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09 October 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Barend Nagel
Braille Signage
Big on Braille: Members of the Kovsie community who are living with visual impairments can now access directions through the new braille system.

The University of the Free State (UFS) commemorate World Sight Day, which is celebrated annually on the second Thursday of October. The day has been set aside and aimed at drawing attention to blindness and vision. This was originally initiated by the #SightFirstCampaign of the Lions Club International Foundation in 2000. 
The university aims to contribute to the development and social justice of all students through the production of globally competitive graduates. Thus, the development and implementation of co-curricular programmes, activities, services, and mutual infrastructure will allow for humanising daily lived experiences among students, which are essential for universal access, student academic success, social behaviour, engagement, and an inclusive institutional culture.

With this in mind, the university rolled out a capital project that included the construction of tactile pathways with braille indicators on the pathways, designed to support and caution pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired. The indicators are universally accessible, because it includes Braille and text. The text then gives indications to new students who are also struggling to find their way around campus.

A UFS Bachelor of Social Sciences student who dreams of becoming a social worker, Tshegofatso Nkatlholang, who was born partially blind, but is now completely blind is motivated by the prospect of living a life where she has the ability to help the less fortunate. Her opinion of the construction and implementation of the new tactile pathways on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus is that they are extremely helpful. She went on to say, “That is my road, and I am grateful for a university that strives to operate an inclusive infrastructural environment where I don’t feel sidelined.”
Kovsie student Keamogetswe Mbele was born partially blind with very low vision, eventually losing her eyesight. She explained that she had no knowledge of the newly built braille indicators on the tactile pathways, but that she felt appreciative of the university’s initiative to constitute an inclusive academic and infrastructural environment for all students on campus. Motivated by her personal goals of independence and financial freedom, ‘Kamo’, as her peers refer to her, is determined to live a prosperous academic life throughout the course of her studies at the UFS.

According to Mookgo Moloi, a Kovsie student who was not born blind but gradually lost her sight at the age of 15, said, “Life on campus is very caring”. She reflected on the opportunities, as well as the technical and emotional support that the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) has provided her, which has made her academic career a lot easier, and more advantageous for her to graduate. 
CUADS further strives to facilitate, create opportunities, and enhance students’ understanding of multiple intersections and ways of being that are consistent with human rights and the principles of social justice.




News Archive

Additional and ad hoc examinations as well as results
2017-01-11

Additional Examination

Additional examinations will be arranged for students who are unable to write the main examination during the period 24 November 2016 to 14 December 2016 (excluding the Faculty of Health Sciences).
 
The additional examinations will take place from 4 January 2017 to 16 January 2017.
Application forms are available at the Examination Department and online at KovsieLife.

Closing date for all additional examination applications: 14 December 2016.
The Examination Department will notify students of the outcome via e-mail.
 
Procedure:
•    Completed applications will be handed in at the Examination Department.
•    The Examination Department will notify students of the outcome via e-mail.
•    Students must refer to the official examination timetable for their personal timetable.

For more information, please contact Anneline Dyers on dyersaf@ufs.ac.za
 

Ad hoc Examinations

Ad hoc examinations will be arranged for students who are unable to write the main and additional examinations in the periods 24 November to 14 December and 4 January 2017 to 16 January 2017, respectively (excluding the Faculty of Health Sciences).

 
The ad hoc examinations will take place from 23 to 27 January 2017.
Application forms are available at the Examination Department.

Closing date for all ad hoc applications: 14 December 2016.
The Examination Department will notify students of the outcome via e-mail.
 
Procedure:
•    Completed applications must be handed in at the Examination Department.
•    The Examination Department will electronically send applications, including supporting documents, to the respective deans and the Registrar (Governance) for approval.
•    The Examination Department will notify students of the outcome via e-mail.
•    The Examination Department will arrange a venue for the examinations.

For more information, please contact Alfredine Majiedt on majiedtay@ufs.ac.za


Results

Provisional examination results for the main and additional examinations will be posted onto a student’s record seven (7) working days after the relevant examination. Should students require their provisional results, they may access it via Self-Service on KovsieLife.
 
Official examination results will only be available on 1 February 2017.

For more information, please contact Edwin Crouch on crouchej@ufs.ac.za

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