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28 May 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Jon Vincent
Ibali
Educators, academics, and policymakers in attendance at the Ibali Education Stakeholders Forum.

The Centre for Development Support (CDS) at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with Ibali, hosted the Ibali Education Stakeholders Forum on 10 May 2024 at the Centenary Complex on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus. 

According to Prof Faith Mkwananzi, Associate Professor at the CDS, the event, an initiative of the Ibali Project, aimed to ‘’inform and disseminate project findings to individuals with an interest in educational exclusion and inclusion. It also served as a forum for stakeholders to share insights on the matter. “ The forum was well attended by educators, school leaders, academics, and policymakers from the Free State. Additionally, the event saw representation from Ibali, including Dr Alison Buckler, Deputy Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) at The Open University.

A platform for engagement

Discussions at the forum focused on creating inclusive learning environments for learners and students within the province and beyond. Stakeholders had the opportunity to discuss the challenges they face in fostering inclusive learning spaces through panel discussions and presentations. ’’The involvement of stakeholders and presentation of diverse perspectives contributed to a robust engagement, indicating that individuals and organisations are motivated to support an inclusive and sustainable education system at every level in South Africa,’’ said Prof Mkwananzi.

The Ibali initiative

Dr Buckler explained that Ibali is a network of researchers, practitioners, and educators interested in how storytelling can support different understandings around complex issues in education and development. One of Ibali’s projects, funded by the United Kingdom Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), explores what inclusion and exclusion look like within education in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Insights from the engagement

Dr Buckler highlighted several insights from the forum. She noted that inclusive practice can manifest in various ways. ‘’People talked about mixing groups of students in lectures, creating a supportive community for their deaf sibling, mainstream schools inviting children from ‘special schools’ for play sessions, and so on,’’ she said. Moreover, she emphasised that a key takeaway is that “underpinning hugely diverse examples of inclusive practice are a fairly small number of key principles around empathy, communication, ubuntu, and seeing someone as whole instead of defining people by certain characteristics that align with inclusion policies.”

As the engagement session concluded, both Prof Mkwananzi and Dr Buckler expressed hope that stakeholders could learn from one another’s experiences, fostering a more inclusive educational environment.  

News Archive

First-year students encouraged to attend UFS welcoming function
2007-01-12

Main Campus, Bloemfontein
The University of the Free State (UFS) will host a welcoming function for all new first-year students and their parents on Saturday 13 January 2007 in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.
 
The function starts at 11:00 and will be addressed by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Frederick Fourie. UFS staff will also be available to provide vital information to first-year students on academic matters.
 
Saturday’s welcoming function can assist students and parents by providing vital information on the registration process, which starts on Tuesday 16 January 2007, and the many high quality academic learning programmes on offer in six faculties at the UFS.
 
The UFS has split the registration process into various categories of students and students should adhere to the dates, and times which apply to them as a one-stop service will be available so as to avoid unnecessary delays in the registration process.
 
The registration of first-time entering first-year students who applied before 30 November 2006 to study at the Bloemfontein Campus will take place from Tuesday 16 January 2007 at the Callie Human Centre.
 
Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 22 January 2007 according to a programme that was sent to all students who were registered at the UFS in 2006.
 
Postgraduate students, first-time entering first-year students and other students, who applied for admission to the Main Campus after 30 November 2006 and were accepted, must register at the Callie Human from 5 February 2007. 
 
Late applications will be accepted until Monday 15 January 2007 at the Information Centre on the Main Campus’ Thakaneng Bridge. 
 
Lectures will commence on 5 February 2007 and the registration process will end on 9 February 2007.
 
Vista Campus:
The Vista Campus in Bloemfontein – which was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004 – no longer accepts applications from first-year students. Such prospective students had to apply to the UFS Main Campus. Students who had been registered on the Vista Campus last year must register at the Vista Campus on the same dates as applicable on the Main Campus.
 
Qwaqwa Campus:
At the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS all first-time entering first-year students must report on Sunday 14 January 2007 for orientation, after which the registration of these students will take place according to a specific programme as from Wednesday 17 January 2007. The official welcoming functioning for new first-years at the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS will take place on Saturday 10 February 2007 at 08:00 in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus.
 
First-year students who have applied to study at the Qwaqwa Campus and their parents should attend this function which fulfils the same role as the one held on the Bloemfontein Main Campus.
 
Detailed information on the dates and times of registration for the various faculties and academic learning programmes is available on the UFS website at www.ufs.ac.za
 
Prospective students may also call the Main Campus in Bloemfontein on 051 4013000 or the Qwaqwa Campus on 058 718-5000 for more information.
 
Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
11 January 2007
 

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