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29 May 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Pexels
Prof Melanie Walker
Fostering human capabilities in universities may potentially transform education, says Prof Melanie Walker.

Education is at the centre of human life, and has the potential to be a crucial support for democratic life. Prof Melanie Walker’s recent research paper strikes a balance in dealing with people, education and the implications for democracy through the lens of human capabilities theory and practice and her own research.

People and papers

In her capacity as the SARChI Chair in the Higher Education and Human Development Research Programme at the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Walker recently published a paper titled: Defending the Need for a Foundational Epistemic Capability in Education. It appeared in the special issue of the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities in honour of renowned Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s 85th birthday.

Nurturing epistemic justice

Within the context of existing literature such as that of Sen’s concern with the value of education on the one hand, and public reasoning on the other, Prof Walker argues for a foundational epistemic capability to shape the formal education landscape – as well as quality in education – by fostering inclusive public reasoning (including critical thinking) in all students. It would contribute to what Sen calls the ‘protective power of democracy’ and shared democratic rights, which, he argues, are strongly missed when most needed.

“Sen’s approach asks us to build democratic practices in our university and in our society in ways which create capabilities for everyone. If our students learn public reasoning in all sorts of spaces in university, including the pedagogical, they may carry this into and back to society,” she said.

Educating for equality

Empowering society and fighting for justice are some of the crucial contributions made possible through fostering the epistemic capability of all students. “The capability requires that each student is recognised as both a knower and teller, a receiver and a contributor in critical meaning and knowledge, and an epistemic agent in processes of learning and critical thinking,” states Prof Walker.

In a young democracy like South Africa’s, inclusive public reasoning becomes all the more essential in order to achieve equality, uphold rights and sustain democracy as enshrined in the constitution, thereby improving people’s lives. 

News Archive

Health Sciences expand their training platform to Trompsburg
2014-04-03

We will soon be able to accommodate more students who wish to obtain a qualification in the medical profession, after an agreement was reached between the UFS’s Faculty of Health Sciences, the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Free State Department of Health.

Some R28 million were allocated to the UFS for setting up two new Health Sciences facilities.

It is through this agreement that the Faculty of Health Sciences recently bought the Midway Hotel in Trompsburg, in order to expand their training opportunities platform for students in the faculty. Two other facilities are currently being negotiated for Kimberley and the Eastern Free State.

Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the faculty, says their training platform at the Universitas Academic Hospital (including Universitas Hospital, the National District Hospital, Pelonomi Hospital, the Free State Psychiatric and 3 Military Hospital) is saturated.

“We couldn’t accommodate additional students without compromising the quality of practical training. We are forced to expand the training platform to other good primary health facilities which will be accredited by that the Health Professions Council – in this case the new Trompsburg.”

Prof Van Zyl says the necessary infrastructure must be put in place before student numbers can be increased. Some of the plans include:

  • Furnished accommodation in Trompsburg for about 50 students from the School of Medicine, School of Allied Health Professions and the School of Nursing.
  • Administrative and academic support points, including office space for administrative and other essential learning areas.
  • Equipment and facilities for e-learning.

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