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27 October 2025
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Story Sefako Mokhosoa
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Photo Supplied
Ten Grade 12 learners from Mampoi Secondary School in Phuthaditjhaba.
On 1 October 2025, the Projects and Innovation Directorate in the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS) proudly hosted a certificate ceremony to honour ten Grade 12 learners from Mampoi Secondary School in Phuthaditjhaba on the Qwaqwa Campus. These learners completed a Skills Development Initiative and Workshop Series focused on digital literacy and ICT skills – a programme designed to equip rural youth with the tools they need to thrive in a digital world.
The initiative, which ran from May to August 2025, was made possible through a strategic partnership with BANKSETA to bridge the digital divide in rural communities. The learners received hands-on training in essential digital tools. Each learner also received a tablet to support continued learning and personal growth beyond the classroom.
The Director of the office in the Faculty of Education, Dr Kwazi Magwenzi, stressed that digital skills promote independence and self-directed learning. “Grade 12 is a time when learners should manage their studies, meet deadlines, and explore their options,” she said. “Digital fluency supports that autonomy. It enables learners to use online research, interactive tools, e-learning, and collaboration platforms to make learning more effective, flexible, and aligned with their pace and style. In Grade 12, where the stakes are high – with exams, tertiary entrance, and career choices – this ability helps learners become more self-directed, confident, and equipped.”
The programme not only built learners’ confidence in using ICT tools for learning and communication but also prepared them for the technologically driven environments they will encounter in institutions of higher learning.
Beyond developing digital skills, the project offered learners valuable exposure to the university environment, as their training took place on campus. Inspired by the success of this pilot, the Faculty of Education now aims to expand the initiative to reach more schools and learners across the region. The vision is to scale up access to digital education and empower more young people in rural areas with the skills necessary for academic and professional success.
This ceremony marked the conclusion of a successful training programme and the beginning of a long-term commitment to digital empowerment and lifelong learning in rural communities.
Kovsie-Alumni Trust provides financial support to gifted young persons
2009-07-08
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Kovsie-Alumni Trust of the University of the Free State (UFS) provides financial support to gifted young persons. This year, the Trust has already granted R24 000 to students with disabilities and R28 500 to ad hoc applications for financial support. Amongst others, financial support of R224 888 was given to students from the Alumni Donation Funds. The contributions of generous donators to the Trust Fund are used to award academic, cultural and sport bursaries to deserving prospective as well as current Kovsie students. Here are, from the left: PK Nkate, a blind honours student in Business Management, who received R6 000 from the Trust, Ralph de Kramer, who received R3 500 for his ad hoc application; back: Adv Seef Hefer, Chairperson of the Trust, Ms Francis Hoexter, member of the Trust, Leendert Kramer, who received R60000 for his ad hoc application and Mr Ryno Opperman, member of the Trust. Other bursaries were awarded to Eleanor Bernard and Nandi Venter, Master’s students from the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, French and German, who each received half of the NNP bursaries with the total value of R20 000 and Magteld Smith, a blind Ph.D. student in BA to whom the Sapcor Bursary was awarded. Carien Gordon, Geoff Bezuidenhout and Ilana van der Merwe received R6 000, R3 500 and R3 500 respectively, according to their ad hoc applications.
Photo: Dries Myburgh |