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Improving optometry as a profession leads to a PhD

19 April 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Charl Devenish

Dr Nashua Naicker, lecturer and Chairperson: Learning and Teaching Committee (SoHRS) in the Department of Optometry, UFS School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, graduated on Thursday (April 18) with the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions Education.

A strong need to improve the general standing of optometry as a profession and to create lifelong learning opportunities for locally trained optometrists beyond what currently exists, is what led Dr Nashua Naicker to pursue a PhD in this field.

Dr Naicker, lecturer, and Chairperson: Learning and Teaching Committee (SoHRS) in the Department of Optometry, UFS School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, says he feels an overwhelming sense of relief with a keen sense accomplishment by achieving what he set out to through persistence in the face of adversity.

He graduated on Thursday (18 April) at the Faculty of Health Sciences April graduation ceremony with the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions Education through the Division of Health Sciences Education. “I am pleased and hope to change the narrative on this new path as an accredited researcher from ‘how long are you going to take to finish?’ to ‘what have you learnt in this journey?’. We are far too focused on chasing a timeline rather than focusing on the contribution that one makes and the self-development in this journey of discovery,” says Dr Naicker.

His supervisor was Prof Alvin J Munsamy from University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and co-supervisor Dr CB Written from the UFS.

Need for educational expansion

His research was focused on establishing a framework for postgraduate programmes in specialty fields of optometry for South Africa. The investigation was carried out with practising optometrists as the primary stakeholders and with optometric academics as the custodians for education and training in the country.

“With an overwhelming need for educational expansion found in this investigation, a conceptual framework was proposed as the innovation to take the profession forward in South Africa. Improving patient care from being upskilled and receiving professional recognition for the additional competencies and proficiencies that would be gained, was the motivating factors identified by optometrists to consider further education and training,” says Dr Naicker.

According to him, being in the educational fraternity for almost two decades and as a former education committee member of the professional board of optometry, he was able to see where the shortcomings were in the profession which set him on this path to pursue this research. With most optometrists in clinical practice and no clinical postgraduate qualifications available except pure research-based qualifications in SA, Dr Naicker explains that this hindered optometrists’ professional trajectory and career path opportunities into various special interest areas.

“By developing a framework for horizontal articulation pathways towards coursework postgraduate qualifications in various clinical specialty fields, this would be the contribution in addressing the educational gap that would guide higher education institutions in their programme development process. The beneficiaries of this expansion would not only be the health professionals but the patients who access optometric care from the optometrists who would have advanced skills and competencies to deliver comprehensive eye care services.”

Stayed motivated

Dr Naicker says the journey to his PhD was challenging from the outset as the country went into hard lockdown due the COVID-19 pandemic just five weeks after he registered for his PhD. Working on a PhD was not a priority at the time when your survival and that of your loved ones was uncertain as thousands of people fell victim to the coronavirus. Further to this, he continues, multiple changes to his supervisory team and the overhaul and revitalisation of the administration and management of the UFS Division of Health Sciences Education, also impacted his progress in his doctoral research at that time. He had felt despondent after a year of being registered when stability arrived with supervisory assistance that re-ignited his drive to pick up the slack and keep moving forward.

“The words ‘push through it’ were verbalised to me by a stranger I met in passing. While chatting about research I found those three words to be so profound and with such depth that they resonated with my experience of facing adversity but remaining vigilant to preservere and not drop the baton in the race against time to conclude my research. Gaslighting yourself and questioning your potential to complete a PhD only compounds your procrastination which was all too apparent. The goal is to rise above the self-doubt, brush off the devil with the fork sitting on your shoulder and just ‘push through it’.”

Dr Naicker, who is currently supervising four master’s of optometry students in their research undertaking, as well as undergraduate research projects, says he is in the process of publishing the research manuscripts generated from his PhD and is also part of a task team with the professional Board of Optometry for setting up the board exams for foreign-qualified optometrists. He would also like to work on research involving educating the educators of visually impaired learners.

News Archive

Inauguration of Prof Francis Petersen as 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS

2017-05-23

Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, robes Prof Francis Petersen as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Charl Devenish

“At the UFS, we want to produce graduates for the world, and we need to ensure that we use our knowledge to uplift society”
— Prof Francis Petersen, 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS)

On Friday 19 May 2017, the University of the Free State (UFS) celebrated the inauguration of its 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Francis Petersen. The formal inauguration was held in the Odeion Theatre on the Bloemfontein Campus. The ceremony was preceded by a week-long welcoming programme on the three UFS campuses.

The guest list included representatives from local and provincial government, vice-chancellors and rectors from across South Africa, and senior members of the university’s executive management.

During the inaugural address, Prof Petersen paid tribute to his predecessors for the role they played in making the university what it is today. This included former rectors and vice-chancellors who attended the ceremony, such as Prof Francois Retief and Prof Frederick Fourie, and Prof Stef Coetzee and Prof Jonathan Jansen who were unable to attend.

Prof Petersen characterised 2015 and 2016 as watershed years for the South African higher-education system. “The Rhodes Must Fall, and subsequent Fees Must Fall student and staff protests challenged us, and re-energised a critical engagement around the purpose of the university in an equal society, both as a site of complicity and as a potential agent for social change,” said Prof Petersen.

He committed himself to developing the UFS into an institution that will have an even greater impact than before.

“This institution I am striving to establish will be one that responds positively to inclusivity, diversity, and transformation, and which can incorporate these values into our curriculum, scholarship, and research in a productive way,” said Prof Petersen.

Prof Petersen emphasised the importance of the three-campus model. “The University of the Free State is ONE university with three campuses: the Bloemfontein Campus, our South Campus, and the Qwaqwa Campus. I am committed to align the activities of the three campuses, and to integrate our activities to a greater extent.

“We must work together to infuse each campus with the values we have identified as essential if we are to make our mark as a united University of the Free State: academic excellence, diversity and inclusivity, and innovation.”

The Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, had the honour of handing over the gown to Prof Petersen. Prof Lis Lange, Vice-Rector: Academic, explained the relationship between the university and the Basotho people, and how this relationship is honoured through the official procession gowns of the UFS. The Basotho blanket is worn by kings, and the university therefore hopes that the symbolism of the gown would be a source of inspiration to Prof Petersen.

The event was concluded by congratulatory messages from former colleagues and the President of the Student Representative Council on the Bloemfontein Campus, SK Luwaca. The event was elegant and graceful – the inaugural address was thought-provoking and inspiring.

Official Inauguration Ceremony:

19 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

Description: Official Inauguration photo small Tags: Official Inauguration photo small

"I challenge you to dream big and do big." - Prof Petersen

Photo Caption: Dr Khotso Mokhele, Chancellor of the UFS, robes Prof Francis Petersen as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Photo: Johan Roux

Short biography of Prof Francis Petersen
Inaugural address: 19 May 2017
Transcription of the ceremony
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Video

Welcoming Ceremonies:

The week of 11-19 May 2017 was one of the highlights in this year’s calendar for staff and students of the University of the Free State (UFS), with various ceremonies taking place to welcome Prof Francis Petersen – who assumed his duties on 1 April 2017 – as the 14th Vice-Chancellor and Rector. The festivities culminated in the official inauguration ceremony at the Bloemfontein Campus on 19 May 2017.

The Qwaqwa Campus welcoming ceremony took place on Thursday 11 May 2017, attracting a wide spectrum of community leaders from the area. Prof Petersen was welcomed by representatives from the two trade unions, National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and UVPERSU, as well as representatives from the Student Representative Council (SRC), the Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District, and the House of Traditional Leaders. Paramount Queen Mopeli of the Bakoena Royal House bestowed a special honour upon Prof Petersen by clothing him in a traditional Basotho blanket and hat. She said, "From our heart of hearts, welcome, Prof Francis ..., and all Godspeed during your tenure."

The South Campus in Bloemfontein hosted a welcoming ceremony for the new Vice-Chancellor and Rector on 18 May 2017. The ceremony included a number of vocal performances and messages from various stakeholder groups. The same afternoon, the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ) also facilitated a panel discussion, titled Diversity, inclusivity, and social justice and the renewed call for decolonisation, in the Albert Wessels Auditorium (AWO) on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The welcoming ceremonies culminated in an event in the Callie Human Centre on Friday 19 May 2017 at the Bloemfontein Campus, with a number of performances by musicians associated with the UFS, marimbas, drum majorettes from Jim Fouche Secondary School, the Grey College Gumboots, and school choirs from Eunice Secondary School, Brebner Primary School, and Willem Postma Primary School. Representatives from key stakeholders such as Nehawu, UVPERSU, the Campus Ministries Forum, SRC, Alumni, Convocation, and the UFS Council had the opportunity to convey their messages of welcome to Prof Petersen.

The formal inauguration ceremony took place in the Odeion Theatre on the Bloemfontein Campus the same day.

Qwaqwa Campus ceremony:

11 May 2017
Qwaqwa Campus

"Qwaqwa Campus is the perfect laboratory for sustainable sciences.” – Prof Petersen

Photo caption: Paramount Queen Mopeli of the Bakoena Royal House with Prof Petersen and his wife, Cheslyn.
Photo: Mamosa Makaya

Photo Gallery
Video

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Transcription of the ceremony

South Campus ceremony:

18 May 2017
South Campus

"South Campus: you aspire excellence, adding to diversity and you are innovative in what you do." - Prof Petersen

Photo caption: Flag bearers and drummers walking to the Madiba Arena.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Photo Gallery

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Transcription of the ceremony

Bloemfontein Campus panel discussion:

Panel discussion: Diversity, inclusivity and social justice and the renewed call for decolonisation
18 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

Description: Panel discussion 18 May 2017 Tags: Panel discussion 18 May 2017

"The UFS should be a place of belonging for everyone." - Prof Petersen

Photo caption: from left: SK Luwaca (SRC President, Bloemfontein Campus), Prof Elelwani Ramugondo (UCT), Prof Francis Petersen (UFS), Prof Melissa Steyn (WITS), Prof Andre Keet (UFS)
Photo: Lelanie de Wet

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Transcription of panel discussion

Bloemfontein Campus ceremony:
19 May 2017
Bloemfontein Campus

Description: Bloem welcoming ceremony on 19 May 2017 Tags: Bloem welcoming ceremony on 19 May 2017

"I can just say, Wow! I've experienced a lot during the welcoming functions on all three campuses." - Prof Petersen

Photo caption: Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Photo Gallery

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Transcription of the ceremony

Photo gallery of Inauguration and Welcoming Ceremonies

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