Advice on how parents can create an open, healthy environment for children to talk about their bodies, feelings and sex when they are young Many parents find talking about sex one of the most difficult and embarrassing aspects of parenting and often avoid it completely. The danger in not educating children about sex is that […]

Edwin Naidu spoke to Minister of Education Kader Asmal, about how his plans have been shaping up It is not difficult to notice why Kader Asmal was nicknamed ‘The Bee” during his schooldays. He swarms around, buzzing with enthusiasm, moving swiftly from one idea to the next, sometimes not completing his train of thought. In […]

Schoolgirls are raped in school toilets, fields and empty classrooms. Charlene Smith previews a report on sexual harassment and assault International human rights agency, Human Rights Watch (HRW) is to urge South Africa’s education authorities to institute a national plan of action to prevent and deal with sexual violence in schools. Later this month the […]

Nombasa Hala joined Ndlovukazi High school in Queenstown in 1999 as a substitute teacher. Fresh out of college, she taught general science and maths for the year. ”Up until now,” says Hala, ”I have not once been paid. I have never received a cent.” She estimates that she is owed R36 000 by the Eastern […]

The rural town called Centane, which lies between Butterworth and the ocean, has five junior secondary schools servicing the area. No doubt this is too many for the size of the local population, if you judge by the pressure to secure enrolments-and teaching posts. Patricia Noah Junior Secondary and Mpentsa’s Junior Secondary are examples of […]

Schooling is going ahead in fits and starts as provincial mismanagement makes itself felt in the classroom. Reports and photos by Julia Grey Incompetence in the Eastern Cape Province Education Department (Ecped) is taking its toll on the smooth running of many of its schools. Ntlalo-Ntle Senior Secondary in Steynsburg is just one school facing […]

Elinor Sisulu looks at how illiteracy was addressed in India There is passion aplenty in India for books and reading. India is one of the major book-producing countries in the world, ranking third after the United States and Britain. According to the Federation of Indian Publishers, India produces 60 000 titles every year in 18 […]

The Montessori philosophy teaches children respect, writes Nawaal Deane If you don’t behave I am going to hit you!” How many times have you heard these words from parents trying to discipline their unruly children? Most teachers and parents use outdated forms of discipline, like shouting, threatening, bribing or resorting to hitting. But they find […]

The incorporation of a teacher training college into a university faculty of education has happened without incident, writes Bongani Mjola More than six years of negotiations between the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Education and the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE) have finally borne fruit. In line with the government’s policy of incorporating teacher […]