Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
22 February 2024 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA | Photo LETHABO MACHABAPHALA
Theological Day 2024
From left to right: Prof Lodewyk Sutton (Acting Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion), Prof John Klassen (Dean Designate), Prof Heinrich Bedford-Strohnm (Moderator at the World Council of Churches) and Prof Henco van der Westhuizen (Associate Professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religion) participated in the Theological Day event held at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus.

South African democracy, born from the crucible of struggle, stands as a beacon of hope on the African continent. Rising from the shadows of apartheid, it has evolved into a vibrant, pluralistic society with inclusive governance and constitutional protections. However, as the nation approaches its forthcoming elections and enters its fourth decade of democracy, persistent challenges such as inequality, corruption, and unemployment continue to test the resilience of the citizens.

On 12 February 2024, the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of the Free State hosted an event themed “The end of democracy? theological perspectives” on the Bloemfontein Campus, commemorating Theological Day with intellectual discussions and celebrations. 

Associate Professor Prof Henco van der Westhuizen, from the Department of Historical and Constructive Theology, introduced the keynote speaker, Prof Heinrich Bedford-Strohnm, leader of the World Council of Churches, who shared insightful thoughts during the event. 

Prof Heinrich Bedford-Strohnm articulated, "Dignity might be mere words, but it carries profound meaning. We must question whether the principles inscribed in the South African Constitution are genuinely upheld. Democracy, according to the Bible, is about treating everyone equally, showing respect, and fostering understanding. It transcends mere power; it entails using power to safeguard the weak and more vulnerable, mirroring the ideals of the South African Constitution."

Addressing the impact of digitalisation on society, he noted that while it unites the world, it also poses challenges for democracy. Despite its potential to enhance participation, transparency, and accountability, the digital landscape, saturated with social media platforms, inadvertently fuels the commercial realm. Countless hours are spent disseminating unverified information, and fake news, and fostering hatred to benefit algorithms and the commercial sphere.  

While the South African Constitution grants the right to freedom of expression, Prof Heinrich Bedford-Strohnm advised churches to carefully navigate their involvement in political issues. “It's crucial to be mindful of the context, manner, and openness of communication for effective public discourse. While supporting political views is acceptable, active participation should be avoided.”

News Archive

Faculty of Education discusses new curricula at summit
2012-03-07

 

Die Fakulteit Opvoedkunde se nuut-aangepaste B.Ed.-programme word binnekort by die Nasionale Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding ingedien vir herakkreditasie. Proff. Rita Niemann (links), Direkteur vir Nagraadse Studie en Navorsing, en Gawie du Toit, Direkteur vir Aanvanklike Onderwysersopvoeding, is aan die stuur van die herkurrikuleringsproses vir voorgraadse en nagraadse programme van die Fakulteit Opvoedkunde.
6 March 2012

The training of professional teachers rests on a strong curriculum. For this reason, the Faculty of Education has been re-looking at the curricula of the B.Ed. programme for the past two years.

Before this programme is submitted for approval and accreditation, the Education Faculty’s staff from the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses will attend a summit at the Gariep Dam on 7 and 8 March 2012. This summit is a sequel to guidelines drawn up by the National Department of Higher Education and Training on adjusted requirements for teacher training. It determines that all initial teacher training and honours programmes be recurriculated and resubmitted for accreditation. These requirements were published in the Government Gazette in July 2011 and involve all education faculties in the country.
 
Deans and line heads of other faculties, including Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Humanities, and Economic and Management Sciences, have also become involved as Education students often register for modules in these faculties.
 
Last week a team from the UFS’s Education Faculty also attended a workshop presented by the Council on Higher Education where the criteria for recurriculation and the evaluation of programmes were discussed.
 
Prof. Gawie du Toit of the UFS’s Faculty of Education says curriculation is not merely a technical process but requires thorough reflection and conceptualisation, involving various roleplayers.
“It is important that recurriculation should take place over a period of time to allow for sufficient time for reflection, absorption and ownership.”
 
Thus, the aim of the Gariep Dam summit is to introduce a teachers’ training program that will provide graduates with the necessary knowledge, skills and responsibilities to take up their places as academics and professional beginner teachers.
 
During these two days students in Education will not attend any classes but they are tasked with self study and to complete assignments.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept