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26 January 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Charl Devenish
The Free State once again excelled in the NSC matric results. Pictured here is a broadcast of a celebratory event held by the FSDoE on the UFS South Campus in 2021 for the matric class of 2020.
The Free State has claimed the top spot in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results for the third consecutive year, with a pass rate of 85,7% in 2021. 

“On behalf of the executive management, staff, and students of the University of the Free State (UFS), I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to you and your executive team on the Free State being the top-achieving province,” Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, wrote in a congratulatory letter to Dr Tate Makgoe, MEC for Education in the Free State. 

“The UFS is proud to be associated with the Free State Department of Education and we salute you and your team for the many initiatives in schools across the province, which have contributed to the outstanding matric results this year,” Prof Petersen said. 

The UFS will welcome several first-year students on its three campuses in February – many of whom hail from schools in the Free State. The 2021 NSC results were released on 20 January 2022. 
 
Several UFS-led interventions thrive to make impactful change 

The UFS is leading several projects with the Department of Education to address education-related problems in the province. The UFS, through its South Campus, presents the In-Service (InSET) programme, the Internet Broadcast Project (IBP), and the Schools Partnership Project. “It is projects such as these that make a huge difference in the lives of many learners and teachers in our province and that have given so many schools the opportunity to rise to the occasion,” Prof Petersen said. 

The IBP supports learners from 80 schools, with lessons for learners in Grades 8 to 12 being transmitted to three centres across the Free State on a daily basis. Electronic access to learning material is also made possible through the IBP. The Schools Partnership Project, as part of the Social Responsibility Project at the UFS, is focused on the efficacy and quality of school management, subject teaching, and learning development. Well-trained mentors visit project schools on a daily basis, sharing knowledge, materials, and demonstrating the use of technology in an effort to improve the standard of teaching. 

News Archive

Wayde, Karla shine again at KovsieSport gala night
2016-10-27

Description: Wayde en Karla Tags: Wayde en Karla

Tannie Ans Botha, Wayde van Niekerk’s coach,
received a special award from KovsieSport
at the annual Sport Stars Awards ceremony.
From the left, are: DB Prinsloo, Director of
KovsieSport, Botha, and Van Niekerk.
Photo: Hannes Naude


The choice of Wayde van Niekerk as Sportsman of the Year was no surprise, but with this fourth consecutive title he joins select company at the University of the Free State (UFS). The 400 m Olympic champion equalled Franz Kruger’s record for the highest number of successive sports awards for men.

In total, Kruger (discus) was named Sportsman of the Year five times – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. He is also the most awarded Kovsie sportsman.

Blose and Puren rewarded as junior stars
On 20 October 2016, Van Niekerk and the Protea netball player Karla Mostert were honoured as Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at Leopards & Lace in Bloemfontein for a second consecutive year.

It was only the second time that KovsieSport awarded the same sports stars two years in a row – formerly it was Van Niekerk and the Protea netball captain, Maryka Holtzhausen (2013 and 2014).

Kwenzo Blose, who played for the South Africa U20 rugby team at the Junior World Cup, was named Junior Sportsman. The South Africa U21 netball captain Alicia Puren, who helped her team qualify for the 2017 U21 World Cup tournament, was crowned Junior Sportswoman for 2016.

“Wayde van Niekerk gained
unprecedented international
fame, which added untold
value to the KovsieSport
brand.”

Prinsloo proud of high quality
According to DB Prinsloo, director of KovsieSport, his department is proud of the high quality of its sports stars. “Wayde van Niekerk gained unprecedented international fame, which added untold value to the KovsieSport brand. Although Karla Mostert might have experienced tougher opposition from her fellow nominees, she was a real star for the Protea netball team.”

To be awarded, a sports star should be a registered UFS student and comply with specific academic requirements. Van Niekerk (BA Marketing), Mostert (masters in Dietetics), Blose (BA Law), and Puren (Education) meet these requirements.

In order to determine the winners, KovsieSport also uses criteria such as international participation, a contribution to UFS awareness, and excellence in sport.

“To be awarded, a sports star
should be a registered UFS
student and comply with specific
academic requirements.”

Cronjé still holds overall record
Sarina Cronjé holds the record for the most successive UFS awards (five).

Cronjé, a Springbok track and cross-country athlete, was Sportswoman of the Year from 1977 to 1981. The number of titles held by this senior officer at KovsieSport is the most by a woman.

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