Julia Grey visited a school for the severely mentally handicapped that is special in more ways than one: it not only caters for learners with special education needs, but does so with flying colours On the second floor of the school building, a vision fit to dazzle stands out with the swirls of colour and […]
Catering for school-going criminals is one of the many challenges facing special-needs education, writes Julia Grey Running a school where the only admission requirements are that learners are convicted criminals and of school-going age has it’s own special demands. Ethokomala in Mpumalanga is one of only two reform schools in the country that caters for […]
The most vulnerable in society are set to benefit from new plans to include disabled learners in mainstream education, writes Julia Grey The principle of inclusion has long been promoted by the Department of Education as the fairest approach to special-needs learners, who’ve been marginalised for decades in separate schools. But sceptics have warned of […]
Several schools in Gauteng have fallen prey to a computer company whose promises have left them offline and in debt, writes Julia Grey Debt amounting to millions has been added to the burdens of at least four Gauteng schools which found out too late that their trust in a computer firm was misplaced. On the […]
Julia Grey finds that when cultures clash, tempers run high Hoerskool Delmas in Mpumalanga displays its cultural heritage most dramatically: an authentic ox wagon, reminiscent of those used by the Voortrekkers, is mounted proudly in front of the school buildings. Principal Jurie de Jongh doesn’t believe this symbol of Boer history shows a bias in […]
The University of Fort Hare is helping teachers to embrace change in the new curriculum, writes Julia Grey When the University of Fort Hare started its distance education project (UFHDEP) in 1997, a staggering 40% of 60 000 teachers in the Eastern Cape were not adequately qualified. Mark Evans of the UFHDEP believes the project […]
Teacher warned to stop hugging or touching girls, writes Julia Grey A private school in the Northern Province has been rocked by allegations of misconduct, including a claim that bursaries are being granted in exchange for sex. Teaching staff at St Marks College made the allegations against deputy principal Frank Lebotsa and acting head Simon […]
Julia Grey spoke to learners who unearthed history in their own backyard Forced removals: The implementation of the apartheid principle of ”separate development”, in accordance with legislation such as the Group Areas Act (1950). Communities of different races were forceably relocated to areas designated for people classified as being of the same race. This is […]
The West African regional group Ecowas and Nigeria have denounced Togolese opposition leader Bob Akitani declaring himself president despite losing to Faure Gnassingbe, who polled 60% of the vote in results announced on Tuesday. Nigeria, the biggest regional power, had pinned its hopes on Togo forming a government of national unity.
Julia Grey takes the mystery out of the structures and acronyms of the emerging education system The seeming complexity of its structures is probably one of the biggest hurdles to the South African Qualifications Authority (Saqa) selling itself to the public it serves. Add to this the reams of acronyms that go with it – […]