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Shining a light on student protest – join the discussion

24 May 2022

The Faculty of the Humanities will be hosting a round-table dialogue on ‘Humanistic Perspectives on Student Protests in South Africa’, an important discussion on a matter that is currently in the spotlight at the UFS and other institutions nationally. Both students and staff are invited to attend in-person or virtually.

The dialogue aims to discuss ‘humanistic perspectives’ on student protests and includes, among others, the following topics:

• Dynamics of student protests

• The relationship between politics and protests

• Why protests are a challenge for the higher education secto

• Possible responses to protests by universities.

Event details

In-person venue: Equitas Auditorium
Online platform: Microsoft Teams
Date: 30 May 2022
Time: 14:00-16:15

Moderator:

Dr Grey Magaiza

Panellists:

Prof Francis Petersen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor

Prof Sethulego Matebesi (Department of Sociology)

Prof Nyasha Mboti (Department of Communication Science)

Prof Joy Owen (Department of Anthropology)

Prof Colin Chasi (Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice)

Mr Motlogeloa Moema (Student Affairs)

Opening remarks:

Prof Chitja Twala, Vice-Dean: Faculty of the Humanities

Closing remarks:

Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean: Faculty of the Humanities

News Archive

UFS Sign Language expert appointed to a national government committee

2010-05-13

Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

The National Department of Basic Education has appointed the Head of the Department of Afro-Asiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice at the University of the Free State (UFS), Mr Philemon Akach, to serve in its Curriculum Management Team.

“It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been appointed as a member of the Curriculum Management Team to manage the development of Sign Language as a subject to be listed in the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12,” the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, wrote in her letter to Mr Akach.

“I am excited, after mulling over this, saying that maybe this time around it may just work because, from experience, I can sensitise the other committee members on how to build in an implementation strategy right from the beginning,” said Mr Akach.

“Over the last 12 years we have implemented the proposed part of the curriculum for tertiary institutions at this university, so our input will be a practical one. We have not only theoretically proven it can be done but have developed multimedia teaching materials as a legacy to sustain the course as a permanent feature at this level. I will share this with the management to implement what is already working.”

He was a Director of Sign Language and Interpreting Development with the Deaf Federation of South Africa for three years (1996-1998). During that time he directed the development of the South African Sign Language (SASL) curriculum as a school subject from Grades 0-12, as well as SASL as a second language, and a proposal to tertiary institutions on what they should take note of, should they considered introducing SASL as an academic course. All of these were handed over to the Department of Education in 1997.

“Committees are a good tool to write proposals but if there is no policing of the implementation, not much seems to work,” he said.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
12 May 2010

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