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17 July 2020 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo UFS photo archive
Education researchers dominated the recent CTL Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus.
The Faculty of Education on the Qwaqwa Campus has recently dominated the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s (CTL) Excellence in Learning and Teaching Awards, as well as the Research Awards for 2019/2020. The faculty’s Drs Bunmi Omodan and Maria Tsakeni were placed first and second respectively in the category Research in Teaching and Learning. This was on top of the faculty’s accolade in the category Faculty/Department that is the most involved in Teaching and Learning events and practices on the Qwaqwa Campus.

“The faculty is indeed proud to be associated with these fine scholars and the excellence they represent,” said Faculty of Education Dean,Prof Loyiso Jita, in a congratulatory message to the faculty members.

“To the winners, please continue to live our emerging vision of ‘Representing and using our diversity, excellence in scholarship on research and teaching, and an ethic of care and service’ to produce teachers with balanced knowledge and skills and a consciousness to serve all of society in its diversity,” he added.

Winners from the faculty for the Research Awards were Dr Bekithemba Dube as the Most Prolific Researcher in the Faculty of Education and Dr Sekitla Makhasane in the category Best Emerging Researcher in the Faculty of Education.
It is the first time in years that all four faculties received Learning and Teaching Awards. Institutional awards are scheduled for September 2020. 

The full list of winners is as follows:

Excellence in Learning and Teaching Awards:

Category: Research in Learning and Teaching:
Position 1: Dr Bunmi Omodan (Faculty of Education)
Position 2: Dr Maria Tsakeni (Faculty of Education)

Category: Innovation in Learning and Teaching:
Position 1: Dr Diana Breshears and Rentia Engelbrecht (The Humanities)
Position 2: Prof Aliza le Roux (Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
Position 3: Lebohang Masoabi (Economic and Management Sciences)
Position 4: Dr Maria Tsakeni (Faculty of Education)

Category: Faculty / Departmental Award
Faculty of Education (with special mention of Dr Cias Tsotetsi; Dr Maria Tsakeni; Thabiso Motsoeneng; and Dr Sekitla Makhasane).

Research Awards per faculty:
Education
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Bekithemba Dube (School of Education Studies)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Sekitla Makhasane (School of Education Studies)

The Humanities
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Oliver Nyambi (Department of English)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Tshepo Moloi (Department of History)

Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Most Prolific Researcher: Prof Francis Dejene (Department of Physics)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Lehlohonolo Koao (Department of Physics)

Economic and Management Sciences
Most Prolific Researcher: Dr Calvin Mudzingiri (Department of Economics and Finance)
Best Emerging Researcher: Dr Charity Gomo (Department of Economics and Finance)

News Archive

Read a book SA encourages South Africans to read one book a month
2012-09-20

Campus Principal Dr Elias Malete on the left and Tebogo Ditshego's. With them are Betsy Eister, UFS Director: Library and Information Services and Mathene Mahanke from the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
20 September 2012

'Read a book SA's" objective is to bring reading into the everyday lives of South Africans. Speaking at Writers’ Day on the Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State last Thursday, Ditshego said reading was essential. “Of all the skills that anyone can ever have, reading is the most fundamental of them all. It improves one's attention, confidence and discipline, amongst others.”

Ditshego asked why South Africa is presently faced with a 25,2% unemployment rate compared to Germany's 6-8%, despite South Africa having more and better natural resources. The answer, according to him, rests with lack of knowledge and critical skills in South Africans.

“Out of 144 countries, South Africa is ranked 133th in as far as the delivery of quality education is concerned. The reason for this is that South Africans lack knowledge, as they do not read enough. Most South Africans read for information, which is different from knowledge,” Ditshego argued.

In his welcoming remarks, Campus Principal Dr Elias Malete challenged authors to continue reminding society of their responsibilities.

“It is also your duty and responsibility to teach diplomacy lessons, to teach about effective leadership that is accountable, fair and transparent,” said Dr Malete.

Amongst the established authors who shared their wisdom with budding writers was Dr KPD Maphalla, a Sesotho literature guru and custodian of Sesotho language and culture. UFS students and learners from Sekgutlong and Tiisetsang secondary schools had the opportunity to showcase their writing skills. They also received expert advice on manuscript development and publishing from Mathene Mahanke from the Free State's Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

The annual Writers' Day is a joint venture of the Campus Principal and the Library and Information Services (LIS).

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