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02 December 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs
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Prof Koos Albertyn handing over a donation of eleven microscopes to Anzell Spelding, a teacher at Luckhoff Combined School.

With a donation of microscopes, the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently contributed to better quality education for a group of 60 learners in the Life Sciences class at the Luckhoff Combined School.

Anzell Spelding, a teacher at the school – with a newly built science laboratory but little equipment – contacted the department a while ago to enquire whether they have any microscopes available to donate. As the department recently acquired a new set of microscopes for undergraduate teaching in the field of Microbiology, ten fully functional microscopes and two other microscopes (for parts) were donated to motivate the learners to choose science as a career.

“This donation puts scientific instruments in the hands of children at an early age, opening their eyes to the possibility of careers in science. Exposing learners to science at an early age can spark enthusiasm and a love of learning that might otherwise never appear,” said Koos Albertyn, Professor in the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.

“These microscopes will enable learners to look at specimens at a microscopic level and therefore access the wonders of natural science at the tiniest and most fascinating level,” he added. 

News Archive

Anonymous e-mail campaign
2008-03-14

Statement by Prof. Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS)

A number of anonymous e-mails have been sent around the country the past couple of days creating a false impression about the situation on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

In the e-mail reference is made to the morning of Tuesday, 4 March 2008 when incidents of intimidation by black students occurred on the Main Campus.

In the e-mail it is alleged that a white girl was attacked at the food court, her clothes ripped from her body, thrown off the Thakaneng Bridge (the university’s student centre) and that she had to run back to her residence. This is not true and if it was the case, the matter would have been reported and would have been addressed immediately.

Allegations of chaos and disorder on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein are also made in the e-mail. This is also untrue. Two peaceful protest marches, for which permission was granted, have already taken place yesterday and today (Thursday, 13 March 2008). These marches took place without any incidents.

I regard this as an anonymous campaign to whip up emotions, destabilise the campus and to instill fear among staff and students who are traumatised by the Reitz video and the repercussions thereof.

I urge parents, especially, not to allow themselves to be upset by such false rumours and e-mails.

All the university’s community, including parents, staff and students must come to terms with the Reitz video in a calm and rational way. The UFS management is intensively busy to manage this situation in the interest of the university and all its people. Academic activities are continuing as normal.


Media Release
Issued by: Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 3422
Cell: 072 207 8334
E-mail: fishera.stg@ufs.ac.za  
13 March 2008

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