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UFS Matriculant of the Year competition: A pathway to academic excellence

21 October 2024 | Story Litha Banjatwa | Photo Supplied

Matriculant of the year 2024 — This year’s winner, Jayden Leech (centre), deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College.

For more than four decades, the University of the Free State (UFS) has used its annual Matriculant of the Year competition to attract the country’s top matriculants. This prestigious award recognises and celebrates the exceptional achievements of South African high school students who excel in academics, sports, culture, and leadership.

This year’s winner, Jayden Leech, deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College, stands out not only for his academic average of 90% but also for his sporting achievements. He has represented South Africa in karate and has been a member of the Free State Hockey and Waterpolo teams for the past three years. Jayden has been selected to pursue a medical degree.

The competition is closely aligned with the UFS’s Vision 130, which envisions a future where academic excellence, innovation, and societal impact are prioritised. “By recognising academic success, creativity, resilience, and leadership potential, the university aims to attract the brightest minds to join its community. This competition serves as a platform to identify and nurture future leaders who will help address South Africa's pressing challenges,” says Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services.

This year, the competition attracted 60 applicants, with a strong representation of women - 43 women and 17 men. The Free State province led with 28 entries, followed by North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Popular fields of study among applicants included Medicine (MBChB), Accounting, Engineering, and Law. While the overall academic average of all entries was an impressive 81%, the top 14 finalists achieved an outstanding average of 85%.

Through a series of interviews and group activities, candidates were assessed on their critical thinking, communication skills, and ability to collaborate effectively. The Matriculant of the Year is ultimately selected for their overall balance, leadership potential, and capacity to serve as an ambassador for the UFS.

The Matriculant of the Year competition reflects the UFS’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning environment, aligned with the university’s values of social justice and sustainability. “By aligning this competition with Vision 130, we reaffirm the UFS’s dedication to transforming lives, creating opportunities, and shaping the next generation of leaders who will drive societal and economic progress,’’ adds Mbadi.

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Research at the UFS on the acceptability and modern use of earth building in newly settled urban areas can help the poorest of the poor to acquire hou

2003-08-26

The University of the Free State and the Technische Universiteit van Eindhoven in the Netherlands received a research bursary of R316 000 from SANPAD (South African Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development).

The aim of the research is to determine the public acceptability of sustainable, high quality, earth constructed public and private buildings as an alternative to the conventional way of building with bricks and steel.

“European countries like the Netherlands are far advanced with studies in earth construction and this is why the partnership was formed with the Technische Universiteit van Eindhoven,” says Prof Das Steÿn, Head of Urban and Regional Planning at the UFS and project leader.

Although research regarding mapping, typology and availability of natural and local resources has been done on a national level, little research has been done on the acceptability and the modern use of earth building in newly settled urban areas.

“South Africa has a large housing shortage and traditional methods such as earth building techniques are not used in urban informal housing. Preference is given to corrugated iron sheets and plastic,” says Prof Steÿn.

The use of upgraded earth construction might be more sustainable as far as the environment and the economy is concerned. “If we can make a breakthrough in the development and propagating of these methods it will help the poorest of the poor to acquire housing of a better quality.”

The research team from the UFS consists of Prof Steÿn, Ms Petria Jooste-Smit, Head of the Unit for Earth Construction in the Department of Architecture and Mr Gerhard Bosman of the Department of Architecture.

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