Good news is not newsworthy It seems as if the print media is mainly interested in reporting sensational news stories Since 1994, there have been many stories about racism, especially at former Model C-schools. Former Afrikaans schools like Vryburg High have received much media attention that only the ignorant are unaware of their recent history […]
Education Express has both value and grit, writes Adele van den Berg Begging for a couple of cents, looking ragged and desparate: the all too familiar sight of Johannesburg’s street kids. Getting these children into schools was the subject of a documentary recently featured in the new series of Education Express. One school featured is […]
“Qualified Teachers for Quality Education” is the theme for World Teachers’ Day, observed globally on October 5 World Teachers’ Day began in 1994 as a Unesco event to acknowledge the contribution of teachers, as well as to highlight their concerns. “There is no question that teachers should be honoured with their own day of celebration. […]
M J Lee finally gives in to the computer age Some of us arrive later at modern technology than others. The elderly, familiar word-processor had just declared terminal illness, work was piling up all around, and there was no escape. I had to take that fateful step into the computer age. So here I was, […]
Minister of Education Kader Asmal has welcomed the report of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) into initiation practices at education institutions. Asmal says his department will work together with provincial colleagues and education role players to develop the necessary policy to give effect to the recommendations in the report. The minister believes that […]
Gava Kassiem recalls the ups and downs of her life as a teacher Learners are unaware of the tapestry they weave into an educator’s life. There are some who by their very nature embody the earnestness and nobility of a once-revered profession. My teaching career started in a township school in Athlone, a derelict building […]
Name: Neil Naidoo Age: 41 Occupation: Project manager What is project management? In today’s dynamic global business environment, organisations are forced to deliver fast, low-cost, high-quality products and services to their customers. To meet these demands, unique undertakings initiated in organisations have to be handled as projects. As the awareness of project management spreads, an […]
Refugees made to feel welcome Educators, learners and parents at Clareville Primary School in Clare Estate, Durban, are still abuzz over the visit to the school by Nene Annan, wife of Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations. Annan, accompanied by former President of the Netherlands Rudd Lubbers and Bemma Donkoh of the United Nation […]
Name: Vukile Mathabela Age: 24 Occupation: Promotions, events and marketing assistant Describe a typical workday. I communicate with the promotions co-ordinator on a daily basis with regard to departmental needs and tasks; Iiaise with sales people, presenters and producers concerning competitions; collect and file competition-winner information and check prizes received against contracts; and maintain and […]
The “bland and meaningless” National Plan on Higher Education underestimated what it would take to build a strong institutional research culture in South African universities and technikons, according to Jonathan Jansen, dean of education at the University of Pretoria. Jansen says that to build a strong research culture, expertise in each institution is necessary, good […]
The ever-present threat of a sudden spike in global oil prices, and the resulting impact on slow-growing and struggling economies such as Japan, Germany and France, poses a significant risk to local exporters who rely on those markets for much of their business, says a senior South African economist.
The strong trend in new vehicle sales growth continued last month, with the industry recording its best-ever figures for the month of April. New vehicle sales for April 2005 amounted to 40 477 units — an improvement of 11 796 vehicles or 41,1%, compared with the 28 681 new vehicles sold during the corresponding month last year.
The Labour Court on Wednesday postponed judgement on the interdict brought by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) against gold miner Harmony Gold with regards to the laying-off of about 5 000 mineworkers. NUM said that the court had indicated that it would make an announcement at 10am on Friday.
The Zimbabwe government has "little in reserve" to fight off the country’s domestic economic problems and President Robert Mugabe is effectively a rugby fullback facing a front line of opposition, said the Movement for Democratic Change on Tuesday in a post-mortem of the March 31 parliamentary election.
I’m going to use a couple of words that you might have been trained to switch off at and back away from: "culture" and "art". Don’t panic. Locally, "culture" and "art" tend to be rather primitive, grim and at best just a creative reaction to the various past and present oppressions in this society — regardless of the ethnic origins of whoever is doing it. Here’s some art that actually has a brain and is rather cool.
This week, let’s look at current events and oddities that perhaps indicate where we are heading as a gadget- and convenience-loving species. Despite the myths of humankind being "hard working", the truth is that throughout history, all the big leaps forward in technology seem to have happened because we are actually lazy as hell, and always looking for an easier way of doing things.
In a fishy tale with a different ending, an Australian angler on Tuesday described how a 1,5m mackerel jumped into his boat, knocked him down and injured him — and then got away. Glen Hopper said he suffered bruised ribs and cuts to his face and arms when the mackerel flattened him.
Doctors in northern Thailand have removed almost three dozen fly maggots from a woman’s nose, where they were eating their way towards her brain, a report said on Tuesday. The 38-year-old pig farmer from the north-western city of Chiang Mai is believed to be the first reported case in Thailand of maggots nesting in a human’s nose.
"Being a bit of a drama queen and a kugel too, I burst into tears when the young black United States Customs and Immigration man at John F Kennedy airport held my hand in a tight grip and rolled my fingers round and round, every one, to allow the computer to take accurate fingerprints. Right then, the drama queen in me imagined myself in Guantanamo Bay, blindfolded and crouching," writes Ferial Haffajee.
China is dramatically expanding both economic and political involvement in Africa in a bid to secure energy supplies, access to basic commodities and new markets for its manufactured goods. African leaders looking for development models to replace the economic liberalism of the Washington Consensus are increasingly looking to China’s industrial revolution for inspiration.
"After a somewhat neurotic start, the local mini-series, <i>Hard Copy</i>, has settled into its scaffolding and now ranks in the very short list of worthy productions to have emanated from SABC television. It’s economically shot and scripted, The characters resolve authentically and maintain their individuality", writes Robert Kirby.
Free-to-air channel e.tv editor-in-chief Joe Thloloe will be leaving the station at the end of this week, the channel said on Friday. Thloloe was appointed to the top job in 2002. Thloloe joined e.tv as a media consultant and was instrumental in the establishment of its news and current affairs programme <i>Morning Edition</i>.
The last rebel leader still fighting in Burundi, Agathon Rwasa, emerged from the bush this week to begin preparing for negotiations in Dar es Salaam to join the peace process. Those talks could begin as early as next week. Rwasa, leader of the Forces of National Liberation, told the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> that the time was right to join the peace process.
Yvonne Vera died shrouded in her own mysteries, just as she wrote them. In retrospect, it seems as if that is what she intended. But why? In one of her novels, <i>Butterfly Burning</i>, she wrote: "The fire moves over her light as a feather, smooth like oil." Fire would burn away the delicate elegance of the butterfly. A moth drawn to the naked flame.
South African producer prices for all commodities rose by 1,9% in the 12 months to the end of March, from a 1,2% increase for the 12 months to the end of February, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday. "I think inflation going forward might not rise as much as people think," commented economist Mike Schussler.
Tax officials in Sierra Leone have infuriated Christians with the publication on Monday of newspaper advertisements saying Jesus Christ supported the paying of taxes. The half-page advertisements quoted Jesus’s reply when he was asked if he was against a law requiring the payment of taxes to the Roman emperor.
Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spin doctors mounted a novel defence on Tuesday after schoolchildren appeared to boo the premier on a pre-election visit, explaining they were actually chanting "boom", an arcane term of approval in British youth slang. Slang expert Tony Thorne said "boom" is a term signifying "approval or delight".
Britain’s state-owned postal service has found a novel cure for rampant absenteeism among staff, according to a report on Tuesday — tempting malingerers back with the chance of winning a car. Since the Royal Mail started the incentive scheme six months ago, attendance levels have risen by more than 10%.
CPIX inflation (headline inflation excluding mortgage costs) was up 3,6% year-on-year (y/y) for metro and other areas in March, compared with a record low 3,1% y/y in February, Statistics South Africa said on Tuesday. "March’s CPIX inflation rate rose mainly on the back of the petrol price hike," commented an economist.
Name: Prim Reddy Age: 27 Occupation: Television presenter Describe a typical work day We work 15 six-hour shifts a month. In the afternoon slot, we start at 11.30am and the evening shift starts at 5pm. Make-up, hair and wardrobe are booked for an hour before we air. We write our own scripts before going on […]
There should be a special concession for schools and libraries logging onto the information superhighway, writes Parthy Chetty Information and communication technologies (ICT) are having an increasing influence on education, among other systems. In order for all learners and educators to benefit from the impact of ICT, it is necessary to create an affordable level […]
G e t t i n g F E T Your guide to further education and training for teachers South Africa may well hold the key to unlocking the secrets of human history. The Sterkfontein area is one of the single richest sites for early human fossils in the world and one of the longest […]