Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
28 November 2022 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Edzani Nephalela
UFS Creative Clubs
Joleen Hamilton assists learners with their activities.
In an ever-changing, increasingly complicated world, the youth must be prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve issues, make sense of information, and know how to acquire and analyse evidence to make judgements. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education encourages discussions and problem-solving among students, developing practical skills and an appreciation for collaborations. 

The Social Responsibility Projects department on the UFS South Campus is running a Creative Clubs programme that speaks to STEM education and collaboration.

Opening opportunities 

The primary goal of Creatives Clubs, a MerSETA-funded programme, is to open opportunities to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and reasoning skills. One aspect Creative Clubs focuses on is identifying potential in the pupil and supporting them in participating in the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists. Learners participate in mathematics, science, and coding activities at the club.

According to Joleen Hamilton, the coordinator and founder of Creatives Clubs, they currently host top-achieving learners in maths from eight schools from Grades 8–12 in Bloemfontein. These schools are split into two groups, which meet at the South Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “We need maths daily, since it stimulates the intellect and aids problem-solving. That’s why, no matter how complicated the sum looks, keep trying and do not give up,” Hamilton said at one of the maths sessions.

Enhancing critical thinking

Matheko Thamae, also a coordinator, mentioned that this programme significantly improves maths and science outcomes for high school learners. “With a dynamic world of innovation and the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), the club also assists learners with critical thinking and in solving their communities’ socio-economic issues,” Thamae said. 

“Attending these sessions assists me in thinking out of the box and realising that every problem has a solution. I will continue to attend the programme so that I can find solutions to unresolved problems,” Sechaba Ramakatsa, a Grade 9 learner from Lekhulong Secondary School, said. Ramakatsa, who enjoys assisting others, aspires to be a medical doctor so that people might have better healthcare experiences.

News Archive

Head of SA Witness Protection Programme pays UFS a visit
2010-05-04

 
Receiving the Head of the South African Witness Protection Programme are, in front: Prof. Hennie Oosthuizen, Head of the Department of Criminal and Medical Law at the UFS; back: Adv. Beatri Kruger from the UFS Unit for Children’s Rights, Ms Lani Opperman, Member of the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF), Adv. John Welch, Head of the Witness Protection Programme in South Africa; and Lene van Zyl, a LLM student at the UFS who is doing her thesis on human trafficking in body parts.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs


Recently Adv. Beatri Kruger from the Unit for Children’s Rights in the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) invited Adv. John Welch, Head of the Witness Protection Programme in South Africa, to address the Free State Human Trafficking Forum (FHF) on the safe-keeping of victims who are witnesses against human traffickers.

Human trafficking is prevalent in the Free State, especially in Bloemfontein. The Unit for Children’s Rights is one of the founding members of the FHF that was established to take action against and fight the disturbing reality of human trafficking more efficiently.

According to Adv. Kruger the FHF identified the problem of trafficked witnesses being threatened by human trafficker syndicates.

Adv. Welch made some suggestions with regard to the safe-keeping of trafficked victims. He also, with some of the forum members, paid a visit to the areas in Bloemfontein where human trafficking is prevalent as well as to the local shelter for trafficked victims.

Adv. Welch undertook to join forces with the FHF in assisting trafficked victims and the local Witness Protection Programme Office is now a member of the forum.

Since December 2009 members of the FHF managed to disrupt the work of the human trafficking syndicates. “The traffickers have not stopped this inhumane practice but there are indications that they have moved to other buildings in the inner city and even to houses in the suburbs. It was reported to the forum that approximately 27 males suspected of being involved in human trafficking had been arrested, and since they are illegal in the country, they were deported to their countries of origin,” said Adv. Kruger.

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept