literacy

Using ICT to Develop Literacy

Using ICT to Develop Literacy aims to provide a concise overview of the literacy issue and explain how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to enhance literacy education and contribute to achieving the Literacy Decade goals. The booklet focuses on five areas where ICT can be utilised in literacy education: enhancing learning; raising access to literacy education; training of teachers; localising content; and creating a literacy-conducive environment. The booklet also contains examples of the use of ICT in literacy education.

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Reflecting on the National Youth Service

Wednesday 26 August, 2009 - 13:25

In a country with an army of young people who were, and still are out of school, unemployed and unskilled, the South African’s government launch of the National Youth Service Programme (NYS) in Cape Town five years ago on August 24 was a milestone in the youth development sector.

Technology Blamed for Poor Literacy in SA

Tuesday 18 August, 2009 - 10:51

Poor schooling, television, video games and the use of "SMS language" have all played a part in producing the poor state of literacy displayed by South Africa's university entrants. This is according to the University of the North West Chancellor and chairperson of the Higher Education South Africa, Theunis Elloff.

Eloff, who presented a report on the issue to the parliamentary portfolio committee, says the literacy standards of more than half of university entrants are too low for them to succeed without help.

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Education the Most Powerful Weapon to Change the World

Wednesday 12 August, 2009 - 13:06

“Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” These are the wise words of former president Nelson Mandela who celebrates his 91st birthday this month. Indeed prophetic words calling on all South Africans to account for the way in which education is used to ensure the success of South Africa’s nation-building project.

Creecy Criticises ‘Unacceptable’ Education Quality

Tuesday 4 August, 2009 - 11:19

Gauteng MEC for Education, Barbara Creecy, has acknowledged that there are still a significant number of schools that do not deliver quality when measured in terms of pupil outcomes.

Creecy says that the consequences of this are that many of the youth end up having education without the basics they will need to make their way in the world. She says that the main challenge for any school system is to provide every child with almost one million minutes of quality education.

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Language Struggle Must Make Way for Language Support

Wednesday 15 July, 2009 - 12:48

The Ministerial Committee’s report on transformation and social cohesion and the elimination of discrimination in public higher education institutions, released recently, is one of the most comprehensive and balanced reports on the conditions undermining social cohesion, successful integration and, particularly, academic performance at our universities.

Nzimande Challenges Brain Drain

Thursday 9 July, 2009 - 16:01

Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, has called for the internationalisation of higher education to be managed to help African countries avert a brain drain.

Speaking during the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education in Paris, Nzimande told delegates that this is part of the result of poor access to education in some African countries.

According to a conference paper, in 2007 over 2.8 million students were enrolled in higher educational institutions outside their country of origin - a 53 percent increase since 1999.

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School of Hope: Teachers

Friday 20 February, 2009 - 10:11

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Project Literacy Comments on the 2009/10 Budget

Friday 13 February, 2009 - 9:43

The largest portion of this year’s budget goes to education (some R140.4 billion). Special mention was made of capital expenditure to fix both schools and universities. For those working with poor communities we must welcome increased allocations for school feeding schemes and the building of more schools in poor areas.

More details will emerge once the Minister of Education presents her budget to parliament in the near future.

Afriforum Youth Condemns Delayed Matric Results

Monday 19 January, 2009 - 11:19

Afriforum youth says the rights of matriculants who have yet to receive their matric results were being violated.

Speaking in Pretoria after a handful of the class of 2008 students protested outside the Department of Education offices, Afriforum youth chairperson, Ernst Roets, described the delay of the matric results as an infringement of students’ rights.

The matriculants handed over a memorandum requesting the department to identify persons responsible for the delay in releasing the results and to take disciplinary steps against them.