No image available
/ 6 September 2005
"When they leave our school at some stage," says the principal of United Herzlia Schools, Geoff Cohen, of his learners, "hopefully they leave as a mensch." That last word — mensch — captures something of the cultural diversity that the term "Jewish" embraces. It’s not Hebrew. It’s Yiddish, a language dating back to the Middle Ages spoken by Jews in Eastern European countries.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
Some significant legal and political victories for mother-tongue education were gained in the recent past. In relation to Afrikaans in particular, there was Mikro Primary School’s successful defence against court action by the Western Cape department of education to enforce its language policy on the school governing body.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
There’s a promising opportunity that you should make the most of: a public inquiry into the right to basic education will be held next month. It’s being conducted by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), motivated by what it describes as “the numerous problems currently being experienced” in education.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
A woman accompanies her boyfriend to a party. They quarrel. She walks to find a telephone to call her mother to collect her. She comes upon a petrol station where she seeks to persuade the attendant to allow her the use of the phone. As this negotiation proceeds, a police car draws into the petrol station. A sergeant in full uniform enquires as to her problem and offers to drive her home.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
Many commentators have acknowledged South Africa’s commitment to the promotion and recognition of women. They have also reminded us that the challenge of pursuing equality is far from full achievement. There are several facts that emphatically illustrate the remaining challenges.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
The delay in the release of the second set of the black economic empowerment codes of good practice is causing "a marked confusion" in the market, an industry source told the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>. The drafting of the empowerment codes has been under way since December last year, when the first set of codes was released for public comment.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
The usual Western Cape black economic empowerment (BEE) beneficiaries were left in the cold as the Cape Town council selected new blood in its second shot at its empowerment transaction of prime beachfront land at Big Bay, Bloubergstrand. In all, 17 parcels of land, mostly sized between 2 400m2 and 2 600m2 have been sold at prices ranging from R2,7-million to R3,4-million.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
A savvy investment banker and businesswoman is about as close as one can get to choosing an ideal candidate to run the investment arm for South Africa’s economic engine room, Gauteng. Nomhle Canca slipped quietly into her job as CEO of Blue IQ Investments Holdings last September.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
Alastair Kirk stopped going to school when he was 11. He is now 20, and not exactly a dropout — he went on being educated at home, sitting down every day to work through booklets of maths, english, science, history, geography, all couched in a unique style. ”Here are examples of interrogative sentences,” states one booklet in the curriculum he used, Accelerated Christian Education.
No image available
/ 6 September 2005
Tropical storms have doubled in destructive potential in the past 30 years because ocean surfaces have become warmer, according to a leading climate researcher. This is the first time that an increase in the size, duration and power of tropical storms has been linked to global warming.