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UFS South Campus: Leading in Childhood Education

16 February 2023 | Story Kekeletso Takang | Photo Kekeletso Takang

Leading Education — Leading in Open Distance and E-Learning is Dr Bawinile Mthanti (left), and Programme Director for Childhood Education; Dr Zukiswa Nhase (right).

If you want to make a change, be you. These are the words of Dr Zukiswa Nhase, Programme Director for the Department of Childhood Education and Lecturer in the Faculty of Education. She believes that to make an impact, a leader needs to demonstrate care.

As of 2023, the Department of Childhood Education (DCE) – Foundation Phase – relocated to the South Campus, widening the offering of the campus. The Grade R Diploma in Teaching and the Advanced Certificate in Teaching are flagship undergraduate programmes offered by the Faculty of Education.

Grade R Diploma bridging the gap

The Grade R Diploma in Teaching, an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), is geared towards equipping and supporting childhood development teachers.

Catering for the Free State context, the qualification accommodates English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, and isiZulu speakers. Teachers are taught by experienced specialists in the field who understand their daily challenges. This is according to Dr Nhase. The DCE has much to offer, being a leader in the country in offering the Grade R diploma, with universities across South Africa benchmarking from the UFS.

The primary purpose of this qualification is to empower teachers with the appropriate skills and knowledge to optimise any teaching-learning situation. Informed by research, the Grade R Diploma in Teaching has been developed to meet specific national skills needs that exist in South Africa’s education system, with specific reference to the Grade R distance education model which provides a customised and practical opportunity for existing teachers to upgrade their knowledge and level of professionalism without having to attend full-time contact classes.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) in South Africa refers to an all-inclusive approach to programmes and policies for children from birth to seven years of age. Formerly with the Department of Social Development, ECD now reports to the Department of Basic Education. This move was to bridge the gap that existed and to unify the teaching professions.

Advanced Certificate in Teaching

Another offering on the South Campus under the stewardship of Dr Bawinile Mthanti, Head of Open Distance and E-Learning (ODEL) in the Faculty of Education, is the Advanced Certificate in Teaching. Previously managed by the UFS and HEPSA, ACT is now solely managed by the UFS. Delivered in two modes, it is aimed at upgrading the qualifications of teachers who are currently employed without adequate training. This programme is an excellent opportunity to provide specialist education to teachers who need to strengthen their subject-specialisation knowledge base.

The Advanced Certificate in Teaching is delivered in the online mode (100% online with no face-to-face contact with the lecturer) and the blended distance-learning mode (some online activity and face-to-face contact with the lecturer). Through this programme, students advance closer to a Bachelor of Education.

With Gauteng province leading the way with the number of registered students, the ACT has had great successes and will only advance when it is offered solely in online mode from 2024. “We are currently in the process of acquiring approval in the UFS structures to offer ACT solely online from 2024,” says Dr Mthanti.

For more information on the programmes and other Faculty of Education offerings, visit our website.

News Archive

Examination format at UFS to change

2011-04-22

A new examination format is to be followed from the coming examination in May 2011 at the University of the Free State (UFS). According to this, the additional examination opportunity is to follow on the heels of the main examination.

According to the new format, students who qualify to write examinations will be compelled to write their papers during the first opportunity, and will only be allowed to write an additional examination once their applications for this examination have been approved. Students who qualify for re-assessment and special examinations will automatically be admitted to the additional examination and will therefore be exempt from the application process.

According to Dr Saretha Brüssow, Head: Teaching and Learning at the UFS, the Examination Committee requested the investigation of the double examination which applied previously, due to the pressure it caused on the university systems.

She said that, besides this release of pressure on systems such as the registration process, the back-to-back semester-based examination system might also lead to a possible improvement of the academic success rate, due to the shorter time span between the first and the second examination opportunities.

Students attended classes poorly in the past due to the second examination opportunity, which took place during the following semester after classes had resumed. “In some cases it is specifically the student at risk, who cannot afford to miss classes, who makes use of the second examination opportunity.”

Dr. Brüssow said the registration process was also affected by the previous format due to students who wanted to receive their results first before they registered. Other delays which occurred as a result of the second examination opportunity, were the first annual graduation ceremony which took place late in the year, the awarding of bursaries, and the finalisation of residence accommodation. Adding on to this problematic nature is students who occupy residences in the following academic year without a formal application in order to write during the second examination opportunity in January.

The new format is applicable to all students, except those in the Faculty of Health. Main and South Campus students can direct enquiries to addexam@ufs.ac.za. Qwaqwa Campus students should email addexam@qwa.ufs.ac.za. Information on the new examination format is also available on www.ufs.ac.za.

Media Release
21 April 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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