learning

Childline says that legal steps should be taken against the school and the coach in charge of a group of boys who allegedly sexually assaulted 16-year-old boy on a rugby tour.

Childline advocacy and training manager, Joan van Niekerk, argues that the coach, who reportedly turned the victim away when approached for help, should have intervened.

"And these boys have to suffer the consequences; otherwise they will continue to perpetuate this kind of behaviour in public," explains Joan.

The National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) has called on schools across the country to focus on their academic programmes and not allow pupils to concentrate on social media on their phones during class time.

NASGB general-secretary, Matakanye Matakanye, points out that, “Children spend more time on Facebook, Twitter and other chatting sites, while not paying attention to their teachers during lesson time.”

In the same vein, the Federation of Associations of Governing Bodies warns that it will be very difficult to ban cellphones in schools.

A dream to help children learn to read has been motivating Julia Mputhi, founder of Kids EduCare, for the past 21 years.

Mphuti, who recognised the need for someone to look after children who wandered aimlessly about the streets in her neighbourhood, has given her time, energy and her heart to her creche, often funding its activities with her own money.

In 2006 fate smiled on her and as part of a lotteries-funded Early Childhood Development (ECD) project run by READ Educational Trust, she received training as a caregiver, which earned her NQF Level 1 certificate.

Pressure is mounting on the government to improve the quality of education, with civil society calling for the Matric pass mark to be increased from 33 to 50 percent.

The call, which is led by the Citizens Movement for Social Change - a coalition of civil society activists aimed at influencing public policy - also wants the government to review its relationship with the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU).

Children in sub-Saharan Africa are highly aware of the sexualised world they live in and are at dire risk falling pregnant or contracting HIV/AIDS or both as teenagers if they are treated as mere innocents.

According to a study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Cambridge University, children themselves say they want to discuss sex because they see evidence of it all around them in any case.

Leading education experts cannot explain how South Africa’s education system is less successful than those of many developing countries, despite well-crafted policies and enviable resources.

Earlier this month, SA’s representatives joined 300 other delegates at a World Literacy Summit in the United Kingdom where they signed the ‘Oxford Declaration’ that seeks a recommitment to education going beyond the United Nations Millennium Development goal of universal access to schooling by 2015.

South Africa’s education system needs to promote entrepreneurship as a career if it is to succeed in creating employment opportunities for the country's young people.

Sanlam/Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year Competition project manager, Nimo Naidoo, points out that, "There is a great opportunity for our youth to choose entrepreneurship as a career and become job creators rather than job seekers."

The Department of Higher Education says it has brokered a deal with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants to supply struggling Further Education and Training colleges with retired accountants to assist them.

Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, pointed out that the department will use a portion of the R2.5 billion announced by Zuma for capacity building projects at FET colleges by appointing qualified personnel and also to upgrade campuses and build new ones.