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09 April 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Valentino Ndaba
William Kandowe, principal of the Albert Street School in Johannesburg, Dr Faith Mkwananzi, the author, and DR Chris High
From right: William Kandowe, principal of the Albert Street School in Johannesburg, Dr Faith Mkwananzi, the author, and DR Chris High, Senior Lecturer at Linnaeus University in Sweden, at the book launch.

Dr Faith Mkwananzi’s road from secondary school to university has been paved with challenges. After repeating her matric five times in Zimbabwe, she became an international university student in South Africa in 2006. Some years later, on 3 April 2019, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus witnessed the launch of her excellent book titled: Higher Education, Youth and Migration in Contexts of Disadvantages: Understanding Aspirations and Capabilities, which was informed by these and many circumstances.

Aspirations formation

The book speaks to her own life. “Born and raised in Zimbabwe in KwaBulawayo, I had my own aspirations. I knew I did not want be a nurse   my mother’s earnest interest and desire for me,” said Dr Mkwananzi as she related the fluid dreams her seven-year-old self had that culminated into aspirations to enter academia.

Aspirations enabled Dr Mkwananzi’s capabilities to pursue a PhD in Development Studies at UFS, and then write her book. “Higher education aspirations are worth pursuing,” said the current postdoctoral researcher at the university’s South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) in Higher Education and Human Development Research Programme, as she reflected on her academic journey.

Voices of marginalised migrants
 

Dr Mkwananzi has focused her book on the lives, experiences and the formation of higher education aspirations among marginalised migrant youth in Johannesburg. She gives these young people a voice to narrate their own story, making this research an essential work for understanding the conditions necessary for youth to live valuable lives in both local and international contexts. 

News Archive

Kovsie TV Launched
2015-05-06

Victor Ngubeni, Grace Thoabala, Nangamso Dlatu, Aisha Poswa, Lesego Maakamedi, Nothando Hlope, Aldene vd Merwe and Lawrence Siyoko

“We have to change our university before we can change our country.”

 

There is a revolution at hand, and students are requesting new and exciting platforms on which they can voice themselves. Kovsie TV aims to do just that for Kovsie students. 

 

As a student initiative, the steam behind it is SRC Student Development and Environmental Affairs, Victor Ngubeni. He says that it is only right that it be by the students themselves. The launch saw many from the campus community gathered out of curiosity and excitement for the new venture. The evening started out as quite a classy frenzy, which had attendees clearly prepared for the level of broadcasting that the launch would showcase.

 

The initial idea is to increase the number of platforms where students can receive information. The Student Media portfolio, which oversees the functioning of student media platforms, aims to make Kovsie TV as autonomous as possible. As an introductory initiative, it will aid in the sharing and telling of students’ stories.

 

It is important to mention the preparation process that was endured by the many hopefuls who auditioned, hoping to make it as one of the Kovsie TV presenters. For more than three weeks, the panel of judges sieved through the contestants until they had just six rough diamonds. Then, for the first time, the audience met the faces that they would become familiar with from this point.

 

As Ngubeni stressed during his speech, Kovsie TV would not serve as propaganda machine for the SRC, as many might have asked about the relationship that could be expected between the two. The architects of Kovsie TV hope that, as a student initiative, it will inspire a new era in student activism.

 

When asked about the concept behind this new platform, Ngubeni informed us that, “the concept is to have a twenty-minute campus TV show highlighting what goes on around campus so that students know, and so that we can get them participating in campus life activities.”

 

This is a student initiative whose future will depend solely on the students themselves.

 

Presenters:

Nangamso Dlathu – Studio presenter

Grace Thoabala – Studio presenter

Lesego Maakamedi – Social events

Nothando Hlophe – Current affairs

Aldine van der Merwe – Culture events and Vox-Pop

Mbulelo Siyoko – Culture and Vox-Pop

Aisha Phoswa ? Sports

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