Dylan Jack

In the first of a series from SA Rugby magazine, DYLAN JACK looks at the Varsity Cup season that was and the best back and forward from each team.

The 2020 edition of the Varsity Cup looked set to be one of the most closely contended in recent memory.

After six rounds of the tournament, Maties had continued their unbeaten run from the last two seasons, but the defending champions did look vulnerable a times as they had narrow wins against UP-Tuks and the University of Cape Town.

Despite a compelling start to the ever-popular varsity competition, the season was postponed indefinitely due to the impact of the coronavirus.

SA Rugby is in ongoing deliberations on the reworked domestic rugby calendar and as a result, the Varsity Cup Board reconvened towards the end April 2020 to reassess the situation and take a final decision on the 2020 competition,’ the board said in a statement in mid-March.

In the latest update, Varsity Sports organisers took the decision to suspend all tournaments – including rugby – for the remainder of the year after stakeholders agreed that it is unlikely that normal sports will resume in 2020.

Should the Varsity Cup and Shield not resume this year, the tournaments will be declared incomplete with no overall winner.

As NMU Madibaz had already achieved an unassailable log-points tally on the combined Varsity Shield log of 2019 and 2020, they will be promoted to the Varsity Cup. There will be no team relegated from the Varsity Cup competition and no promotion/relegation match between the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield competitions. Therefore, there will be 10 teams in the Varsity Cup for 2021.

Despite the disappointment of a season cut short, there are plenty of players to watch with a view to the future.

MATIES

BACK: Anton du Toit

Much has already been said about the third Du Toit brother. Helping Maties seal back-to-back Varsity Cup titles in his debut season showed that he has the talent to make it at the top level. Unlike his older brothers, Pieter-Steph and Johan, Du Toit plays at fullback, but he has a similar build with a cannon of a boot and a mean sidestep. Du Toit did struggle against UCT, showing that he still has a bit to learn and still has to get that consistency in his game. That should come with experience. What is undeniable is his talent.

FORWARD: Ben-Jason Dixon

Maties captain Ben-Jason Dixon should arguably have been a more consistent member of the Stormers’ Super Rugby squad this year. The lock has been near-unplayable at the lineouts this year and memorably caused franchise teammate David Meihuizen a headache in this area when Maties and UCT clashed in Stellenbosch. The former Junior Springbok took over as Maties captain this year and has led his team through some tight spots. If he can continue his form, a permanent place in the Stormers’ squad won’t be too far away.

UP-TUKS

BACK: Theo Boshoff

The Bulls’ academy of flyhalves may have its next big star in Boshoff. The 21-year-old helped the Bulls win the U21 Championship and before that was instrumental to UP-Tuks winning the Varsity Cup Young Guns tournament in 2017. Boshoff has carried that through into his first Varsity Cup season, scoring 23 points on debut – including a match-winning penalty after the hooter – against NWU in the opening match of the season.

FORWARD: Hanru Sirgel

Possibly UP-Tuks’ unsung hero this season, Sirgel gets through a lot of dirty work at the breakdown and in defence. As one of the survivors from 2019, he has used his experience well this year in an effective loose trio. Sirgel’s performances have started to be recognised by the Bulls as he was part of the U21 side that won the U21 Championship and was subsequently named U21 Forward of the Year.

WITS

BACK: Aidynn Cupido

Having made the move north after starring for the University of the Western Cape in 2018 and 2019, Cupido was desperate to fulfil his ambitions of playing provincial rugby. Given how instrumental Cupido was to UWC’s promotion to the Varsity Cup from the Shield, the signing was an absolute steal for Wits. It is no surprise the Cupido slotted straight in and helped Wits to an unbeaten start to the season, with four wins and a draw. With competition tight at flyhalf, Cupido was used at inside centre, a position in which he is more than comfortable, and he was the creative hub for the team. He will be hoping that he has done enough to convince the Lions to give him an opportunity.

FORWARD: Emmanuel Tshituka

The younger brother of Lions forward Vincent, Emmanuel made his Varsity Cup debut for Wits this year. In a powerful loose trio with Constant Beckerling and former SA Schools captain Travis Gordon, Tshituka has caught the eye with his work rate, especially on defence. A particular highlight was his Man of the Match performance in the crucial win against UP-Tuks, a game in which he put in a number of bone-shaking tackles.

UCT

BACK: James Tedder

When Tedder plays well, the rest of Ikey Tigers team tends to follow suit. Once contracted to the Sharks as an U19, Tedder decided to leave Durban and pursue a degree while still keeping alive his dreams of becoming a professional rugby player. The Bcom student possesses an accurate boot and has held his nerve to pull UCT through a number of tight games. He also also more than comfortable taking the ball to the line and can slot in at fullback if needed.

FORWARD: David Meihuizen

Meihuizen showed his ability to step up at a senior level when he was brought in from the cold to make a surprise Super Rugby debut off the bench against the Sunwolves in 2019, when the Stormers were suffering an injury crisis at lock. The 22-year-old has been singled out by Stormers coach John Dobson as a ‘phenomenal talent’ and has been the subject of interest from Scotland Rugby, who wanted to make him their next project player. Meihuizen has all the ability to make a success at a higher level.

NWU

BACK: Chunier van Rooyen

The potential of this utility back has already been highlighted in a previous edition of this magazine and he remains one of NWU’s most promising players. Van Rooyen can double between flyhalf and fullback, has an awesome kicking game and an uncanny ability to score tries. Having made his provincial debut for the Leopards in the Currie Cup First Division, Van Rooyen will be hoping to be able to build on that for a move to a bigger union.

FORWARD: Malembe Mpofu

Even though he has the nickname ‘Itoje’ (after England star Maro Itoje), Mpofu has taken some time to come of age. The lock attended Crawford International Ruimsig, a private school in Roodepoort hardly known for producing Springboks, and only took his rugby further when he was given a bursary to study at UJ in 2014. It took him a while to make his Varsity Cup debut too, as he had to wait until 2017. After completing his law degree, he decided to pursue a postgraduate in Business Management at NWU, and has now increasingly makes an impact on the competition.

(Source: SA Rugby Magazine)

Chrisuné Vermeulen

As scholars edge towards their mid-year exams, many have been missing classes due to the school lockdown that was instated since March 16.

Glencore understands the importance of education in building a better future for the youth in their mine communities.

As a result, Glencore supports the Ligbron e-Learning System team to make Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education accessible to Grade 11 and 12 learners during the nationwide lockdown.

The Ligbron e-Learning System team worked hand in hand with the Department of Education to compile a comprehensive plan for learners during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

This programme makes it possible for learners with internet access to stream Maths and Science lessons during the lockdown and with 19 free Glencore WiFi hotspots of 1GB per user, more learners can stream the lessons.

Furthermore, the Department of Education has been provided with the recorded lessons which will be made available on SABC and DSTV channel 319 for learners without access to the internet.

Ligbron has also launched an app, with quality educational material for Grade 11 and 12 Maths and Science. The Ligbron e-Learning app covers all topics in the curriculum. Data costs will only apply when downloading the app, thereafter the app can be used for a year offline.

 “We partnered with Ligbron for e-learning because we understand the importance of education for learners from our mine communities. This partnership will ensure that the education of scholars continues during this very challenging time in our country,” said Noel Pillay, general manager for community and regulatory affairs at Glencore.

The e-Learning programme has been made available to schools in Mpumalanga where Glencore, Izimbiwa and Umsimbithi support 23 schools in the eMalahleni, Emakhazeni and Steve Tshwete municipalities.

The programme is set to reach over 13 000 students in various households while maintaining their responsibility to socially distance themselves from each other during this critical period.

Ligbron is streaming lessons on “ZOOM” and also on the “Ligbron Online School” YouTube Channel since April 14 and will continue for the duration of the nationwide lockdown.

(Chrisuné Vermeulen works for Witbank News)

In an interview with How We Made It In Africa, founder of MANCOSA and Regent Business School, Professor Yusuf Karodia, shares his thoughts about the future of the education sector on the continent.

1. How will the fourth industrial revolution change traditional approaches to education?

The fourth industrial revolution is built around the way digital communications, artificial intelligence, big data and the internet of things (IoT) come together to transform our world. It is rapidly transforming how industries manufacture, how financial firms operate, how we drive our cars, how we shop, how we make everyday decisions and how we consume media – it is ubiquitous, and it touches upon absolutely everything we do and how we do it. It is by default disruptive and as such impacts what we do at work and how we do it. Graduates, therefore, have to be prepared for this new world of work.

For educational institutions to continue to produce successful graduates for the future of work, they must align their teaching and processes with technological advancements. The revolution will impact the soft skills that students will need in the future. This means empowering students with the expertise and skills that are needed in a digitally transformed workplace.

In order to sustainably address the challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution, policymakers and education advocates in Africa need to embrace new, digitally immersive methods in higher education. Teaching pedagogies, curricula and activities must orient the student towards digital literacy, critical thinking, communications, entrepreneurship, and emotional intelligence – in addition to the ability to succeed in a highly mobile global workforce. Also, lifelong learning will become increasingly relevant in the future world of work because technological change will only accelerate, exponentially.

2. How is Honoris United Universities adapting to the fourth industrial revolution?

There is a growing number of higher education institutions in Africa sensitive to the need for rapid educational reform. Honoris United Universities is a leading example of a pan-African network that is wholly focused on creating programmes and initiatives specifically designed to prepare graduates for the 21st century workplace, which it does through a comprehensive strategy for employability and a teaching pedagogy based on collaborative intelligence.

Within the Honoris network, the Regent Business School’s specialist employability unit, called the iLeadLAB, aims to create a new breed of entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge, and personal attributes to succeed in our challenging and high-tech world. Through mentorship and hands-on practice, especially using the latest technologies such as 3D printing, entrepreneurs will bridge the gap between theory and its implementation in the real world. They will learn how to set up and run their own businesses, understand how to apply digital solutions to specific business sectors, recognise opportunities and – ultimately – build powerful careers that are personally fulfilling and can positively impact tomorrow’s African economies and communities.

These are critical learnings because the modern global economy and jobs market demands that the individual is self-confident, mentally agile and able to problem-solve. In preparing students to adapt, to learn quickly and to be able to speak the language of innovation, we can develop graduates capable of flourishing even in a world of constant flux.

We have also introduced a co-op education scheme, for example at Université Mundiapolis in Morocco, whereby our students alternate between going to school and doing internships. This scheme allows students to spend time with employers so when they graduate, they have a competitive edge of professional experience in their chosen field, direct insights on how digital solutions are disrupting business and a mindset that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities that are abundant in the 21st century world of work.

3. What are currently the biggest challenges facing Africa’s education sector?

Access and quality are equally as critical in Africa. Research conducted by UNESCO shows that sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of education exclusion. Over one-fifth of children between the ages of about 6 and 11 are out of school, followed by one-third of youth between the ages of about 12 and 14. Almost 60% of youth between the ages of about 15 and 17 are not in school according to UIS data. This situation is likely to worsen if urgent action is not taken as the region faces a rising demand for education due to its fast-growing school-age population.

There is some good news though. A report by the African Development Bank, African Economic Outlook 2020, showed that the continent is among the highest spenders on education in the developing world, at an average of 5% of national GDP. At the same time, the private sector has played an increasingly critical role in promoting access to affordable, quality education. If this trend continues, we will certainly address some of the perennial issues plaguing Africa’s education system.

What is most important is that there is a concerted effort by all stakeholders in developing the next generation of Africa’s leaders and entrepreneurs through a well-conceptualised and well-coordinated education system.

4. Honoris has a vision of Education for Impact. Briefly explain what this means.

At Honoris United Universities, we educate for impact, which means we are committed to developing a culturally and professionally adaptable mindset within our pedagogical approach. Through an exciting range of programmes, including international exchanges and collaborative projects, Honoris faculty and students benefit from the sharing of academic practices, real-world expertise, and multi-cultural immersion.

In practical terms, our collaborative intelligence approach means bringing together experts, academics, and students to find solutions to specific challenges. An example would include a collaboration between the two Honoris network institutions of EMSI in Morocco and Université Centrale, in Tunisia to create a real bridge between the two countries, facilitating mobility between Morocco and Tunisia.

A recent example is the success of a world-class team of scientists, doctors, and engineers from across the Honoris that has developed a prototype for a new non-invasive ventilator respirator to help in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic. The innovation can be quickly manufactured in different African countries and around the world using a 3D printer and materials that are cheap and readily available in most parts of the developing world.

Through initiatives such as iLeadLAB, we are able to equip students with the ability to utilise new technological tools to develop new industries and create innovations that have the potential to create new products and new jobs – and that make a meaningful impact upon the world.

Honoris has also recently announced a specialised AI Applications Lab in Tunisia, which provides students with an insight to the very cutting edge of how artificial intelligence is being applied to the world of work, thereby equipping them with the requisite skills to face a high-tech future.

Honoris continues to build and invest in providing workspace, access to resources, and centres for the professional development of its students.

5. Share your thoughts on the importance of life-long learning?

The reality is that not all our learning comes from the classroom. We acquire new knowledge and learn new skills every day either through socialisation, trial and error, or self-initiated study. The ubiquitous nature of digital technology necessitates intellectual adaptability and lifelong learning. Graduates from the Honoris network are fully aware of and prepared for a life of flux in the workplace.

Organisations are also seeing lifelong learning as a core component in employee development as a result of the fast pace of today’s knowledge economy. Employees and employers should be working in synchronicity to ensure that skills are constantly appraised, and businesses are able to adapt and remain competitive.

6. What are some of the approaches to take to heighten 21st-century learning skills through distance education?

Honoris is a leader in distance learning in Southern Africa. Good examples would include MANCOSA and the Regent Business School, which have empowered thousands of mature learners through access to affordable quality higher education via their distance learning programmes. These institutions have also enabled the network to act quickly in response to the emergency of the coronavirus pandemic. As distance learning leaders, our institutes and academics were able to pivot quickly and ensure continuity of studies for our students by moving weekend face-to-face instruction to online mode, and the academic services teams (our ‘Ask a Tutor’ facility) resourcing was extended to cover an increase in queries and extended hours of support.

Honoris’ commitment to distance learning is also evidenced in MANCOSA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a partnership with the Gcinamasiko Arts and Heritage Trust, MANCOSA worked with the legendary African storyteller Gcina Mhlophe to record 10 five-minute online stories to keep children educationally entertained for 10 days during the COVID-19 lockdown.

7. You were recently honoured for your contribution to the advancement of education in Africa. What does this mean to you?

I am sincerely grateful for my nomination and for winning the African Leadership Person of the Year Award for Education and Development earlier this year. I have been a dedicated teacher and a university lecturer for a significant part of my life, and the future of our continent – its economies and people – is something that I care for passionately.

I have spent over two decades pursuing new avenues to make quality education accessible to more people in Africa. During my career as an educator, I have had the opportunity to attend both national and international conferences and have also been privileged to have my research published in various international and local journals.

Through my foundation, I have also established the Million Books campaign, aimed at provisioning a million books within mobile libraries across Southern Africa, at under-resourced, deserving primary schools. For now, I am going to dedicate my efforts to improve education and improve the quality of life for all.

Cyril Ramaphosa

Since the beginning of May, when we began the gradual easing of the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown, many people have started returning to work.
 
As part of the phased recovery of the economy, companies in certain specified industries have been able to resume part or all of their operations.
 
The national coronavirus alert level is now at 4, which means that extreme precautions remain in place to limit community transmission. Our goal is to steadily reduce the alert level by keeping the rate of infection down and getting our health system ready for the inevitable increase in cases.
 
As the lockdown is gradually eased, life will slowly return. But it will not be life as we knew it before.
 
While there is still much about the pandemic that is unknown, experts now agree that the virus will remain a threat to global public health for some time.
 
We must therefore be prepared to continue to live with the coronavirus among us for a year or even more.
 
We must be prepared for a new reality in which the fight against COVID-19 becomes part of our daily existence.
 
Our success in overcoming the coronavirus will ultimately be determined by the changes we make in our behaviour.
 
Even after lockdown – especially after lockdown – we will still need to observe social distancing, wear face masks, wash hands regularly, and avoid contact with other people. We will need to re-organise workplaces, schools, universities, colleges and other public places to limit transmission.
 
We will need to adapt to new ways of worshipping, socialising, exercising and meeting that minimise opportunities for the virus to spread.
 
This is a reality that countries across the world are having to confront. Even those countries that have started easing their lockdown restrictions are doing so tentatively and with extreme caution.
 
Like we have done, many countries are implementing extensive stimulus packages to strengthen their respective health care sectors, support ailing industries and workers and provide relief to vulnerable households.
 
Like us, they have had to heed calls for economic activity to resume. Like our citizens, their populations are restive and frustrated with the curtailment of personal freedoms.
 
At the same time, health experts around the globe are warning of a ‘second wave’ of infections as public life resumes. A number of countries including Germany, Iran and China have seen a rise in new infections since they relaxed certain restrictions.
 
We will be no different. We can and must expect infections to rise as more people return to work. We must accept the reality, prepare for it and adapt to it.
 
The next phase of our national response is as much about continuity as it is about change or innovation. We will step up our intensive screening, testing and case management programme. We will introduce new measures to make contact tracing more effective. We will need to implement mass sanitisation of workplaces, public transport and other spaces.
 
Since the nationwide lockdown began, most South Africans have observed the regulations that are in place for their own health and safety. They have made an informed decision to do so, understanding it is necessary for their own lives and for the lives of those around them.
 
As the restrictions on economic activity and daily life are eased, it is vital that all South Africans maintain that firm sense of personal responsibility. In all that we do, in every sphere of life, we must take care of our own health and the health of others.
 
Whether as individuals, employers, employees, government, civil society, trade unions or businesses, we will all continue to have a role to play in fighting the pandemic.
 
In the same way that we had to change our behaviour to prevent the spread of HIV, now we need to change our behaviour to stop the coronavirus.
 
Imposing a nation-wide lockdown gave our country a strategic advantage. It bought us valuable time to prepare our health system and put in place containment measures. This has slowed transmission and saved lives.
 
The transition to the next phase of the coronavirus response, that of recovery, will be more difficult than the present one. The risk of infection outbreaks will increase. The demands on our clinics and hospitals and medical personnel will grow.
 
That is why easing the lockdown restrictions must not result in careless behaviour by individuals or reckless practices by businesses keen to resume activity at the cost of human health.
 
The coronavirus crisis will pass. But for as long as it remains a threat to the lives of our people, we must remain vigilant, diligent and responsible.
 
Now, more than ever, it is upon the conduct of each that depends the fate of all.

Teaching unions have unveiled a list of key measures they believe must be met before pupils in England should be allowed to go back to school.

A supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), extra funding for deep cleaning classrooms and the power for local authorities to close schools again in the event of Covid-19 outbreaks in the area are all among the demands they believe must be met.

Unions are also calling for schools to remain shut until a successful nationwide track-and-trace scheme to identify those who need to quarantine is in place. A mobile phone app to help contact tracing was tested on the Isle of Wight this week, however technological and ethical issues have led to the parallel development of a second app.

Published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), a joint statement was sent to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson from organisations including the National Association of Head Teachers and the National Education Union, as well as supporting unions Unison, GMB and Unite.

They further called for “clear scientific published evidence that trends in transmission of COVID-19 will not be adversely impacted by the reopening phase and that schools are also safe to reopen”.

“Parents and staff need full confidence that schools will be safe before any pupils return,” TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said.

“The government must work closely with unions to agree a plan that meets the tests we have set out.”Those discussions must include unions representing all school workers, not just teachers.”

Labour shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey further called on the government to “take heed” of the measures set out by trade unions.

“Schools should not open until it is safe to do so and the government must commit to work with trade unions and others to agree a set of principles and tests to put safety systems in place in advance of any planned reopening,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education has since responded to the news, saying: “Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has not set a date for schools reopening,”

“Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has not set a date for schools reopening.

“Schools will remain closed, except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children, until the scientific advice indicates it is the right time to re-open and the five tests set out by Government to beat this virus have been met.

“We are also working closely with the sector as we consider how to reopen schools, nurseries and colleges and will ensure everyone has sufficient notice to plan and prepare.”

NHS England’s national medical director Professor Stephen Powis confirmed at a daily Downing Street conference last week that the “science” behind the contribution of children to the spread of the virus is “still evolving”.

His comments followed those of the chief inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman on Sunday. She said she believed the interests of the nation’s youngest children would be best served by allowing them to return to school “as soon as possible”.

“It’s hardest for parents to work and do all the other things they need to do if they’re also looking after perhaps several young children at the same time and trying to make sure they work through schoolwork remotely,” she told Sophie Ridge on Sky News.

“If you look at the interests of children, it’s very clear that their interests are best served, in the vast majority of cases, by being back at school as soon as possible.”

(Source: INEWS)

The closure of South Africa’s schools seven weeks ago halted a national feeding programme providing meals to 9 million extremely poor children, filling their stomachs and helping them get through the classroom day to get an education.

Now a potential hunger crisis looms.

The economic hardship has been severe since President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered most citizens to stay indoors and shuttered all but essential businesses in late March.

“We have kids here at school who faint (from hunger),” said Shireen Valentyn, 41, a volunteer at Hoofweg primary school in the impoverished Blue Downs community in Cape Town.

The school is closed for classes but is providing children and their guardians meals as part of an emergency scheme, unique to South Africa’s Western Cape Province, officials said.

“In our kids there is a lot of hunger,” Valentyn said. In the morning they queue in the cold for porridge. Later separate lines of children and adults wait with plastic lunch boxes for a midday meal of cooked butternut and tinned fish breyani.

South Africa reopened some sectors of the economy on May 1 as the government sought to kickstart a stuttering economy.

Schools are expected to partially reopen later this month, with students seen back in class from June 1.

But there is no certainty over when the national school nutrition programme will resume, piling pressure on poor families struggling to make ends meet.

The education department did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the school meal programme.

“I am also worried about the virus but there is nothing we can do because we can’t stay hungry,” said mother-of-two Thabisa Nete, 33, as she got a hot meal at Vuyani primary school in Cape Town’s Gugulethu township.

The University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute said before the pandemic, a quarter of South Africa’s under-fives were nutritionally stunted and 6.4 million children under 18 survived on less than $32 a month.

The government had distributed over 250 000 emergency food parcels to poor families by the end of April, the social development minister said, and provided an extra R50 billion for social grants.

But child rights activists still warn of a “hunger crisis”.

“There is certainly a hunger crisis … and from the perspective of children, I would say that this is a severe implication for their ability to survive,” said Nurina Ally, executive director at Equal Education Law Centre (EELC).

The EELC is one of five groups lobbying Ramaphosa to immediately restart the national feeding scheme or replace it with viable alternatives like food vouchers, as some other countries have done, or substantial increases to child support grants.

(Source: Reuters)

Nyakallo Tefu

The Department of Basic Education has warned against the premature reopening of schools.

This comes after reports emerged that certain independent and public schools were preparing to re-open much earlier and had already started to receive learners ahead of the date announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

In a statement, the Department said some school teachers and principals were already reporting for duty. Parents meetings have also been held where plans were announced to have learners back this month. 

Motshekga’s spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga confirmed that the department was aware that some independent (or private) and public schools are already preparing to reopen.

“The premature reopening of schools is not permitted as the Department is still finalising COVID-19 school compliance protocols,” said Mhlanga in a statement.  

“The uniform standards will be applicable in schools as part of the measures put in place to protect learners and teachers, reduce infection and save the academic year.”

Department of Education’s Director-General Mathanzima Mweli condemned the premature re-opening of schools, saying the minister will next week return to the National Coronavirus Command Council to present an enhanced recovery plan for the basic education based on inputs and feedback received thus far.

 “I therefore urge schools to familiarize themselves with all the Regulations and Directives to ensure compliance. In the meantime, schools consult with the Department of Health and Department of Employment and Labour, in anticipation of the determination by the Minister”, said Mweli. 

“I am emphasizing that until this determination is made schools must remain closed.”