Pretoria - The United States Embassy in South Africa says it will continue to support South Africa’s efforts to raise the standard of education in the country.

The embassy said it will achieve this through the School Capacity and Innovation Programme (SCIP), which is in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and other South African organisations.

The embassy designed the $7.5 million (R85 million) programme in collaboration with the DBE to improve academic achievement in primary school learners. Through the programme, measures to improve teacher development and school management are supported.

The US Embassy also congratulated the class of 2014 following the release of the 2014 matric results, where learners achieved an overall pass rate of 75.8%.

“SCIP supports a variety of programmes that focus on essential classroom building blocks such as lesson plan development, reading programmes and student-centred learning strategies.

“Beyond the classroom, SCIP has also helped to develop computer-based assessment tools, teacher recruitment programmes and connects young learners with volunteer tutors,” the Embassy said.

It said the partnership between the DBE and the US government’s Agency for International Development (USAID), together with the ELMA Foundation and the JP Morgan Foundation, is helping South Africa expand local best practices in teacher training development.

In 2014, SCIP supported training for more than 63 000 South African teachers and teaching assistants in more than 600 schools.

DBE Deputy Director-General Vivienne Carelse has applauded the SCIP partnership and expressed her confidence that the South African schooling system would improve for the better.

Teacher Development Unit Director Haroon Mahomed said: “SCIP will play a significant role in improving quality teaching and learning in the country.”

USAID Southern Africa Mission Director Cheryl Anderson said teachers are the single most important factor that influences the quality of education.

“We are proud to work together with the DBE to ensure that current and future teachers receive the training needed to prepare them to deliver high quality education to the next generation of South Africa's learners.” – SAnews.gov.za

About 70 graduates, who benefitted from the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust, have told President Jacob Zuma how their lives and family conditions have changed.

On Monday, President Zuma hosted the 13th annual Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust Children and Youth Christmas Party at Mnyakanya High School, KwaNxamalala, in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

Echoing the beneficiaries' testimonies, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said what President Zuma does through the trust builds on the sterling work that he has done for education since he became President.

“Government has, under the leadership of President Zuma, increased the money for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme from R3 billion to R9 billion. It has established three new universities and 12 new Further Education and Training colleges are to be built," the Minister said.

So far, the trust has educated 24 000 students since its establishment in 1995.

President Zuma said 29 December has been marked as the day when “we do something for many orphans and children who come from the poorest of backgrounds yet have this thirst for knowledge and education”.

He said there were two stages in a human being’s life that needed the most support -- when they are children and when they are old.

“That's why I established both the senior citizens' Christmas party and the children and youth Christmas party," the President said.

The Department of Social Development is a key partner, with a number of big and small businesses supporting the initiative to ensure that the event grows over the years.

The party was attended by more than 6 000 children and youth from KwaZulu-Natal and from as far as the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga this year.

The children received Christmas gifts that included lunch packs, school bags, vanity bags and an undertaking from the South African Social Security Agency to follow up and deliver books to disadvantaged learners.

President Zuma was joined by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu, as well as Premiers from Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape provinces, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha, Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana and Deputy Ministers Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu and Obed Bapela as well the Brand Ambassador for South Africa, Dr Zweli Mkhize and COSATU President Sidumo Dlamini. - SAnews.gov.za

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The Department of Basic Education says the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) has been halted in schools where reports of food contamination have emerged.

The department said the NSNP operates as normal in many parts of Limpopo, except to the affected schools located in the Sekhukhune district.

According to the department, more than 1.6 million learners in more than 3 800 Limpopo public schools benefit from the NSNP.

“There are 353 328 learners in the Sekhukhune District who benefit from the NSNP.

“The handlers only in the affected schools have been requested to stop preparing food for the learners in order for a thorough investigation to be conducted,” the department said.

The department said it is concerned about the contamination of food, and it is doing all it can to address the matter.

It added that no learner has died as a result of consuming food from the nutrition programme in the province, as reported in the media.

The department said government will continue to safeguard the unqualified Constitutional rights of learners to basic education, health, nutrition, and safety.

The department said it is working with the Limpopo Department of Education to ensure that service, health and environmental standards are maintained in the nutrition programme in the province, both at the school level and the warehouses of the NSNP main retailers.

“Last week, the participation of some main NSNP retailer were terminated, either because these retailers were implicated in the food contamination that resulted in learners being hospitalised, or their warehouses failed to meet the predetermined service, health and environmental standards,” the department said.

The department added that all learners who were taken to hospital or clinics for observation have been released.

It said the main NSNP suppliers have been directed not to buy and distribute foodstuff with a particular brand label, as foodstuff with that brand label, particularly dried beans, were found to be extremely problematic.

“The South African Police Services (SAPS) have also begun with an investigative inquiry into allegations, with a view to laying criminal charges,” the department said.

“Minister Angie Motshekga has taken over the executive responsibilities of the provincial department in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 to the extent necessary,” the department said.

The Education Ministry is set to ensure a compliant roll-out of the NSNP in Limpopo schools.

The department said it will introduce additional monitoring measures with school-based monitors to report daily on the implementation of the programme.

“The NSNP monitoring system is being reviewed to tighten critical stages of food supply chain, and to solicit the support of the Department of Health and Local Municipality.

“Relations will be strengthened with the Health Environmental Practitioners in Limpopo to draw lessons and replicate a process of establishing checks and balances on monitoring suppliers in all provinces,” the department added.

The department said it is currently reviewing the draft 2015/16 Grant Framework to be gazetted in the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) to incorporate a transversal procurement system to enhance the operations of the current system.

“A Technical Task Team has been established to work on the modalities of introducing the system throughout all provinces. An operational plan for the provincial roll-out is expected before the end of November 2014,” the department said. - SAnews.gov.za

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Government continues to set education as an apex priority, said President Jacob Zuma at the launch of the Thusanani Foundation at Wits University on Monday night.

“We do this because of our conviction that education remains a pillar of development for our society,” he said.

The Thusanani Foundation is a youth-led non-profit organisation that aims to bridge the educational information gap between rural high school learners and their urban counterparts through a four pillar holistic approach to learner development.

President Zuma said Thusanani is important because it speaks to an important collaboration between government and the community sector and academia, in promoting youth education and empowerment.

He said through the Department of Higher Education, government committed to ensure that no poor and academically deserving young person should ever miss out on a study opportunity in institutions because of their financial background.

President Zuma said government is doing much to assist learners, singling out the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, the Funza Lushaka student support scheme, the bursaries supporting social workers and the medical doctors.

“Organisations such as the Thusanani Foundation remind us that no academically deserving learner must ever be excluded from the higher education system simply on the basis of his or her parents' socio-economic status,” he said.

Scholarship Funds

President Zuma also announced that Thusanani Foundation and the Department of Higher Education and Training will be launching two scholarships namely, the Pixley ka Isaka Seme Scholarship Fund and the Johnstone Mfanafuthi Makhatini International Scholarship Fund.

The Pixley ka Isaka Seme Scholarship Fund aims to provide academically deserving but financially needy youth from townships and rural areas with scholarships to further their studies in public institutions of higher learning.

This will empower them to pursue their studies in scarce skills programmes in universities.

Former African National Congress (ANC) President, Seme, was an orator, lawyer, intellectual and author, who can rightfully be called the founder of the ANC, according to President Zuma.

The Johny Makhathini International Scholarship Fund is a direct response to the commitment by the Department of Higher Education and Training to send rural and township students abroad in order to address the country’s areas of skills shortages such as renewable energy, nuclear, gas, maritime and rail engineering.

This is aimed at growing the country’s skills base as informed by the National Scarce Skills list published by the department in May this year and the National Development Plan (NDP).

Makhathini was a pillar of the country’s efforts to lobby the international community particularly the Western Europe countries against the apartheid government. He was so instrumental that he was later appointed to head the ANC mission to the United Nations in 1977.

“We therefore believe that this is but a step in the right direction in helping to develop our country. It has become critically important that our youth take ownership and play an active role in breaking the cycle of poverty and restoring the dignity of rural and township communities across South Africa,” said President Zuma.

According to the President, the partnership should aim at promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools.

“This partnership should therefore address this challenge through targeting learners early in their schooling life and encourage them to make the right subject choices and to follow career paths that are built upon sound subject choices and hard work.

“I am also happy that this partnership is also aiming to promote vocational skills and artisan development as a career path of choice,” he said.

The NDP makes it clear that the war on unemployment, poverty and inequality needs a collective effort from government, the private sector and civil society.

“This partnership therefore between Thusanani Foundation and the department of higher education speaks to this multiple stakeholder approach to development,” said President Zuma.

Founder and CEO of Thusanani Foundation, Mukovhe Masutha, said: “There is a very big educational information gap that exists between rural high school learners and their urban counterparts.

“This lack of information and motivation creates a spirit of hopelessness and discouragement amongst rural youth, which in turn impacts negatively on their academic performance. We established the foundation to respond to these challenges.”

Since 2011, Thusanani has evolved from a two-man initiative into a registered non-profit organisation with over 1 000 volunteers in five institutions of higher learning across South Africa, reaching out to over 35 000 high school learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Free State and in certain informal settlements in Gauteng. - SAnews.gov.za

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South African students, who will be departing to Russia to pursue their studies, received a warm send-off in Pretoria on Thursday.

“To tell you the truth I only told my family when everything was done,” said Luvuyo Fuzani.

Fuzani is among the eight South African students who will be departing South Africa next week to study various courses in Russia, through the Russian government scholarship.

Fuzani will be studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine.

He found out about the scholarship through friends who encouraged him to apply.

“I applied in March and they responded around May saying that I’ve been shortlisted. I wound up doing a telephonic interview because I am from the Eastern Cape and the interviews were conducted in Pretoria.

“After the interviews, they told me I was accepted. I was very happy,” he told SAnews at a farewell ceremony hosted by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on Thursday.

Fuzani completed his Matric in 2007 and studied further through a bursary obtained through the National Department of Health prior to the Russian Scholarship.

“I did a Bachelor’s Degree in medical/clinical practice called a clinical associate. I worked at a hospital because I had to serve my bursary.

“When I arrive in Russia I will study language at a university for a year after which I will do my medical degree,” said Fuzane.

His mother said she cried when she heard the news that he had been selected for the Russian scholarship.

“My mom accepted it though she was crying. She said that it’s a good opportunity and that she understands that I have to leave,” said Fuzeka.

Fuzeka plans to come back home after the five year period. He hopes to specialise and become a paediatric cardiologist. “I’d love to become one,” he said.

Russian Councillor Counsellor Boris Sokolov wished the students well ahead of their trip, saying that the scholarship will strengthen relations between South Africa and Russia.

“I’m sure that when they return home as trained specialists, they will contribute to the well-being and prosperity of South Africa. They will remain good friends of our country and relations between our countries will become more enhanced. I want to wish you good luck and good marks during your studies,” he said at the ceremony.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana said the South African government appreciates the scholarships that are awarded to South Africans annually.

“We hope to increase the number of students who are able to take up this exciting opportunity. We value the opportunities accorded to our young people to help them broaden their knowledge and skills which will enable them to return home and make a valuable contribution to our economy and society,” he explained.

The bursaries awarded are for undergraduate and post graduate degrees in the fields of Medical Biochemistry, Nuclear Physics, Chemical Technology and Applied Informatics across various Russian universities.

Eighteen-year old Karen Naicker is also among those heading to Russia next week.

“I’m a bit nervous to say the least. The thing is that it’s a good opportunity, I think that it will be worth the while,” said Naicker of her upcoming trip.

She is due to study medicine, but like Fuzani and others will first study the Russian language before embarking on her medical studies.

She admits that she will miss her family and friends dearly but that technological advancements like Skype will help.

“I will be able to stay in touch with my family in Durban,” she said.

Having studied Maths, Science and Biology in high school, she said her parents were proud of her achievements.

“They told me that they are proud of me, that I got the opportunity [to go study in Russia]. I am really blessed by God,” she said.

Deputy Minister Masina -- who also wished the students well -- said exchange and cooperation programmes are essential to expose students to best educational experiences and practises.

“These engagements help to build and strengthen our relationships with partner countries like Russia. Learning about foreign cultures and languages builds bridges,” he said.

The department has been sending students to study in Russia since 2012 with this year’s number being the largest at 13, of which five are already in Russia.

The scholarship is awarded as a partnership between the Russian and South African governments.

“My department is augmenting the scholarship provided by the Russian government. We also appreciate the commitment from the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) to provide support for two of their employees who are going to Russia,” explained the Deputy Minister.

The Deputy Minister also expressed concern that currently the country does not produce enough PhDs. “This is a challenge as high level skills are needed for the advancement of knowledge,” said the Deputy Minister. – SAnews.gov.za