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Faculty of Education shapes learners’ dreams

12 May 2023 | Story Kekeletso Takang | Photo Supplied

There has been a clarion call within the education sector for primary school intervention strategies. As an institution that invests in education in its surrounding areas and beyond, the University of the Free State (UFS) has heeded the call to impactfully support societal development as outlined in its Vision 130. Through its Faculty of Education, the UFS has adopted the Kgotsofalo Primary School in the Free State to help shape the minds of the learners in this rural school.

Dr Vusiwana Babane, Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, identified the school – situated about 46 km from the UFS Bloemfontein Campus – as part of a community engagement project that aims to transform the lives of children in low-income communities, in order to eradicate and break the vicious cycle of poverty in their families and communities. The project also seeks to inform stakeholders about the role that higher education institutions can play in supporting farm and rural schools.

Multidisciplinary approach

Prof Bekithemba Dube, acting Head of the Department of Education Foundations in the Faculty of Education, says the initiative with Kgotsofalo Primary School is a culmination of efforts to engage the community around the UFS. “Dr Babane and I visited the school in March 2023 to establish the needs of the school, which could help in planning and exploring intervention strategies. We established that, among others, their needs included motivation for learners, career guidance, library and sports resources. This implied that we needed a multidisciplinary approach. We invited Grade 7 learners from the school to attend motivational and career guidance sessions. We then started collaborating with colleagues from the Education Science Centre, KovsieSport, and the UFS Library and Information Services (Sasol Library) to co-host the learners and for further interventions at the school.”

On 21 April 2023, the learners, teachers, and representatives of the school governing body (SGB) visited the UFS. Hosted at the newly built UFS Education Science Centre, the learners participated in and explored various science experiments. A visit to the UFS library was also part of the package and the learners were treated to motivation, career guidance, and souvenirs from the Faculty of Education, before concluding their visit with a tour to KovsieSport.

Masontaha Mosuoe, one of the learners who delivered an acceptance speech that brought many to tears, thanked the UFS for the experience. “Today, I would like to thank the UFS for giving our school the opportunity to be here; as you all know, education on the farms is not like the ones in the city. On the farms, children struggle to go to school because the schools are not enough. Thank you for giving us the experience of varsity life and shaping our dreams at a very young age.”

The Principal of Kgotsofalo Primary School, Mmadikeledi Seepamore, also expressed her gratitude to the university. “Seed was sown and will continue to grow. The experience was educational, fun, and good and changed my learners’ way of thinking.”

Click here for more information on the programmes and other offerings and initiatives in the Faculty of Education.

News Archive

UFS council elects Nwaila and Hancke

2005-03-15

Dr Charles Nwaila, Superintendent-General of Education in the Free State, was elected Vice-chairperson of the UFS Council and Judge Faan Hancke was re-elected as Chairperson today.

According to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, the election of Dr Nwaila is an important achievement for the UFS as Dr Nwaila is a well known leader in education in the Free State.

Dr Nwaila pledged to work constructively with the UFS council and management to ensure that the UFS benefits all people of the province and the country.

The appointments are valid for a term of three years from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2008.

The elections took place at the quarterly meeting of the UFS Council where a number of other key transformation steps were approved.

The Council approved a Strategic Plan for the UFS which reflects a renewed focus on transformation of the institution, calling it an important roadmap for the future of the UFS.

According to Prof Fourie, the Strategic Plan tried strike a balance between continuity and change, addressing the need to remain an excellent university in an ever-changing context and environment.

Prof Fourie said transformation had many aspects and dimensions and could not be reduced to an issue of numbers.

The Strategic Plan identifies five strategic priorities and corresponding challenges in the next phase of transformation.

The priorities are:

quality and excellence
equity, diversity and redress
financial sustainability
regional co-operation and engagement.
outward thrust

Prof Fourie said that besides the five strategic priorities the plan also reflected concrete actions and interventions to address them.

He said the renewed focus on transformation is embedded in the priorities and specific actions that are identified.

The Council congratulated the management for the roadmap and for the achievements that have already been achieved in terms of transformation.

In order to draft a comprehensive Transformation Plan that will give substance to certain aspects of the UFS Strategic plan – or roadmap – the Council approved the establishment of a Transformation Plan Team.

The team will consist of about 16 people, which includes the two coordinators, Prof Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Academic Operations, and Dr Ezekiel Moraka, Vice-Rector: Student Affairs.

According to Prof Verschoor, the team was chosen and approved by the Executive Management earlier for the individual contributions that they could make.

While the individuals do not represent particular constituencies on campus they are a very diverse group of persons in terms of race, gender and various sections of the campus and the satellite campuses.

Prof Fourie, said there was an urgency and importance attached to the work of the Transformation Plan Team.

He said that while the team must produce a plan within a tight deadline, the task must be carried out very well, which could mean different stages in the work of the team.

According to the Rector, the UFS must take the lead in best practice transformation, while not underestimating the complexity of the issues facing the UFS.

The full list of names will be finalized soon.

MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by: Mnr Anton Fisher
Director: Strategic Communication
Cel: 072 207 8334
Tel: (051) 401-2749
11 Maart 2005

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