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06 April 2020
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Story Nitha Ramnath
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Photo Sonia Small
UFS accounting students are flying the Kovsie flag high.
The School of Accountancy is proud to announce that 55 (74%) of the 2019 graduates for the BAcc Honours and Postgraduate Diploma in Chartered Accountancy programmes have passed the Initial Test of Competence (ITC) examination for the Chartered Accountant (SA) designation, compared to the national average of 68% for first-time candidates.
The results were recently released by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The ITC examination is the first of two professional examinations required for qualification as a chartered accountant (SA), and is written shortly after completing formal university studies, with two sittings of this examination annually, i.e. in January and June.
Of the 2019 Thuthuka Bursary Programme, seven out of eight graduates passed, translating into an 88% pass rate for this group.
Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of the School of Accountancy, said: “I am pleased to report that these results confirm the quality and excellence of our CA programmes – a point repeatedly noted by the SAICA monitoring team during their formal feedback session last week. These results are also testament to the hard work and dedication of the academic staff in the school.”
South Campus first in SA to introduce new online platform for educators
2016-05-25
Dr Whitty Green (DHET), Phillip Dikgomo (NDBE), Ernst Stals (Free State Department of Education), Isaac Mogotsi (Nothern Cape Department of Education), Tsatsi Montso (Free State Department of Education), Prof Daniella Coetzee (Principal: South Campus), Steven Bailey (Academic Partnerships), and Prof Judy Zimny (Academic Partnerships)
Photo: Eugene Seegers |
The South Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) has become the first in South Africa to introduce a completely online platform for educators to obtain the Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) in either Foundation, Intermediate, or Senior Phase.
Beginning with the first start date of 4 July 2016, this platform will be offered in nine or ten 8-week sessions. It will provide educators the opportunity to complete these certificates in 18-20 months compared to the 24 months usually required by part-time university students. Academic and technological support will also be provided.
Unique platform
Prof Daniella Coetzee, Principal of South Campus, said that she is thrilled, “as this opportunity for educators to earn a qualification 100% online - is a first for both the UFS and South Africa.” This opportunity represents tremendous strides in providing options for South African educators.
According to Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, human connectivity is a key component of education: “We should never reduce education to a stranger at a distance without any human interaction. That is also why the UFS has been consistent in promoting not only its Academic Project, but the Human Project as well.” He said that it would not be possible to extend second-chance opportunities to students without partnerships with government, non-profit organisations, local and international academic partners, and other external stakeholders.
Specific challenges addressed
In her presentation, Prof Judy Zimny, who is affiliated with Academic Partnerships (a company that has supported more than 40 universities in providing high-quality online programmes for educators) aligned a number of the challenges described by South African leaders in supporting educators with opportunities now available through online education as a result of recent strides in learning technologies.
Various members of the national education sector were also present at the workshop to give their input: Isaac Mogotsi (Northern Cape Department of Education), Phillip Dikgomo (National Department of Basic Education - NDBE), Dr Whitty Green (Department of Higher Education and Training - DHET), Tsatsi Montso (Free State Department of Education), and Ernst Stals (Free State Department of Education).
For educators interested in pursuing an Advanced Teaching Certificate (ACT), the website will soon be populated with all admission and enrolment information for programmes starting on 4 July 2016, 29 August 2016, and 24 October 2016.