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23 February 2021 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied
Mankopane Tsosane.

Juggling work and studies while creating work-life balance can be quite challenging for many. Mankopane Tsosane managed to do just that. A staff member in the Department of Public Administration and Management on the Qwaqwa Campus, Tsosane will receive her MAdmin degree at the University of the Free State virtual graduation ceremony on 24 February 2021.

Promoted by Prof Liezel Lues, the title of Tsosane dissertation is, The influence of human resource development challenges on public health service delivery in Mangaung.  The study examined the human-resource development (HRD) challenges facing the administrative staff of the National, Pelonomi Regional, and the Universitas Academic hospitals.

“I am extremely excited and honoured to have gone through this journey and completed my master’s degree,” says Tsosane. This was no easy task, as I was supposed to balance my work and study. But this couldn’t have happened if it had not been for the continued support of my supervisor, Prof Liezel Lues. She has been a pillar of strength throughout, and for that I am forever indebted to her. “I have learned that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and anything is possible if you put your mind to it, with the right amount of discipline and dedication.”

An article written by Tsosane was accepted for publication in the next issue of the Journal of Public Administration titled: ‘Leadership Accountability and the Development of Administrative Staff at Prominent Hospitals in the Mangaung Metropolitan Health Area’.

The dissertation accepts that there is an increasing demand from the public for quality health-service delivery, as shown in the high number of public protests against poor health-service delivery. The study concludes that the Free State Department of Health (FSDoH) is still faced with the problem of a skills audit and insufficient budget allocations. Therefore, there is a dire need by the FSDoH to acquire skilled HRD professionals or to upgrade their skills and knowledge to meet the requirements of the now changing public sector.

News Archive

Moving towards creating a more accessible UFS for mobility-impaired students
2015-07-21


Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support’s logo for persons with mobility impairments.
Design: Karoo Republic


Hi, my name is Jackson, and I am a wheelchair user following an accident that left me paralysed.

We often take for granted the ability to navigate obstacles, and to move readily from place to place. Few people have to worry about mobility on campus, but for students with mobility impairments, it presents many challenges that few of us are aware of.

 

The biggest struggle for students with mobility impairments is often encountered in the lecture room/hall. Once they arrive at the class (often struggling to get there on time), their next challenge might be entering the classroom and finding a suitable place where they can sit comfortably. As it is, there are only a few loose tables in most lecture halls. Consequently, the students have to sit through the lecture taking notes and working with their laptops resting on their laps. Obviously, this is uncomfortable and not conducive to their learning process.

 

When students have limited hand function, the result is that they write more slowly and with difficulty. However, the UFS does offer assistance from scribes, adapted computer hardware/software, assistive devices, and/or modified furniture. Such adaptations can be arranged by the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS), which boasts an official test and examination venue where students with mobility impairments can proceed with their tests and exams if they prefer.

 

Students with Cerebral Palsy may experience difficulties with quick, sudden physical movements, and delayed processing of information. Stressful circumstances can result in their experiencing difficulty when having to write or process information quickly enough during test and examination situations. The Extra Time Panel, in collaboration with Student Counselling and Development, determines the time concession for those students with mobility impairments who have such needs.  

 

The importance of accessible parking spaces exclusively designated for wheelchair users not only involves such places being closer to a building entrance but also wide enough for a wheelchair user to get in and out of a vehicle safely.

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