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03 March 2021
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Story Giselle Baillie
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Photo Supplied
_web.jpg?sfvrsn=987e6620_1 "NJ van Merwe Read More (1)_web")
Residence members who led the project, included:
Bohlokwa Rantja, the Residence Prime, and Transformation Committee members Nsuku Mutemela, Ofentse Motlakeng, Phindile Tjale, Madinku Mabala, Mmapopi Motshoso, Karabo Shuping, and Tagane Sekete.
The University of the Free State (UFS) Council approved and adopted Lehakwe House as the new name for the
NJ van der Merwe residence on the Bloemfontein Campus. The approval on 26 November 2020 followed a lengthy process of deliberation, consultation, and public engagement that has taken place since November 2019 and is aligned with the UFS Policy on Naming and Renaming. The name-change process was initiated by the Prime and Transformation Committee of the residence, guided by the
Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice and supported by a multi-stakeholder committee representative of the residence, the Housing and Residence Affairs Office, the Department of Student Affairs, the Student Representative Council, and alumni.
Lehakwe – a precious gem
Following a lengthy evaluation process of the names submitted through a public voting and recommendation platform in July 2020, ‘Lehakwe’ – a Sesotho word referring to a ‘precious gem’ – emerged as the front runner. As many current and past members of the residence attest, this womxn’s residence has come to occupy a significant space within the hearts and minds of UFS students and the UFS community, given that its spirit has always been closely aligned with the constitutional values of dignity, equality, and freedom and with the human values of ubuntu. In this vein, the new name of ‘Lehakwe’ presents a consolidation of constitutional and university values into the day-to-day thinking, learning, living, and legacy spaces of students, as well as everyone who interacts and engages with the UFS.
UFS to lead African agricultural education initiative
2008-06-17
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The Bill and Melinda Gates- and W.K. Kellogg Foundations have agreed to partner in support of a 10-year research and development programme. This programme will revise agricultural education curricula in Africa to become more responsive to the needs of smallholder African family farms. The goal of the initiative is the emergence of an agricultural human resource and knowledge system that drives smallholder farmer-led development and innovation to achieve improved productivity, food security and economic development in Africa.
The University of the Free State (UFS) and the Academy for Educational Development (AED), a USA-based non-governmental organisation, have been appointed as the two lead grantees to spearhead this initiative. Prof. Frans Swanepoel (right), Director: Research Development at the UFS has been appointed as the part-time Initiative Director, with Dr Aldo Stroebel, Head: Internationalisation at the UFS as the part-time Initiative Manager. They will partake in the conceptualisation and design of the strategy and structure for this continent-wide initiative. R8 million has been granted to the UFS to lead the initial 18-month exploratory phase. It is envisaged that the two foundations will invest in excess of R100 million (US$14 million) in the initiative.
Photo: Supplied
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