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12 May 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Supplied
Kovsie Health nurses
The University of the Free State has nursing staff on the Bloemfontein, South and Qwaqwa campuses who serve staff and students daily.

Being able to care, love and help others. These are some of the reasons why nursing staff from Kovsie Health at the University of the Free State (UFS) enjoy and get fulfilment from their profession.

They believe in making a difference and live it out daily while at work on campuses of the UFS.

Like many in their field, they overcome challenges to assist others and that is why Kovsie Health also celebrates International Nurses Day today.

International Nurses Day is celebrated on 12 May to honour nurses around the world for the work they do. It is celebrated on the day Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, was born.

According to Sister Riana Johnson, Deputy Director: Health and Wellness Centre at the UFS, it is important to celebrate the day as it honours nurses, who often work under challenging circumstances.

Nurses from Kovsie Health serve students and personnel on the UFS Bloemfontein, South and Qwaqwa campuses.
Johnson says her love for people made her chose nursing as a job. “It is a profession where I can live that out by caring and helping others.”

Sister Florence Maleho, who works on the South Campus, agrees: “It is all about giving your best, forgetting about yourself and being there for others.”

According to Sister Corné Vorster her work is challenging on a cognitive level and fulfilling.

“It is a very stimulating and in the same sense you work multidisciplinary with many other disciplines in the medical field.”

Sister Sarien de Necker says helping students in need and seeing their grateful response makes it more than worthwhile. 

“It is about really making a difference,” she says. 

Qwaqwa Campus Nursing staffQwaqwa Campus Nursing staffQwaqwa Campus Nursing staff

Qwaqwa Campus Nursing staff
Qwaqwa Campus nursing staff. (Photo: Supplied)

News Archive

Implications of new Language Policy for first-year students in 2017
2016-10-17

Dear Prospective Students and Parents/Guardians

As we have communicated to you since January 2016, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) parallel-medium (Afrikaans-English) Language Policy was under review during 2015. In March 2016, the Senate and then Council adopted with overwhelming majority a new Language Policy that strives to achieve multilingualism. The new policy entails English as primary medium of instruction, but with the introduction of a tutorial system in Afrikaans and progressively in Sesotho to support students’ learning in their first and second year of study.

The policy will be piloted in 2017 with first-year students in three faculties: Law, Health Sciences, and the Humanities. In these faculties, the majority of students indicated their preference to be taught in English. The Afrikaans-English policy will be maintained in the rest of the faculties in 2017 and phased out according to an implementation plan as from 2018. Current registered students will be able to complete their studies in the language they selected upon registration.

As you probably know through the media, the UFS decision to change its Language Policy is before the courts. It is hoped that the final outcome will be known before the end of the year, but this is not certain. The university management gives the assurance that it will act in terms of that final outcome.

In the meantime, the UFS will proceed with the implementation of the new Language Policy in 2017 as approved by Council.

Should the court’s verdict be in favour of the Senate and Council resolution, the March 2016 decision will come into effect. If not, the Afrikaans-English policy will stand. The UFS is committed and ready to provide for both eventualities.

Related articles:
Judgement in the Supreme Court of Appeal about UFS Language Policy: 17 November 2016
UFS to proceed with appealing to Supreme Court of Appeal regarding new Language Policy: 29 September 2016
UFS to lodge application to appeal judgment about new Language Policy: 22 July 2016
High Court ruling about new UFS Language Policy: 21 July 2016
UFS Council approves a new Language Policy: 11 March 2016

 
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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