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Learners from UFS Creative Clubs Programme shine at Bloemfontein Science Expo

16 August 2023 | Story Angela Stott | Photo Supplied

Participants of the UFS Creative Clubs Programme — 23 grade 10 participants in the UFS Creative Clubs Programme proudly pose with their awards.

All 23 grade 10 learners taking part in the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Creative Clubs Programme were awarded medals at the Bloemfontein regional Eskom Expo for Young Scientists (EYS) competition from 3 to 5 August 2023.

The learners, who attend Bloemfontein township schools, had been working on their projects for over a year as part of the Creative Clubs Programme, which is run by the UFS Faculty of Education. Guided by veteran Expo facilitators Dr Angela Stott and Coretha van den Heever, they attended 30 sessions on the UFS South Campus, with a total of 140 hours of face-to-face contact time, coupled with many hours of individual work at home, to prepare for the competition.

Their hard work paid off handsomely, with all 23 learners (who worked on 21 projects) achieving medals: six bronze, seven silver, and eight gold. Additionally, five of the learners won best-in-category awards, three won SA Youth Water prizes, and three were shortlisted for the international EYS competition.

“As an introvert, I found it difficult to explain my project to people, but I’ve developed communication skills and confidence through Expo,” said 15-year-old Nicolas Hugo, from Kagisho Secondary School, whose project won a gold medal. Nicolas studied water pollution levels at two inflow sites in the Bloudam catchment area, as well as the dam itself and its outflow, showing the astounding cleaning effectiveness of water reeds.

In addition to his gold medal he won the prize for the best project in his category, a special award in the category of water projects, and for the Best Development Project.

The UFS has a strong commitment to community engagement, and has been working with township schools throughout the province via school-university partnerships for over a decade. The 2023 Bloemfontein EYS competition celebrated the legacy of these partnerships not only through the 23 learners who were directly involved in the UFS programme over the past year, but also through the participation of 14 learners from two schools (Senakangwedi and Setjhaba Se Maketse) in Botshabelo as a direct result of the UFS’s work in those schools in the past. Before UFS ended its partnership with these schools, learners who had been involved in Expo programmes conducted by Dr Stott established science clubs in their schools. These clubs have continued to operate years after UFS exited the schools and the founding learners matriculated. This year these clubs yielded the winning project, Solar Power Stand, by Simthembile Hlahliso and Kabelo Sekoere from Senakangwedi High School.

Many of the learners said they have learned important skills through this process. “I didn’t know how to use a computer, but now I’m so good,” said Sylvia Hlangabeza, who won a gold award.

“I’m so proud of her, I cried,” said Sylvia’s proud mother.

News Archive

B. Iur. programme in Occupational Risk Law first of its kind in the country

2010-11-26

The University of the Free State (UFS) will offer a B.Iur. degree programme in Occupational Risk Law from 2011.

This programme of the Faculty of Law is the first of its kind to be offered in South Africa and positions the UFS in the forefront of this field of study.

The programme is designed to develop and qualify professionals, knowledgeable in the field of occupational risk law as prescribed by South African legislation and international best practices. It further offers a qualification based on a well-researched basis of applicable legal principles, combined with safety, health, environmental and quality risk management principles applicable to employers and employees in a specialised industry.

The B.Iur. (Occupational Risk Law) has been developed by experts within the parameters of international comparability, according to research-based identification of career demands and requirements in the fields mentioned.

By introducing this programmesignificant progress will be made towards achieving the nationally stated objective of legal safety, health and environmental quality assurance in the workplace and within the broader community. The programme will also encompass the values and standards prescribed by the Institute of Safety Managers. This will provide them with a further step towards the regulation of the professional en ethical standards in the field of legal safety, health and environmental quality assurance.

With the programme, the UFS not only creates a unique opportunity for stakeholders and learners to add meaningful value to their careers, but also exerts a meaningful influence on the industry and society in terms of the acquisition of a most appropriate type of qualification. The B.Iur. (Occupational Risk Law)degree therefore offers a meaningful contribution towards the industry through addressing the increasing demand for career opportunities in the field of legal safety, health and environmental quality compliance.

The new programme is the result of an agreement between the faculty and its partner, IRCA Global. The university officially launched its partnership with IRCA Global, an international supplier of risk management solutions pertaining to safety, health, the environment and quality in 2008. As part of the agreement, the UFS will offer short learning programme, a diploma and a degree in Risk Management.

IRCA Global is a South African company in the international risk control and SHEQ environments with filials in Africa, Australia, India, Eastern Europe, and South America.

In the interim IRCA Global has continued with the marketing of the programme, with the result that hundreds of potential students are waiting for the launching of the programme. The faculty is geared towards offering the programme in e-learning. New modules will also be offered with the help of IRCA’s trained and skilled facilitators. The faculty also utilises the partnerships entered into with IRCA to appoint practising specialists as part-time lecturers for the occupational risk law component of the programme as well as to develop a new specialist component amongst the permanent staff.

The programme is already active and students can register for the first semester 2011 (study code 3324, programme code M3000). Direct your enquiries to Cora-Mari de Vos at 051 401 3532 or devosc@ufs.ac.za.

The programme consists of fundamental modules of the LL.B. and B.Iur., as well as short learning programmes in the Faculty of Law and specially developed core modules in occupational risk law. The B.Iur.in Occupational Risk Law enables successful candidates to enrol for applicable Post Graduate Diplomas or a cognate Honours Degree. Obtaining one of these qualifications provides the platform to articulate to Magister degrees. Horizontal articulation possibilities exist with the accredited Baccalaureus of Law (LL.B.) which is presented by several institutions in the country.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
26 November 2010

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