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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.
Kovsies among top SADC debaters
2014-11-26
From the left are: Matlhodi Leteane and Lehakoe Masedi.
The UFS Debate Society is definitely not all talk and no action. They ranked 10th at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Debate Open held in Gaborone, Botswana, from 14 – 16 November 2014.
Kovsie students Lehakoe Masedi (second-year BCom Law) and Matlhodi Leteane (first-year LLB Law) teamed up to represent our university at the prestigious SADC event hosted by the University of Botswana Speaking Union. Eight Southern African countries were represented as well as six universities from South Africa.
“Attending a tournament focused on the debating of regional issues and solutions was a great reward and we wish to take part in more of these tournaments in future,” says Lehakoe.
Out of a pool of 40 of the best individual speakers in Southern Africa, Lehakoe and Matlhodi were jointly awarded 18th place.
“Debate continues to help the growth of the student community and the attendance of such debate tournaments lends a lot of help to the internal growth of not only our partnership but our debate society as a whole,” says Lehakoe. “We take great pride in our performance, especially as first-year *British Parliamentary speakers. We wish to improve and grow as we progress further in our debate careers.”
*British Parliametary speaking is the style of debating used by university institutions.