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Advancing innovative, effective mathematics and science teaching

12 October 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo iFlair Photography

Attending the Science for the Future (S4F) summit in the Centenary Complex on the Bloemfontein Campus were, from the left: Back: Dr Cobus van Breda (S4F Programme Director), Amaria Reynders (S4F Family Math Manager), Dr Glynnis Daries (Sol Plaatje University), Prof Francis Petersen (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS), Tarin Roberts (Nelson Mandela University), Adolph Tomes (Acting Chief Executive Office, SANRAL). In the front are, from the left: Prof Angela James (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Heidi Harper (General Manager Skills Development, SANRAL), Prof Jogymol Alex (Walter Sisulu University).

Teachers from across the country and representatives of six other universities recently gathered at the University of the Free State (UFS) to celebrate the achievements of the Science-for-the-Future (S4F) Teacher Professional Development programmes as well as the successful collaboration between the UFS and other universities.

The Science-for-the-Future unit in the Faculty of Education hosted a summit in the Centenary Complex on the Bloemfontein Campus on 30 September 2022. The Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Francis Petersen, delivered the keynote address at the summit. Representatives from the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) – the official sponsors of the Science for the Future initiative – were also present, along with 300 teachers and representatives from the Department of Basic Education.

In his welcoming address, Prof Patrick Mafora, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education, said the initiative exemplifies the UFS’ institutional goals, such as increasing our contribution to local, regional, and global knowledge. It also supports development and social justice through engaged scholarship.

Improving the quality of teaching and learning for Math and Science

Dr Cobus van Breda, Programme Director of S4F and Project Manager of the Universities Collaboration initiative, provided background regarding the programmes and stated that “… we know from research that there are many factors that prevent learners in rural areas from excelling in Mathematics and Science. These include subject content knowledge, lack of teaching resources at school and at home, along with a lack of parental involvement, among others.” He said the project aims to address the challenges related to Mathematics and Science teaching and learning in the country. One of the ways in which this goal can be accomplished, is by empowering teachers and learners with the necessary tools, including resources and knowledge, to create a successful learning space for Mathematics and Science. “Our mission is the advancement of innovative and effective Mathematics and Science teaching and learning,” he indicated.

Representatives from the DBE and other institutions were also given the opportunity to highlight the impact of the initiative in their respective institutions. “Our public schooling system, especially in poor and rural areas, is in crisis – more especially in the Eastern Cape. This is due to a lack of learning support and a lack of sufficient skills. This created a need for innovative, sustainable, and tactical solutions to improve the quality of teaching and learning for Math and Science. The Science for the Future initiative is exactly that,” explained Prof Jogy Alex from the Walter Sisulu University.

Making a difference and changing people’s lives

During his keynote address, Prof Petersen indicated that he preferred the word ‘co-creation’ instead of ‘collaboration’, and he urged the “sponsors not only to contribute funding, but really contribute towards the intellectual project of this programme”. Surely, they have learnings and some ideas that can strengthen and expand the project, he said. Prof Petersen also alluded to the fact that SANRAL contributes towards a Research Chair in Science and Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Education, as well as the fact that, at the university, “we don’t exist to create knowledge for the sake of knowledge; we exist to create knowledge so that the knowledge can make an impact”. He referred to the project as an example of how knowledge is converted to practical application.

Mr Adolph Tomes, Acting Business Operations Executive at SANRAL, also commended the initiative and its impact. “Although we as SANRAL are the funders and we get praise for being funders, this is a phenomenal project, and it is making a difference and changing people’s lives.”

News Archive

UFS to award honorary doctorate to Maria Ramos

2004-12-08

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) recently approved the awarding of an honorary doctorate to Ms Maria Ramos, Group Chief Executive of Transnet in April 2005. A total of five honorary doctorandi will be honored.

The other doctorandi are Proff Jan Groenewald (D Sc (hc)), Jaap Durand (D Phil (hc)), Sampie Terreblanche (C Dom (hc)) and Anthon Heyns (MD (hc)).

Me Ramos will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics (P hD (Economics) (hc)) for the large contribution she made to the establishment of a prudent fiscal and macro-economic policy in South Africa and hence, to the restoration of the financial credibility of the country in the eyes of domestic and foreign investors. Ms Ramos was the Director General of the National Treasury from 1996-2003.

She obtained the MSc-degree in Economics in 1992 from the University of London and was awarded a British Council Scholarship (Helen Suzman award) in the same year and in 1991. During the early nineties she was among others project leader of the ANC’s Macro-economic Research Group and also a member of the team that negotiated chapters on finance in the interim Constitution of South Africa. She was a research associate at the Centre for the Study of the South African Economy and International Finance at the London School of Economics and also lectured at the Universities of South Africa and the Witwatersrand.

“It is a great privilege for us to honor Ms Ramos and the other doctorandi in their different fields of expertise. This once again serves as an example of the UFS’s policy to give recognition to people who excel and make a difference,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Prof Jan Groenewald will receive an honorary doctorate for his life-long commitment to the establishment and development of Agricultural Economics as a subject field in South Africa and in Africa and his various contributions to the UFS. During his career, Prof Groenewald received various awards among others in 1998 when he received the Stals Prize for Economics from the South African Academy for Science and Art and in 1990 when he received an honorary medal from the South African Society for Agricultural Economics.

Prof Jaap Durand will receive an honorary doctorate in Philosophy for his pioneering work on various fields in the South African society. He obtained his Masters degree in Philosophy from the UFS and contributed to almost 60 articles and collections. Prof Durand has a colourful career as academic manager: from professor in Systematic Theology and dean of the Faculty of Theology at the University of the Western Cape to Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the same university. He was the ombudsman of the University of Stellenbosch from 2002-2003.

Prof Sampie Terreblanche will receive an honorary doctorate in Economics for the important role he played, and is still playing, to keep the debate about and the need for socio-economic and socio-political reform in South Africa going. Prof Terreblanche started his career as a lecturer at the UFS. In 1992 the Stals Prize for Economics was awarded to him by the South African Academy for Science and Art. Prof Terreblanche was also a founding member of ASSET, an organisation addressing the problems of poverty, inequality and social injustice in South Africa.

Prof Anthon Heyns, Chief Executive Officer of the South African National Blood Service, will receive an honorary doctorate in Medicine. Prof Heyns is a well-known international researcher in Hematology and recently received a Centenary Medal from the UFS for his strong role and national prominence as expert and leading figure in establishing and developing Hematology at the UFS. He was the first head of the UFS’s Department of Hematology and is also co-editor of the only Afrikaans hand book of Hematology. He serves among others as a council member and member of the executive management of the South African Medical Research Council. On the international front he serves on at least five committees of the World Health Organisation based in Geneve, Switzerland. He has two honorary appointments as professor respectively at the UFS and University of the Witwatersrand.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
8 December 2004

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