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UFS students ace SAICA exam

06 April 2023 | Story Kekeletso Takang | Photo Quinter Onyango

UFS Academic tutors — UFS academic trainees thrilled at passing the January 2023 ITC exam.

An important milestone in the journey to becoming a chartered accountant in South Africa begins with passing the Initial Test of Competence (ITC) examination of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The examination is written after obtaining an accredited postgraduate qualification in accountancy. This milestone was reached by virtually all (98%) BAccHons/PGDip (Chartered Accountancy) graduates from the class of 2022 at the University of the Free State (UFS). Results announced by SAICA on 31 March 2023 further indicate that UFS graduates obtained an overall pass rate of 93%, exceeding the national pass rate of 75%.

“These results confirm the ‘quality’ and ‘excellence’ of the Chartered Accountancy academic programme offered by the UFS and attest to the effectiveness of the learning and teaching approaches adopted by the School of Accountancy, and the commitment of the school’s staff to their students’ success,” said Prof Frans Prinsloo, Director of the School of Accountancy.

Voices of the future

Bakang Moraladi, an academic trainee in the School of Accountancy who took and passed the January 2023 ITC exam, believes the open-door policy followed by the academic staff made it possible for him to establish a support structure. “The staff in the UFS School of Accountancy really goes all out to ensure that what I regard as the toughest academic year (CTA/PGCA) goes smoothly. Despite very hectic schedules, staff in the School of Accountancy still find time to provide mentorship to students to ensure that they are equipped with the right knowledge and skills before sitting for the ITC. I had the privilege of having the Director of the School of Accountancy as a mentor. Although I had a mentor dedicated to me, the staff members in the School of Accountancy literally had their doors open to offer guidance whenever necessary,” he says.

Kyle Horak, a graduate of the class of 2022 and also an academic trainee in the School of Accountancy, attributes a big part of his success to the support provided by the academic staff. “I would not have been able to do it without the UFS. The support they provide is tremendous. At the beginning of the PGCA year, it feels as if the lecturers are ‘out to get you’ with all the submissions and the impossible tests, but as time goes on, you start to notice that there is method to the madness, and due to the work done by the lecturers, the ITC examination becomes manageable.” He passed the ITC exam with a final mark of more than 75%, making him part of a select group of only 65 candidates (from the more than 3 000 candidates who wrote the examination).

Other academic trainees employed by the School of Accountancy who passed this exam, are Courteney Crew, Phiwe Ndwebi, Somila Joka, Bokang Makatsa, Jubilee Mushonga, and Jeandre Strauss.

Integrated approach

The School of Accountancy attributes these results to a myriad of factors. For example, the school employs an award-winning learning and teaching approach that is student-centred, combining the efforts of academic and support staff to achieve student success. In addition, learner tracking and monitoring is facilitated through its Thuthuka and Intrabas units, in addition to peer-to-peer mentoring structures where students can learn from and support each other. While focus is placed on students’ academic performance, they are afforded a balanced approach that includes informal social events that assists in breaking down barriers between lecturers and students.

One such student who benefited from this teaching approach is Ruwardo Wemmert, a UFS graduate who was placed fourth in the January 2023 ITC exams of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Namibia (ICAN), where the two UFS graduates from the class of 2022 who wrote the ICAN ITC examination, passed.

Journey to success

The ITC serves as the first of two SAICA qualifying examinations, assessing candidates’ technical competence acquired through the academic programme, by requiring the candidate to analyse and evaluate specific scenarios presented.

“Success in the ITC means I am only one more professional exam away from being a CA(SA). Over and above the support provided by the School of Accountancy team, Thuthuka supported me in every dimension. Next up for me is successfully completing my 3 600 hours of practical training and then obtaining that four-letter designation: CA(SA). I will be a change maker – I have a lot to give to society, and my goal is to be the ultimate difference maker.” These are the words of Somila Joka, one of the 2022 graduates and academic trainees in the School of Accountancy.

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New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women

2014-09-04

Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

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While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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