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Advancing innovative, effective mathematics and science teaching across South Africa

01 October 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Kaleidoscope

S4F2024 — The Science-for-the-Future (S4F) unit in the Faculty of Education hosted a summit on 13 September 2024. The event, which was held on the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Campus, was well attended by nearly 300 guests from across the country.

Teachers from across the country and representatives of nine other universities recently gathered at the University of the Free State (UFS) to celebrate the achievements of the S4F Teacher Professional Development programmes as well as the successful collaboration between the UFS and other universities in this regard.

The Science-for-the-Future (S4F) unit in the Faculty of Education hosted a summit in the Centenary Complex on the Bloemfontein Campus on 13 September 2024. The acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, Prof Anthea Rhoda, delivered the keynote address at the summit. Representatives from the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) – the official funder of the Science for the Future initiative – were also present, along with about 300 attendees, representing teachers, participating universities, representatives from the Department of Basic Education, and other stakeholders.

In her welcoming address, Prof Matseliso Mokhele Makgalwa, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education, said the event focuses, among others, on fostering collaboration and innovation across academic and professional communities. She later highlighted the fact that the project implementation period of three years makes provision for continued visits to the participating schools to sustain the continuity over time.

Dr Cobus van Breda, Programme Director of S4F and Project Manager of the Universities Collaboration initiative, elaborated on the rationale of the project as well as the collaboration with nine other universities. He stated, “We know from research that there are many factors that prevent learners, especially in rural areas in South Africa, from excelling in Mathematics and Science. These include subject content knowledge, lack of teaching resources at school and at home, language of learning and teaching that differs from home language, along with a lack of parental involvement, among others.” He said the project aims to address these rampant challenges by not only empowering teachers with the necessary teaching skills and content knowledge, but also providing classroom resources to benefit learners and adding a parental involvement component to the project.

To scale the project benefits for the rest of the country, the UFS has partnered with nine other universities; collectively, more than one hundred thousand project participants (teachers, learners, and parents) could be impacted during 2024. The collaborating universities are Nelson Mandela University, the Walter Sisulu University, the University of Limpopo, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Mpumalanga, Sol Plaatje University, the University of Venda, Stellenbosch University, and Nort-West University.

Representatives from the Department of Basic Education and other institutions were also given the opportunity to highlight the impact of the initiative in their respective institutions. Maki Molale, Senior Education Specialist from the Free State Department of Basic Education, reflected on the contribution of the project and said, “In the Department of Education we report on these key areas: teacher development, direct learner support, parental involvement, the utilisation of resources and partnerships … they are all addressed in this project.” She thanked the University of the Free State and the funder, SANRAL. Dr Glynnis Daries from Sol Plaatje University spoke on behalf of the collaborating universities and explained from an academic perspective to attendees how the project implementation strategy of S4F relates to Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory of human development and how the respective project components showcase the five levels of this theory.

During the keynote address, Prof Rhoda emphasised the importance of Mathematics skills, teaching children the capacity to solve problems and how it is extremely important to be analytical in one’s approach to resolving complexities and to work through problems in a methodical and logical manner. In the end, if one does this, no challenge is insurmountable. She commended the teachers present for fulfilling a vital task and pointed out the heavy responsibility on their shoulders. In this regard, she said, “As the UFS, and through the Science for the Future project, we are proud to support you in your work. The project is a vehicle through which we fulfil the central goals of the UFS, which are to impact the community in a positive way, and to instil a culture of excellence in a caring environment. We will continue to support you in your work and do all that we can to make your work more fulfilling and impactful – this is the promise of the UFS to our partners through this project.”

In acknowledging the contribution of the respective collaborating universities, Prof Rhoda emphasised that partnerships and collaborations are not easy to build, and most importantly, to maintain … “but what I’m hearing through these engagements today is that these partnerships are not just being maintained, they are expanded … the collaboration impacted the different institutions as well as, most importantly, the communities, close to and around them”. She alluded to the fact that universities’ roles are not just to retain and accept students, but universities have an important role in being the anchor within the society and communities in which they find themselves. According to her, the contribution of SANRAL and other project funders thus extends far beyond teachers’ professional development and community empowerment, it contributes towards assisting universities in engaged scholarship activities.

In reflecting on the parental involvement component of the programme, Themba Mhambi – Chairperson of the SANRAL Board – said that apart from being a maths and science project, and a project that is developmental, that is nation building, “… it becomes a kind of template for perhaps how our education system needs to be re-constructed … reclaiming the old times when parents and teachers worked together with the child in the centre”.

News Archive

Conference: Expanded ARV treatment

2005-03-02

VENUE: University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
DATE: 30 March 2005 - 1 April 2005

ARV Programme as on 24Feb Download Word document
Programme Special events Download Word document

Official web site www.fshealth.gov.za/subsites/arvc

Rationale for the Conference
At the time of the planned Conference, much ground would have been covered, both in the Free State and in South Africa, in respect of the expanded public sector ARV treatment programme in respect of research, experiences in practice, training of staff, treatment of patients, lessons learned, successes and failures, etc. The time would then be quite opportune to share these in a systematic manner with other provinces and countries, as well as with the large variety of stakeholders and role players in the ARV and related domains, be they academics and researchers, policy makers and service/facility managers, the variety of caregivers, and the community organisations and affected patients.

The Conference and current research
The proposed Conference is, firstly, directly linked to the current research on the public sector roll-out of ARV treatment in the Free State conducted by several research institutions (e.g. CIET, CHSR&D, UCT Lung Institute). Secondly, the Conference could and would serve as a forum for other research groups in the country and further a field to report and share knowledge and experiences on ARV treatment and related initiatives. Lastly, the Conference will stage a golden opportunity for researchers and scientists, on the one hand, and policy makers, managers, and caregivers (as knowledge users), on the other hand, to engage in cross-disciplinary discourse on this mutual and topical theme.

Theme of Conference
Expanded ARV treatment in the Free State: sharing experiences

Focus
The focus is primarily on public sector ARV treatment in the Free State, but also initiatives/activities/perspectives of relevance to the Free State elsewhere in the country at large and further a field, as well as relevant ARV initiatives in the public, private, NGO and FBO sectors. Bear in mind, however, that ARV treatment is but part of a much more comprehensive approach to HIV and AIDS. The Conference will, therefore, not narrowly focus on the ARV treatment programme only. The broader context, other relevant dimensions, and a comprehensive approach to the challenges of HIV, AIDS and TB are of equal importance.

The purpose of the Conference
Enhance meaningful exchange, mutual understanding and collaboration among researchers, scientists, policy makers, managers and practitioners in the field of ARV treatment and related fields.

Share experiences in the various spheres of ARV treatment and related spheres (policy, management, practice, research, training, public-private-civil society sectors).

Record, reflect and report on the establishment of the ARV treatment programme in the Free State, and in within the context of the comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme.

Disseminate important research results on ARV treatment and related themes to health policy makers, managers, practitioners, communities and to the research community.

Stimulate discourse among various disciplines and various stakeholders/role players involved in ARV treatment and related programmes.

Sensitise and acquaint researchers to the requirements of policy makers, managers and practitioners in respect of ARV treatment and related fields.

Facilitate the implementation of research results in ARV treatment policy, programmes and practice.

Dissemination of Conference-related information
Information generated during the Conference could feed into policy, management and practice of ARV treatment, the training accompanying such programme, and the existing body of knowledge. After the Conference the information will be disseminated via the Internet and by scientific and popular publications.

Date and duration
Set for 30 & 31 March & 1 April 2005; to commence at 09:00 on the first day (30 March) and to end at 16:30 (1 April) the third day.

Format and scope of Conference
Alternating plenary, parallel sessions and debates focused on topical issues and interest groups. The Conference will strive to be maximally interactive and participative.

Themes and topics to cover:

Policy, management and health services/practice (various levels and contexts – clinical treatment, information, IT systems, pharmacy, laboratories, nutrition)
Research covering all relevant disciplines and diverse dimensions of ARV treatment and related themes
Training and evaluation of training
Patients, communities and civil society organisations
Public, private, NGO, FBO initiatives and partnerships

Emphasis will be on the Free State, however, with of significant involvement from other provinces, SADC countries, and countries further a field. The thrust will be to export lessons and experiences from the Free State, but also to import lessons and experiences from other provinces, countries and sectors.

Presenters
Key presenters from the Free State, other provinces, South Africa, from the private, FBO and NGO sectors, and from several other countries

Delegates
About half of the delegates will be Free State stakeholders and role players (all levels and all contexts). The other half will be role players and stakeholders in the ARV and related fields from other provinces, the national level, and other countries, as well as from the private, public and non-governmental sectors.

Focused workshops
Provision will be made for half-a-day or one-day workshop initiatives on the third day (1 April 2005).

Enquiries
For more information please contact:

Prof Dingie van Rensburg
Centre for Health Systems Research & Development
University of the Free State
PO Box 339
Bloenfontein
SOUTH AFRICA
9300

Contact:
Carin van Vuuren
Conference Organiser
Centre for Health Systems Research & Development
University of the Free State
P.O.Box 339
Bloemfontein
South Africa
9300
Tel +27 (0) 51 401 2181
Fax +27 (0) 51 4480370
Cell 0832932890
e-mail: arvconference.hum@mail.uovs.ac.za

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