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UFS medical students improve life for kids at Lethabo Daycare Centre
UFS medical students donate furniture for the Lethabo Daycare Centre at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. From left front are: Anda Gxolo, Tshepo Ntoule, the daycare centre principal Selina Keta, Andrea Bailey and Yenziwe Mbambo. Back from left: Ilyas Moola Malibongwe Jiyane, and Yusuf Moola Umar Kajee

There is strong evidence to suggest that improving a caregiver’s knowledge has an impact on a child’s development. This is according to the Human Sciences Research Council. With this in mind, medical students from the University of the Free State (UFS) decided to work with a children’s daycare centre in order to improve the quality of care.

The students, from the School of Clinical Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, were encouraged to assist NGOs in and around Bloemfontein, as part of their community service curriculum. They needed to look at hygiene, sanitation, cognitive development, physical development, vaccinations, prevention of diseases, nutritional status, socio-economic status, as well as the children’s environment. Moreover, they needed to highlight how a deficit from one factor could affect the other factors.
 
Through a meta-analysis study of 67 interventions regarding the above points, the students found most interventions to be generally effective in improving the children’s lives in one way or the other.
 
Selina Keta, the principal of Lethabo Daycare Centre in Mangaung, provided a list of problems she faced and ways in which the students could help to improve the conditions at the centre. She noted that the kitchen needed fixing because it did not meet the specifications required by the Department of Education for registration. The main issue was that the gas bottle for the stove was inside the kitchen and had to be moved out. The kitchen also needed steel counters, a sink, and running water. The students moved the gas bottle outside, and provided a fire extinguisher and first aid kit. They also provided a teacher at the centre with first-aid training from St John in Bloemfontein.

The students made sure there was running water and donated cupboards and microwaves to the centre. They also helped build two new classrooms, and there are plans for a third one to cater for different age groups.
As a final gift, the students painted the playground walls and arranged for the teachers to attend skills development workshops. They are also building a toy library for the centre.

News Archive

Three candidates to make public appearances
2009-02-06

Statement by Judge Faan Hancke, Chairperson of the Council of the University ff the Free State

The Selection Committee for the appointment of Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS) has short-listed three candidates for the position. They are:

  • Prof. Jonathan Jansen, former Dean of Education at the University of Pretoria;
  • Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS; and
  • Prof. Nthabiseng Ogude, Vice-Rector of the University of Pretoria for the position.

On Monday, 16 February 2009 the three candidates will introduce themselves to the university community at a public session to present their vision and view of their role as rector and vice-chancellor of the UFS. This will take place at 16:00 in the Odeion on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The Senate will vote on Tuesday, 17 February 2009 for the three candidates in terms of appointability and preference and the Institutional Forum meets on Thursday, 19 February 2009 to advise Council regarding the appointment.

The UFS Council will meet on Friday, 13 March 2009 to make a final decision.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
6 February 2009
 

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