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Less talk, more action, youth tell NYDA

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Less talk, more action, youth tell NYDA

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

South Africa’s young people have called on the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) to move “beyond consultation into coordinated action” during a national dialogue aimed at shaping a shared vision for the country’s future.

The gathering – the Youth Consultation 2025 – was hosted by the NYDA this week in partnership with the South African Youth Council (SAYC), youth-led movements, political formations, and civil society organisations. It was described by the agency as the first of its kind since its establishment at the dawn of democracy.

According to the NYDA, the consultation “marks a historic new chapter in South Africa’s youth development trajectory where the Consultation is not only making space for reflection, but for collective renewal and reminding them of that, the future of this nation must be co-authored by its youth.”

Delegates debated critical issues such as youth unemployment, education and skills alignment, disengagement, inclusivity and access. Their discussions produced a common demand for change, and that policies should not just be discussed, but implemented.

“Across these discussions, there was a resounding call for the NYDA and its partners to move beyond consultation into coordinated action – transforming insights into policy, and policy into measurable impact,” the NYDA said in a statement.

The conference comes at a time when South Africa is grappling with youth unemployment of about 46%, often described as a “ticking time bomb” by politicians and policy experts.

NYDA Executive Chairperson Sunshine Myende said the agency hopes the event will help reignite the spirit of unity among young people.

“This is a platform that reminds us that our democracy is strongest when young people are at its centre – not as spectators, but as active participants in shaping its direction.”

“The NYDA is committed to taking forward every insight, every demand, and every idea that emerged from this gathering – ensuring that the voices of young people are not only heard, but reflected in the policies and programmes, that define our nation’s future,” Myende said.

The NYDA said it will use the outcomes of the consultation to inform both the Integrated Youth Development Strategy (IYDS) and the broader national development agenda.

It also pledged to ensure that “every young person across provinces to wherever they are, have a voice in shaping the policies that affect their lives.”

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Can transferable skills be taught in distance learning?

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Can transferable skills be taught in distance learning?

Online learning in undergraduate and postgraduate education is ubiquitous the world over, but questions remain about whether it can effectively teach the transferable skills that are so important in a dynamic job market. 

With AI-integrated, hybrid workplaces becoming the norm, arguably these skills – compared with, say, knowledge recall – will be key to future graduate employability. 

Transferable skills, which include communication, teamwork, adaptability, self-motivation and self-management, as well as technical and digital skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, are already integral to employability and career path progression.

In face-to-face learning, technical skills are typically taught through a mix of theory and hands-on application to real-life scenarios and even work placements, while soft skills such as teamwork and oral communication are usually developed through presentations and tutorial sessions.

So, you might doubt that online learning can replicate that practice and experience. But, thanks to virtual learning environments (VLEs), many in academia see no reason why these essential employability skills can’t be taught effectively online. 

Moreover, the opportunity that online learning offers to build digital and distance communication skills is increasingly in tune with modern workplaces that are ever more technology-centred and global.

Almost five years after Covid-19, 28 per cent of working adults in Britain are hybrid working, according to Office for National Statics figures, and this type of working is a new norm in most English-speaking countries.

As more communication is done online, teaching these skills online can, in some cases, provide a more authentic learning environment. Even body language can be caught through a VLE.

Challenges and workarounds for teaching soft skills online

A prerequisite to teaching transferable skills online, and indeed a key challenge, is ensuring that students engage with the learning. So far, relatively few studies have compared student engagement and outcomes between face-to-face classrooms and distance learning.

It is important also to bear in mind that distance learning takes many forms, including synchronous – for example, online tutorials and live guest lectures – and asynchronous, which can range from students watching a recorded lecture to participating in interactive forums and workboards. 

A 2022 study from the University of Bordeaux found little difference in average knowledge acquisition and student interaction with their educator and peers when comparing face-to-face and synchronous distance learning, but it did suggest lower cognitive engagement and reduced social presence (meaning the sense of feeling present as part of a community) in the case of the latter.

This feeling of student detachment is heightened if, as online educators often report, students are reluctant to switch on their cameras or even to use their microphones.

Possible reasons for this, among many, include student anxiety, cultural or social sensibilities, or fear of being recorded without consent.

Online “invisibility” (such as that which might take place during a “relaxed tutorial”) can be an advantage if it attracts less-confident or neurodivergent students who might otherwise not have attended a class at all, whether in person or online.

However, student satisfaction tends to increase with higher engagement.

A range of opportunities and strategies can be deployed to improve online engagement in synchronous distance learning. Educators can foster a relationship with students by: 

  • having their own camera on
  • spending the first part of a session on informal exchanges to help build community
  • being open to a wide range of communication, including chat and emoticons
  • using interactive digital tools such as polls and whiteboards to prompt responses
  • building in small-group activities using breakout rooms. 

All these options are readily available in VLEs. In an asynchronous setting, too, active learning will promote genuine engagement with the module materials. Interactive forum activities and discussions can be a useful tool to develop teamwork and allow students to practise their written communication skills at the same time as learning from their peers.

The opportunity to design activities based on real-world events, using news articles and other media, can help engage students with module content in forums. Educators can also ask students to draw on, and connect module concepts to, their own experiences to prevent forum fatigue. 

Online curriculums also need to embed and integrate the teaching of transferable skills alongside discipline-related knowledge in interesting and creative ways and scaffold these so that skills are developed to higher levels as students proceed through their studies.

For example, introductory social science modules might develop numeracy and digital skills through teaching students how to solve problems using Excel and later hone these skills with training to use more advanced statistical software such as SPSS or STATA, or how to prompt and critique AI when used for these types of task.

Designing online assessments and activities that authentically replicate work-based activities is also key to ensuring students have the appropriate adaptable employability skills – for example, designing assessments that require students to compose social media posts and blogs reviewing policy developments can replicate the type of work that professionals do in many industries.

Also, asking students to reflect on how they would use the transferable skills they are acquiring in a future career can raise engagement.

It goes without saying that no two learners are the same. And, for the foreseeable future, work environments will likely be a combination of on- and off-site interactions. It is thus key to aim for a blended, flexible and mixed learning environment wherever possible. 

Emilie Rutledge is head of economics and senior lecturer at The Open University and managing editor of the Journal of Gulf Studies. Jonquil Lowe is senior lecturer in economics and personal finance at The Open University.

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EFF calls for an intervention as Fort Hare crisis deepens

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EFF calls for an intervention as Fort Hare crisis deepens

By Thapelo Molefe

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have called for an urgent multi-stakeholder meeting to address what the party describes as a “catastrophic and escalating crisis” at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), where violent student protests have plunged the institution into turmoil and forced the suspension of all academic activities.

The call follows a wave of destructive protests that worsened this week, leaving parts of the historic university in ruins.

Angry students, protesting over student representation and alleged governance failures, torched several buildings, including the main administration building, which was burned to the ground in scenes that have shocked the higher education sector.

The unrest caused destruction estimated at R500 million, crippling critical facilities such as the exams department, staff centre, faculty of agriculture, and the HR building.

In a letter dated 9 October, addressed to the Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, EFF MP Sihle Lonzi urged swift and coordinated intervention by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), university management, student representatives, and law enforcement agencies.

“The crisis at the University of Fort Hare has reached a level that demands urgent and coordinated intervention,” Lonzi wrote.

“The continued destruction not only threatens the university’s immediate functioning but also its long-term survival as an institution of national and historic significance.”

The EFF attributes the unrest to unresolved disputes over student governance, allegations of abuse of power by management, the refusal to hold democratic elections, and poor residence conditions, issues that have fuelled anger and mistrust between students and university leadership.

The letter also raises concerns of possible third-party interference, alleging that “actors with interests beyond those of the student body” may be deliberately escalating the violence.

Lonzi warned that prolonged instability could be exploited by private security and construction companies seeking financial gain from rebuilding contracts, calling for such allegations to be urgently investigated.

“These allegations warrant serious and immediate investigation,” Lonzi said.

“If left unchecked, such interference risks turning legitimate student grievances into a tool for profiteering and institutional sabotage.”

The EFF cautioned that the ongoing turmoil threatens to erode its legacy and symbolic importance in South Africa’s history.

“The University of Fort Hare is not only an academic institution. It is a symbol of South Africa and Africa’s intellectual heritage and liberation archive,” Lonzi stated.

“To allow its continued destabilisation would be a national catastrophe for generations to come.”

The EFF urged Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education to urgently convene a multi-stakeholder meeting that would bring together DHET, the Council and executive management of the University of Fort Hare, student and academic representatives, as well as relevant oversight and investigative agencies.

The party said such a gathering is essential to restore institutional order, de-escalate tensions, and develop a credible recovery plan that addresses the governance, safety, and accountability failures that have plunged the university into crisis.

“The academic year is at risk of total collapse,” Lonzi warned.

“Further acts of violence, injury, and potential loss of life will follow if leadership fails to act now.”

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Teaching Awards: Gwarube vows to cut admin load, give teachers more classroom time

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Teaching Awards: Gwarube vows to cut admin load, give teachers more classroom time

By Akani Nkuna 

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has pledged to introduce measures aimed at reducing teachers’ administrative workloads, allowing them to focus more on their core mandate of teaching and ensuring their energy is not diverted to non-instructional duties.

Speaking at the 25th National Teaching Awards (NTA) on Thursday at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Gwarube told delegates — including some of the country’s top educators, government officials, and learners — that consultations were underway with the relevant council to reassign certain administrative tasks to teaching assistants and school administrative staff.

“Yet too often their time is consumed by non-instructional administrative tasks that divert energy away from teaching. Reducing non-instructional admin is not about lowering accountability – it is about respecting teachers as professionals and giving them back the time to teach our learners,” said Gwarube.

The minister emphasised the point of streamlining reporting and removing “low value” tasks.

She further advocated for thorough use of technological innovations to enable faster and smarter compliance that is not prone to disruptions. 

Gwarube also underscored the importance of strengthening foundational education to foster the culture of literacy and numeracy, saying that the government has undertaken to expand the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes to accommodate children within a larger scale.

This comes after the Thrive by Five Index showed that children who were excluded from the programme “fell behind with their cognitive and physical development,” she said, and that the department has set itself an ambitious target to register 10 000 ECD centres by 31 December 2025.

“We are moving decisively on compulsory Grade R. Provinces are doing what they can with the resources available, while we work with the National Treasury to secure additional funding, to ensure that we roll out Grade R to all learners who require it,” Gwarube added.

During the awards ceremony, the Western Cape emerged as the top-performing province, claiming four Excellence Awards — in Special Needs Teaching, Life Skills (Grades 1–6), the My Teacher Ministerial Special Award, and Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences.

Limpopo ranked second, taking home three awards, including Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, Excellence in Secondary School Teaching, and Excellence in Grade R Teaching.

The Eastern Cape was the only province without a top-spot winner, while KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Mpumalanga each secured one first-place position.

Motseki Mofokeng, long-serving teacher from Free State, was honoured with the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of more than three decades of dedicated service to education.

However, Mpumalanga’s Thulani Sibiya stood out as the overall winner, being crowned the 2025 National Best Teacher Award recipient.

Following his crowning, Sibiya told Inside Education that he was ecstatic to see his lifelong efforts finally recognised at a national level.

“I am so excited. And this is [belongs] to the whole province of Mpumalanga whom I am really proud to be their pride. This means so much to the province that they produced the best of the best educators in the whole country,” he said.

Sibiya expressed gratitude to his support structures, including Sophungane Secondary School, where he currently teaches, and Shinyukane Secondary School, where his teaching journey began.

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Media City Academy set to launch full operational studio in 2026

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Media City Academy set to launch full operational studio in 2026

By Charmaine Ndlela

South Africa’s first creative academy, the Media City Academy (MCA), based in Randburg, will officially open its doors in February 2026, launching a fully accredited tertiary institution for the creative industries under SAQA and MICT SETA.

Applications for the 2026 intake are now open.

MCA will debut three flagship programmes:

  • A film and television qualification for Grade 12 graduates,
  • A film and television foundational programme for Grade 11 learners, and
  • An online course tailored for working professionals.

Each programme includes an entrepreneurship module, which the academy says shows its commitment to developing job creators and job seekers in South Africa’s growing creative economy.

MCA will be the first creative academy located within a live production studio complex.

Head of School Zenobia Simelane said the campus’s location within an operational complex ensures practical, work-integrated learning.

“With a curriculum weighted at 70% practical training and 30% theory, students work alongside industry professionals, gaining real credits on leading South African productions. This equips them with the confidence, competence and adaptability required for a fast-changing creative economy,” Simelane said.

She added that through MCA’s partnerships with major media production houses including Black Brain Pictures, Seriti Films, and Amafu Productions, students will graduate with more than a certificate. They will leave with a professional portfolio, strong references, and the ability to anticipate and solve real production challenges.

Research consistently shows that workplace readiness remains one of the biggest obstacles facing South African graduates. A Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey found that 31% of companies cite insufficient practical experience as the main reason for not hiring graduates.

Meanwhile, Statistics South Africa recently reported that graduate unemployment rose from 8.7% to 11.7% in just three months. South Africa’s overall unemployment rate stands at 33%, one of the highest globally.

These figures highlight the role institutions like Media City Academy can play in bridging the skills gap.

HSRC researcher Shirin Motala echoed this need for closer industry-academia collaboration. “Colleges and universities must work with industry partners to identify emerging skills needs and integrate them into their curricula to address the country’s skills crisis,” she said.

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Fledgling legal eagles compete at national moot court competition in Pretoria

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Fledgling legal eagles compete at national moot court competition in Pretoria

By Charmaine Ndlela

The country’s 14th National Schools Moot Court competition opened this week at the University of Pretoria with preliminary oral rounds underway ahead of the grand finale on October 12 at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg.

The final round will be presided over by judges from the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court, as well as senior magistrates and legal practitioners.

The programme is a joint initiative of the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, guided by the South African Human Rights Commission and supported by the University of Pretoria.

Launched by the university a decade ago, the competition aims to promote constitutional literacy and encourage young South Africans to engage with issues of justice and human rights.

Professor Tshepo Madlingozi shared a message of support for the contestants at the oral rounds, telling them: “We are here to empower you to be legal warriors. You will come out of this process with advocacy and research skills.”

The programme is primarily for Grade 10 and 11 students from all provinces.

Participants gain essential skills in public speaking, research, writing, legal reasoning and case analysis.

The learners are allowed to argue their case in any of the 11 official languages in the oral rounds before judges in an actual court scenario.

The 2025 moot aims to focus on the constitutionality of school language admission policies, particularly those prescribing a single language of instruction.

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South Africa, Nigeria reaffirm science, tech, and innovation cooperation

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South Africa, Nigeria reaffirm science, tech, and innovation cooperation

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

South Africa and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in science, technology and innovation as Africa’s largest economies mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary this week.

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, met Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner, Alexander Temitope Ajayi in Pretoria to discuss ways to implement a bilateral agreement on scientific and technological cooperation signed in 2001.

“Reviving our STI partnership could unlock immense potential for collaborative research, technology transfer, capacity building, and joint innovation projects”, Gina said.

She said that the renewed collaboration could open new opportunities in renewable energy, health innovation, digital transformation, and space science, areas that align with both countries’ development priorities and the African Union’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034).

Ajayi said that South Africa and Nigeria have the required resources to operationalise the existing STI agreement, within which several areas of collaboration could be exploited, and expressed commitment in this regard.

He said the plethora of innovators and entrepreneurs in and areas of cooperation would be discussed during the upcoming binational commission in Abuja between the countries’ foreign affairs ministers.

“The time has come for technology to play a very revolutionary role in the development of Africa, and South Africa and Nigeria can collaborate in digital technologies to position the continent to the outside world as a leader in this sector”, Ajayi said.

Ajayi also spoke of the proposed establishment of a Special Technology Envoy on Digital and Emerging Technologies, another area of collaboration to exploit with South Africa.

“This establishment will be a high-level diplomatic mechanism that will serve as the permanent representative body within the African Union systems, leading on all technology-related matters, both within Africa and globally,” he said.

“This initiative aims to position the African continent as an active voice and contributor in the formulation of international technology investments, geopolitics, policy, governance norms, and innovation-driven development”.

According to DSTI, other areas of cooperation were discussed, including technical visits, people-to-people exchanges, as well as collaboration on research and development among universities in both countries.

“As Africa’s two largest economies, South Africa and Nigeria share a responsibility to drive the continent’s development agenda and ensure that innovation becomes a cornerstone of Africa’s growth”, Gina said.

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Manamela To Address Fort Hare Crisis, DHET Annual Report

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Manamela To Address Fort Hare Crisis, DHET Annual Report

By Thapelo Molefe

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, is set to brief the media on Saturday about the state of affairs at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) and the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) 2024/25 Annual Report.

The briefing comes amid growing concerns over violent student protests at the university, which have left parts of the campus in ruins and the academic programme suspended.

The unrest, which escalated this week, saw students burning the university’s administration building to the ground after days of protests over student representation and alleged governance failures.

Announcing the upcoming briefing, the DHET said Manamela would not only present the department’s annual performance outcomes but also unpack the audit findings and outline the department’s action plan for the next reporting cycle.

The annual report, tabled in Parliament on 30 September, forms part of government’s commitment to transparency and accountability within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector.

However, much of the public attention is expected to focus on the situation at Fort Hare, a historically significant institution that has been rocked by instability in recent years.

The minister is expected to provide an update on the implementation of stabilisation measures at the university, including efforts to restore governance, strengthen management systems, and improve security.

The violent turn of events at Fort Hare has drawn strong condemnation from Parliament. The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Science and the Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, described the destruction of university property as “an anti-thesis of what university education is about”.

“The actions of burning public benefit institutions for no apparent reason set back poor students and infrastructure development by years,” Feni said.

“It is unacceptable that, at a time when we are battling accommodation shortages, students choose to destroy facilities that serve them.”

Feni criticised the timing of the protests, saying they appear to have been orchestrated to disrupt the examination period.

“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves regressing when Fort Hare University has improved on so many aspects, including governance, research output, and programme offerings,” he added.

Similarly, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, chaired by Tebogo Letsie, called for “open dialogue” and urged all parties to engage constructively to resolve the crisis.

Letsie said while the right to protest is protected, “the level of violence and destruction is unacceptable and detrimental to the university’s reputation and the students’ education”.

The committee expressed concern that management has allegedly suspended elected student leaders and replaced them with appointed representatives, further fuelling tensions.

Students are reportedly demanding that the university hold Student Representative Council (SRC) elections by the end of October and are calling for the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.

“The University of Fort Hare, as a historically disadvantaged institution, cannot afford continued instability,” Letsie warned.

“We urge management to engage meaningfully with student leaders to address the root causes of the unrest and ensure that the academic year is not further compromised.”

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WATCH: University of Fort Hare orders temporary shutdown amid violent protests

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WATCH: University of Fort Hare orders temporary shutdown amid violent protests

Inside Education Reporter

The University of Fort Hare has announced the “immediate temporary shutdown of all operations” at its Alice and East London campuses following what it described as an escalation of “criminal activities associated with the recent protest,” despite a court order prohibiting such conduct.

In a statement released late on Thursday, the university said the decision was taken “with deep regret” after continued acts of intimidation, violence, and destruction of property.

“The University has no alternative but to take this drastic measure in the face of persistent disruption of university business; intimidation and threats directed at staff and students; physical harm to students residing in campus residences; the burning and destruction of University infrastructure (at least six significant university buildings); and ongoing defiance of the court order and the rule of law,” it said.

Tensions initially boiled over on Tuesday after the university announced plans to appoint an interim Student Representative Council (SRC) while amending the institution’s student governance constitution.

Students rejected the move, demanding that the amendments be overseen by a democratically elected SRC. The unrest escalated as demonstrators clashed with security and police.

“There is chaos that has erupted on campus. Students were fighting with Falcon Security, allegedly assisted by police officers. They shot students using real bullets here in Alice Campus. One student was shot on the left knee, and another just above the heart near the shoulder,” student leader Uzusiphe Vuzane told journalists.

At least six buildings were torched. (Video supplied)

The Bhisho High Court issued an interim order on Tuesday that prohibited unlawful activities on the campuses, including unauthorised meetings, blocking access, damaging property, and threatening staff or students. But the institution said these acts “have continued unabated”.

“The University therefore has no option but to suspend all physical academic activities until further notice,” management said, adding that “online academic interactions may continue as directed by the DVC: Teaching and Learning and DVC: Research, Partnerships and Innovation”.

The university said the shutdown was necessary “to safeguard the lives and safety of students, staff, and visitors, and to protect University property from further damage”.

Students have alleged they were shot with live ammunition during protests. (Video supplied)

Expressing “deep disappointment and regret,” the university said the actions of a few individuals had “endangered the safety of the entire University community and disrupted the academic programme”.

It added that the destruction of property pointed to “much bigger issues, with a significant component of sponsored violence and criminality.”

All students have been instructed to vacate university premises by 5pm on 9 October 2025. International students are to contact the international office for assistance with evacuation arrangements.

“Further communication will follow regarding the phased reopening of campuses once it is deemed safe to do so.”

The university called for “calm, restraint, and cooperation from all members of the University community during this period”.

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Fort Hare protest: Students injured, admin buildings set alight

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Fort Hare protest: Students injured, admin buildings set alight

By Johnathan Paoli

The University of Fort Hare’s Alice campus in the Eastern Cape descended into chaos on Wednesday night as violent protests erupted this week, leaving two students injured and several campus buildings in flames.

Tensions initially boiled over on Tuesday after the university announced plans to appoint an interim Student Representative Council (SRC) while amending the institution’s student governance constitution.

Students rejected the move, demanding that the amendments be overseen by a democratically elected SRC. The unrest escalated as demonstrators clashed with security and police.

“There is chaos that has erupted on campus. Students were fighting with Falcon Security, allegedly assisted by police officers. They shot students using real bullets here in Alice Campus. One student was shot on the left knee, and another just above the heart near the shoulder,” student leader Uzusiphe Vuzane told journalists.

Both injured students were taken to hospital.

Fellow students insist they were shot with live ammunition, a claim that has heightened tensions between protesters, security personnel, and law enforcement. Police have not yet confirmed whether live rounds were fired.

The clashes were followed by acts of arson.

Protesters allegedly set fire to the university’s administration and Student Affairs buildings in retaliation, sending plumes of smoke across the historic campus.

By late afternoon, firefighters had been deployed to contain the blaze, but the full extent of the damage is not yet known.

At the heart of the protest is dissatisfaction with university leadership and governance.

Students are not only resisting the interim SRC plan but are also calling for the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.

They accuse him of undermining student democracy by pushing ahead with governance amendments without an elected student body in place.

“An interim SRC is not student-centered. Those people are not democratically elected, they are installed by management. They will definitely be controlled by the management, and they will not be bothered about serving students,” said student leader Asonele Magwaxaza.

The university has defended its decision, saying the move was necessary to ensure continuity while amendments to the SRC constitution are finalised.

Spokesperson Jean Pierre Roodt stressed that free elections would be held once the process was complete.

“In relation to the SRC, it was the university council that established an interim SRC while the SRC constitution is being finalised, and free elections will follow,” Roodt said.

He dismissed allegations that the institution’s security was inadequate, adding that statistically, crime is trending down, with each night and day shift having 64 guards patrolling.

Meanwhile, academic activities at the Alice Campus have been severely disrupted.

On-campus classes have been suspended, although some online classes continue. With key administrative buildings damaged and tensions still simmering, the disruptions are expected to persist.

Police presence at the university remained heavy on Wednesday evening, as officers sought to restore calm amid sporadic clashes with protesting students.

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