access to the paper,” said Rakometsi.

“Learners who are going to do well in this examination are going to be mocked, as learners who might have been assisted with having had access to the paper before it was written.”

The Hawks have arrested one person in connection with the leaked Maths Paper 2 exam.

A 31-year old man-Themba Daniel Shikwambana- appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 31 November and is out on bail of R1000 for the leakage.

According to the Hawks, Shikwambana is working for a Johannesburg-based company contracted by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to print this year’s Grade 12 examination paper.

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

Interview: ESPRIT Group and Honoris United Universities Join Forces To Accelerate STEM Education In Africa

Charles Molele
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Interview: ESPRIT Group and Honoris United Universities Join Forces To Accelerate STEM Education In Africa

Honoris United Universities (HUU), the pan-African network of private higher education institutions, recently welcomed Tunisia-based education group ESPRIT into the organisation. ESPRIT significantly boosts Honoris’ strengths in engineering and STEM education. To find out more, How we made it in Africa spoke to Luis Lopez, CEO of HUU.

1. Give us an overview of ESPRIT Group’s offering.

ESPRIT Group is one of the largest education organisations in Northern Africa. Founded in 2003 by three pioneering Tunisian higher education academics – Prof. Tahar Ben Lakhdar, Prof. Naceur Ammar, and Prof. Mohamed Jaoua, the ESPRIT Group provides students with a dynamic range of specialties and courses in computer engineering, telecommunications engineering, civil engineering, electromechanical engineering, and management science. The ESPRIT Group comprises four institutions including a tertiary engineering/technology school, a tertiary business school, a kindergarten and primary school (Al-Kindi), and a secondary school (Al Fikr).

The addition of ESPRIT to the Honoris network will significantly boost Honoris’ pan-African strengths in engineering and in STEM education, critical areas for developing highly skilled and globally competitive professionals in the African, digital and globally disrupted worlds of work.

2. What motivated HUU’s partnership with ESPRIT Group?

The fact that ESPRIT Group is one of the largest education organisations in Northern Africa reaffirms our commitment to expand access to quality higher education for African youth. Considering Tunisia’s strategic importance for the development of education in Africa, we are pleased to make this investment in the country’s education system. In addition, ESPRIT’s high standards and achievements add important educational skills to the Honoris network and contribute to our collaborative intelligence at different levels. Whether for students or the academic body, Honoris encourages exchanges between institutions or through cross-cutting projects in different fields such as research, the development of new academic models, physical or virtual laboratories.

The integration of the group complements Honoris’ robust foundations in traditional education and in 21st-century learning ecosystems covering collaborative, solutions-oriented and creative ways of thinking. This structure across the broad age groups prepares graduates with a future-ready mindset upon reaching tertiary education or the workplace.

Honoris continues to expand its footprint in Africa. The institution recently welcomed Nile University of Nigeria and Red & Yellow Creative School of Business in South Africa to its network. ESPRIT represents the 14th institution in the Honoris network, which is now home to 57,000 students across the continent.

3. How will other institutions in the HUU network benefit from the addition of ESPRIT Group?

One of our core strengths is collaborative intelligence. ESPRIT will be part of the first pan-African private higher education network. By joining Honoris network, ESPRIT will provide enhanced support to its graduates in a highly competitive market through access to shared data and knowledge as well as unique work tools. The addition of ESPRIT to the Honoris family of institutions provides students across the entire network with access to innovative teaching methods – such as an active pedagogy methodology – and to strong relationships with the international industrial and business worlds, elements that have made ESPRIT the go-to institution for engineering qualifications.

4. What are the reasons for ESPRIT Group’s success since its founding in 2003?

ESPRIT School of Engineering has built its reputation on excellence in Tunisia and in several sub-Saharan African countries, which has enabled it to establish numerous partnerships in the industry and with renowned universities.

ESPRIT also boasts a research, development and innovation (R&DI) department, i.e., Esprit-Tech where several teams work on a variety of research projects related to cutting-edge technology. The flagship school of the Group has accredited all its programs with the French accreditation agency “Commission des Titres d’Ingénieurs” (CTI) and the French Conference des Grandes Ecoles and is an active member of the CDIO initiative (Conceive Design Implement Operate).

5. How would you describe the overall state of STEM education in Africa?

According to the African Development Bank, less than 25% of African higher education students are in STEM fields, with the majority of students studying social sciences and humanities. As higher education providers, there is the need to listen to what young people need and what today’s complex, globalised and evermore digitised world of work needs. Every African child’s education must be built upon a robust base of languages and STEM subjects before being enriched with powerful ‘soft skills’ including problem solving, communication, critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, collaborative thinking, entrepreneurship and digital literacy. These skills, which serve as a driving force for the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), ensure that graduates enter the workforce with an understanding of 4IR challenges and opportunities. STEM is contributing to the current development demands of the continent, equipping people from all backgrounds to become part of Africa’s self-sufficient aspirations.

At Honoris, our focus is on Education for Impact, training our students to be collaborative, agile and mobile employees, innovators and entrepreneurs who are fully equipped with 21st-century skills. Honoris’ curricular structures reflect this critical connection between STEM and socio-economic development, recognising the need for a modernised, agile learning ecosystem. STEM also cannot stand still – it is ever-changing – which means that the teaching pedagogy must be in a constant state of evolution.

Honoris can boast of world-class engineering schools. In addition, we are also introducing across the network our Coding as a Second Language mandate as we recognise that coding is a fundamental skill for our students to be successful and competitive in increasingly digitised, automated and AI-driven economic models.

This 4IR is reshaping our world at such lightning speed that an educational focus on innovation, ideas, invention, and research must form the basis of a rounded and effective academic experience. Our formal programmes, our co-curricular and extra-curricular offers, and our focus on practical real-world engagement via internships, simulations and faculty practitioners, in STEM and in other faculties, are designed to capture future-proofing skills and mindsets for our students.

(SOURCE: Howwemadeitinafrica.com)

Top Teacher Wins $1m and Gives Half Away

Charles Molele
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Top Teacher Wins $1m and Gives Half Away

A TEACHER from a village school in India, praised for improving the education of girls, has won this year’s Global Teacher Prize.

But Ranjitsinh Disale has already given away half of the $1m (£750,000) – sharing it with runners-up in the competition.

A special Covid Hero prize was won by Jamie Frost, a UK teacher who ran a free maths tuition website.

The winners were announced by Stephen Fry in an online ceremony.

Mr Disale, who teaches in the Zilla Parishad Primary School, in the drought-prone village of Paritewadi, in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, was named the world’s most exceptional teacher, ahead of 12,000 other nominations.

Education a ‘birthright’

“In this hard time, teachers are giving their best to make sure every student has access to their birthright of a good education,” said Mr Disale, aged 32.

Teachers “always believe in giving and sharing”, he said, and as such was sharing half his prize money among the other teachers shortlisted in the top 10.

Mr Disale was praised by the competition’s judges for his work to ensure disadvantaged girls went to school and achieved high results – rather than missing out on school and facing early marriage.

He also provides online science lessons for pupils in 83 countries and runs an international project building connections between young people in conflict zones.”The Covid pandemic has dealt a severe blow to education systems around the world… but it is the contribution of teachers during these difficult times that is making the difference,” said Stefania Giannini, assistant director general of Unesco, a partner in the competition.

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation that set up the teachers’ competition, said “by sharing the prize you teach the world the importance of giving”.

‘Covid hero’

Mr Disale’s decision to split the prize will mean over £40,000 each for runners-up from countries including Italy, Brazil, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, the US and also Jamie Frost from the UK.Mr Frost, a teacher from Tiffin School in Kingston-upon-Thames, was commended for his work running the DrFrostMaths online learning platform, which helped families with children trying to study from home during the lockdowns.

He also won a special one-off Covid Hero prize worth about £34,000.

The maths teacher warned that the pandemic had widened educational inequalities.

“That is why I have spent every hour I could adapting my free online learning platform to help students across the globe shut out of their classrooms,” said Mr Frost.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the “creativity and ingenuity” of Mr Frost and the winning teachers.

“Although I’m speaking to you in difficult and sometimes heartbreaking circumstances, it’s right that we take time to recognise the enormous contribution and sacrifice of the world’s teachers during this pandemic,” said Mr Johnson.

Next year there will also be a prize for students, run with the US educational technology firm, Chegg.

(SOURCE: BBC.UK)

Democratic Alliance, Wits University Mourns The Death of MP and Academic, Professor Belinda Bozzoli

Charles Molele
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Democratic Alliance, Wits University Mourns The Death of MP and Academic, Professor Belinda Bozzoli

THE University of the Witwatersrand has paid tribute to the late Democratic Alliance leader and academic, Professor Belinda Bozzoli, who passed away on Saturday morning after a long battle with cancer.  

Bozzoli served the university for decades before her election to parliament where she continued to pursue her passion for quality higher education.

Bozzoli was a distinguished academic who contributed to the prestige and reputation of Wits University through her various academic achievements and the institutional roles held during her time. 

A Professor of Sociology, Bozzoli began her career in the Faculty of Humanities and rose to the position of head of the Department of Sociology in the late 1990s before leading the entire School of Social Sciences from 2001 – 2003.

During these years she was active and collaborated with colleagues on many papers and projects.

Her last years at the School were held concurrently with the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research of Wits University. 

An excellent academic administrator, Bozzoli was awarded an A-rating by the National Research Foundation in 2006, making her the first sociologist in the country to obtain this rigorously peer-reviewed ranking which recognised her as a world leader in her field.

This was a significant achievement and it fitted with her mission of encouraging more Wits academics to become rated.

She was committed from the beginning to create an enabling environment for academics and was instrumental in the establishment of six 21st Century research institutes at Wits.

She also served as the acting director of Wiser, the pre-eminent interdisciplinary research institute in the humanities and social sciences in South Africa.

In her career, she singly authored three internationally published books and was editor or co-editor of a further four; and the author of numerous articles.

The world of academia can be said to have coursed through her veins and Wits was a part of her identity from a very young age.

Her father Professor Guerino Bozzoli served at the helm of Wits as the Vice-Chancellor and Principal from 1969 to 1977.

She completed her Bachelor of Arts and Honours degrees at Wits and then read for her masters and PhD at the University of Sussex.

She was an Associate Fellow at Yale University in 1978 – 1979, served as a board member of the NRF and was of service to many institutions in society.

Her passing is a huge loss to Wits University and our country. Wits University extends its deep condolences to her family and colleagues locally and abroad.

DA leader Natasha Mazzone and Chief Whip of the Official Opposition said the party was deeply committed to her work in Parliament and that she was deeply committed to making sure that higher education institutions remained respected and that as many young people as possible had access to excellent higher education.

“Her work was that of a true patriot. A fighter of principle and and true Democrat. Belinda worked long into her illness, demonstrating her absolute commitment to South Africa and her caucus,” said Mazzone.

“Our deepest sympathies go to her husband, two sons, daughter and all her family and friends. South Africa is the poorer for not having Belinda fighting for their rights. May she Rest In Peace.”

(SOURCE: INSIDE EDUCATION)

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