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15 February 2018
Photo Anja Aucamp
House Veritas show up and show off
The first-years’ athletics evening had arrived. Students were more than eager to get off the ground with the activities as they poured into Pellies Park grouped in their specific residences. The stadium quickly filled and livened up as students sang and cheered in anticipation of the official races.
The event was graced by the likes of Anna Sofia Botha, also known as Tannie Ans, the coach of South African World and Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk.
DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport at the University of the Free State (UFS), and the official announcer for the night, said he was looking forward to witnessing the talent that was about to be unleashed.
“The athletics is one of the highlights on the calendar of the university for the year,” said Prinsloo.
According to him, a total of 15 newly recruited athletes who had won medals at South African junior competitions in 2017 had amalgamated with the UFS. Needless to say, it will be a year of victories.
It was a great success, with houses Vishuis and Sonnedou the overall team winners for the night. Veritas and Legatum were in second and third position in the men’s competition. Arista were placed second for the overall women’s competition, and Marjolein and Wag-'n-Bietjie came in third place. House Harmony, Imperium and Veritas won the spirit cup for the female, co-ed and male teams respectively.
UFS plays leading role in implementing curriculum for deaf learners
2013-08-15
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Minister Angie Motshekga (front left) joined by members of the South African Sign Language task team. Behind Minister Motshekga’s shoulder is Dr Philemon Akach.
15 August 2013 |
South African Sign Language (SASL) will soon be offered as a school subject to Grade 0–12 learners in all 42 schools for the deaf in South Africa. Our Department of South African Sign Language had a role to play in this significant development that will empower deaf learners in South Africa and the continent.
Dr Philemon Akach, Head of the Department of South African Sign Language at the UFS, is part of the nine-member task team that recently handed over the SASL curriculum to the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga. The curriculum will be offered as a home language in all schools from 2014 and Grade 12 learners will be able to write it as a final-year examination subject.
Dr Akach – a member of the task team since 2009 – helped to coordinate the development of the curriculum.
The implementation of the curriculum means a lot to the Department of South African Sign Language, Dr Akach says. “We have championed the linguistic needs of the deaf community ever since we became the first university to offer SASL as an academic course, not only in South Africa, but also on the continent.”
Dr Akach says most Education students are already taking SASL as subject in his department, equipping them as prospective teachers to make implementation of the curriculum a smooth one. “Given our expertise, we will train teachers in the field and be involved in the setting and moderation of exam papers. The University of the Free State is no doubt a leader in this field.”