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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

Wag-’n-Bietjie, Vishuis and Sonnedou the winners at athletics

2016-01-22

The First-year Athletics event was a celebration of colour and fun. Besides the athletics on and around the track at Pellies Park on the Bloemfontein Campus, the first-years encouraged their different residences with great enthusiasm.
Photo: Johan Roux

Six out of six.

This is the proud record Wag-’n-Bietjie can boast of after the residence walked away with the women's athletics trophy for the sixth year in a row during the University of the Free State's first-year athletics meeting.

This year's men's winner, Vishuis, attained a hat trick on 20 January 2016 at Pellies Park on the Bloemfontein Campus when the residence was once again named as the athletics champion. Vishuis also won in 2014 and 2015.

What makes Wag-’n-Bietjie's triumph even more remarkable is the fact that the residence ran the fastest, jumped and threw the farthest in eight out of the past nine years. Marjolein won in 2010.

Sonnedou was second, with Roosmaryn and Soetdoring collectively the third women's residences. In the men's division, Legatum and Armentum were second and third respectively.

Sonnedou has the best spirit

The event, a celebration of colour and fun, was characterised by groups of singing first-years yelling their lungs out. The UFS Student Representative Council judges the winners of the different Spirit trophies.

Sonnedou was the overall winner of the Spirit trophy – something even more important than the action on and around the track for some residences.

Sonnedou was named the winner in the division for women's residences, after which the residence was also crowned as overall winner. Welwitschia and Vergeet-My-Nie were second and third respectively in the women's division.

In the men's division, Armentum, who continued singing even when it was raining later in the evening, was the well-deserved winner of the Spirit trophy. Villa Bravado was second with Tswelopele third.

Conlaurês won the Spirit trophy for Co-ed residences, with Imperium and Kagiso second and third respectively.

Wayde a special guest

The Kovsie athlete, Wayde van Niekerk, who also participated in the first-year athletics meeting in his day, was a special guest.

The 400 m athlete, who will represent South Africa at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, was presented to the first-years during the official welcoming ceremony.

Van Niekerk is still the Kovsie record holder in some events, including the 200 m and the 400 m, as well as the 4 x 100 m team relay event.

Team and individual results for the event.

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