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30 March 2021 | Story Cornelle Scheltema-Van Wyk
A cover image of the Perspectives in Education journal

Perspectives in Education (PiE) is one of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) accredited academic journals. Hosted on KovsieJournals with eight other accredited titles published by the UFS, PiE is a fully open-access journal, which means that all articles are freely available on the internet immediately after publication. A professional, peer-reviewed journal, PiE represents a variety of cross-disciplinary interests, both theoretical and practical, seeking to stimulate important dialogue and intellectual exchange on education and democratic transition with respect to schools, colleges, non-governmental organisations, universities, and universities of technology in South Africa and beyond.

Moving to the South Campus for Open Distance Learning 

The latest issue looked at the seismic disruptions brought about by COVID-19 in 2020, and the global challenges for education systems to promote and continue meaningful learning. Schools and colleges across the globe were closed, and teachers, students, schools, universities, and education planners had to create contingency plans. In the scholarly community, COVID-19 unsettled what we know, how we come to know, and how we should proceed from here onwards. It was the opportune moment for re-invigorated interrogation, rethinking discussion, and replanning education. An opportunity to rethink teaching and learning, the organisation of educational institutions, and the structure and workings of education systems, as well as to reflect once again on the objectives of education, and the interrelationship between education and society.

The issue features many national and international authors – from the UFS to authors from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Israel, Brazil, and Haiti. Its diverse content comes from a relatively new editorial team. Prof Jan Nieuwenhuis’ first issue as editor-in chief was published in 2020. The move to the South Campus for Open Distance Learning was accompanied by the journal’s application to be included in the internationally renowned accreditation list, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The DOAJ has strict inclusion criteria, and to be included on this list is a mark of a high-quality open-access academic journal. 

Just over a year after moving, PiE is now included in the DOAJ list and appears on four accredited lists (also DHET, IBSS, and Scopus). The journal has firmly cemented its place in the field of education and is broadening the reach of research for the University of the Free State

News Archive

Macufe Wordfest and UFS bring literary practitioners together
2017-10-18

Description: Macufe Wordfest  Tags: Macufe Wordfest
The Macufe Wordfest attracted language practitioners from
the Free State and Eastern Cape Province. From the left are:
Dr Elias Malete (UFS: African Languages),
Prof Johannes Malefetsane Lenake (honoured guest),
Nthabiseng Naketsana (Eastern Cape: Head of
Provincial Languages Services), Shoaneng Sefali
(Chairperson: Free State Writers Forum), Mariaan Otto
(Language Practitioner at FS government) and
Dr Mathene Abram Mahanke (Free State: Head of Provincial
Languages Services). Photo: Jóhann Thormählen

The University of the Free State (UFS) has a responsibility to advance good stakeholder relationships with public and government entities by creating opportunities for collaborative projects. According to Dr Elias Malete, Senior Lecturer and Academic Head at the Department of African Languages, this is why it is important for the UFS to be involved in projects such as Macufe Wordfest.

His department and the UFS Library, in collaboration with the Provincial Languages Services, hosted Wordfest on the Bloemfontein Campus as part of the Mangaung Cultural Festival. He says the main focus of the word festival, held from 4-6 October 2017 in the Economic and Management Sciences Auditorium, was to bring together literary practitioners from the Free State and Eastern Cape.

Prof Malefetsane Lenake honoured
“In this festival, budding authors have a platform to read their works to fellow practitioners, seasoned authors use their experience and expertise to assist budding and aspiring authors, and published authors have the opportunity to launch their new books,” says Dr Malete. 

Highlights included the recognition of longstanding, retired academic, Prof Johannes Malefetsane Lenake, for his contribution to the development of Sesotho, and the awarding of trophies to learners who wrote excellent essays in Sesotho, Setswana, isiXhosa and isiZulu about the life of OR Tambo.

First African Languages Writers Day
On 30 August 2017 various Sesotho writers’ organisations gathered at the UFS Sasol Library to celebrate the first African Languages Writers Day. It was hosted by Department of African Languages and the UFS library and mapped a way forward on ways to promote African Languages recognised by the Free State language policy.

The goal was to promote and preserve African languages, unearth writers, share ideas, and help to shape the future. Dr Malete says such events are important to ensure that UFS “is a people-centred institution where the educational and developmental needs of local communities are catered for”.

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