BARBARA JOHANNESSON looks at In Search of History (Grade 12) by Jean Bottaro and Pippa Visser (Oxford University Press, R74,95, Teacher’s Guide R79,95) and Looking into the Past (Grade 12) by Yonah Seleti et al (Maskew Miller Longman, R69,95) WHEN preparing for the matric history examination, it is essential to use a textbook which thoroughly […]

PAM VAN DYK and CEDRIC VAN DYK review Making History Grade 12 by John Pape et al (Heinemann, R79,95) THESE authors have produced a well-written text which raises debates and shows different interpretations of the past. The narrative is fresh and original, clear and concise, and herein lies the strength of the book. It provides […]

EMILIA POTENZA and BARBARA JOHANNESSON review Teachers Transform History by Sue Krige et al (Heinemann, R87) TEACHING history is one of the most challenging tasks in our schools today. Teachers Transform History presents the work of real teachers who have effected exciting changes. Teachers Transform History is a wonderfully inspired book for secondary school history […]

MPUMALANGA’S department of education fired two high-ranking officials on Thursday for their involvement in the 1998 matric scandal in which results were fraudulently inflated to 72%. Former examination head, Gogo Ndlovana, and first education specialist, Kate Mokone, were fired upon the recommendation of Professor Papa Maithufi who headed an internal investigation into the scandal. Maithufi […]

Nigel Bakker teaches English methodology at the University of Cape Town’s School of Education. and is editor of Maskew Miller Longman’s new Active Shakespeare series. He spoke to SEAN O’CONNOR about teaching Shakespeare. What are your favourite memories of teaching Shakespeare? I have one favourite memory that is repeated over and over, each time I […]

You can love him or hate him, but the works of Shakespeare are a poetic force that can’t be ignored — and can be taught creatively THAT most famous bard of Elizabethan England, William Shakespeare, is being subjected to an experiment. The aim is to find out whether his plays are relics of old (not […]

The Gauteng Department of Education is finding focus and form under the leadership of recently appointed MEC Ignatius Jacobs. CALLS from Minister of Education Kader Asmal for schools to become the centres of community life have resulted in an innovation that Gauteng Education MEC Ignatius Jacobs hopes will change the mindset of the majority to […]

The Gauteng MEC for Education is shaking things up with his hands-on approach BASED in an office 10 floors above the streets of downtown Johannesburg, Gauteng MEC for Education Ignatius Jacobs is a leader who keeps his ear to the ground. Jacobs, who believes in the ”rare skill” of listening, continually emphasises the value he […]

Education MECs are taking to blitzing problem schools to sort them out. LEARNERS and teachers who like to be serial slackers had better watch out. These days, the next guy to walk into the shebeen during working hours might just be an MEC. Worse still, as Gauteng MEC for Education Ignatius Jacobs showed late last […]

WHILE the worst of the cyclones and floods seems to have abated, schooling is still on hold in the Northern Province. Department representative Rapule Matsane says that the 382 schools previously reported closed will remain so, while a further 322 in the Ellis Rus area are also not presently functioning. This brings the number of […]