Celebrated annually worldwide on 26 April, World Intellectual Property Day raises awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact our daily lives. This year’s theme: “Intellectual Property (IP) and Youth – Innovating for a better future, sought to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the world.

The event was founded in 2000 by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WPO). Addressing and welcoming attendees, UMP Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso expressed profound appreciation for the opportunity to host this important event.

"It is such an honour for our new institution. We value such experiences as part of our pioneering journey. We have been part of this exciting journey since 2014. At that time we enrolled only 169 students in three programmes. Eight years later, in 2022 we have 6 720 students in 48 programmes including six Masters Degrees and three Doctoral degrees.”

Professor Mayekiso acknowledged and commended the companies and Intellectual Property Commission, the Department of Science and Innovation, the National Intellectual Management Office, the Technology Innovation Agency, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) for their contribution to the day.

“Finding an opportunity to engage and exchange ideas is always such a key moment in the life of intellectuals. An opportunity to connect and challenge one another to improve and refine our thoughts always bodes well for the expansion of knowledge and bolstering scholarship."

UMP Vice-Chancellor Prof Thoko Mayekiso and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Prof Shirley Sommers interact with BEd student, Palesa Masuku who participated at the International Intellectual Property Day. 

“The curiosity to follow knowledge where it leads us – for the betterment of the world – is indeed a great prospect to be relished. For our staff and students, mingling with like-minded people brings about an extra edge and the realisation that they are not alone and that there are others to learn from.”

Prof Mayekiso said UMP as a comprehensive institution understands that its academic project must combine both the creation and transfer of knowledge to produce students that are independent and critical thinkers. 

She explained that the institution’s vision was to be an African University leading in creating opportunities for sustainable development through innovation.

“Through our research and development effort, our students should have an eye for innovation. As an institution, we are committed to the development of an innovative culture and to playing a catalytic role in innovation with a definite bias towards Africa.

As an engaged university, we place great value on partnerships, collaborations or linkages and networks. We have identified partnerships as both drivers and enablers in achieving our vision. As a strategic level and in line with UMP’s vision 2022, our goal is to make a pioneering, critical and constructive contribution through the generation, dissemination and application of knowledge.”

According to Prof Mayekiso, the institution is guided in its ventures by core values, excellence, integrity, diversity, collaboration adaptability, relevance and inspiration. She said all the UMP values found expression in the recent World Intellectual Property event that they hosted, and added that it was crucial to note that innovative, energetic and creative minds drive positive change.

She explained that when the world faces unprecedented times, and daunting challenges, “ it is encouraging to note that at such a time there are creators, inventors and entrepreneurs who can use IP rights to achieve their goals, create jobs, tackle global and local challenges and generate income.”

Power-packed programme: Prof Phindile Lukhele-Olorunju, Director: Research Management at the UMP and Bongani Sibuyi, UMP Graduate and Founder of Relevant Technologies during a Radio 2000 live broadcast of the 2022 World Intellectual Property Day celebrations.

Speaking at the same event, Mojalefa Khoza from the Companies & Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) said South Africa has been commemorating this important day for the past 12 years.

"The day aims at celebrating human creativity and innovation. This year World Intellectual Property Day is focusing on the youth. There are a lot of ideas that young people have, so we want to celebrate the young men and young women who offered something to our country. There is no idea that is bad because any idea can be useful as long as you work on it and develop it. Please don’t underestimate the idea that you have because it might take you places.

“We want to make sure that young people know how to protect their intellectual properties and make money out of it and create jobs. The innovators that we are celebrating today, include Nkosana Makhate who invented a ‘Please call me.’ The idea came when the young man wanted to call his mother but he did not have airtime. He then started working on the App that is now used mostly in Africa and South America. IP protects your ideas from being stolen. ”

Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) representative, Migal Sithole, who also spoke at the event, called on young aspiring entrepreneurs to contact them so that they can be prepared to start their own businesses.

UMP BEd Foundation Phase student Thandeka Mahlangu showcased her business, Ndeka Desserts.

“We work with many government entities, therefore, we are the first institution that young people must interact with if they want to start their businesses. We assist on how to get financial backing and also assist by offering training on how to run a business. We have offices throughout the province.”

During the webinar, Professor Gary Atkinson from Technology Innovation Agency educated attendees on how to register their intellectual properties, including trademarks, copyright, patents, trade secrets and other related things.

“You must not show other people your work before it gets registered because if someone registers it will be hard to produce proof that it belongs to you. When you generate a trademark for your product you must not forget to include the capital letter ‘C’. Trademarks last for 10 years and can be renewable. Young people must register their IP as soon as possible,” said Atkinson.

Bonga Mthombeni of Duma brands is an entrepreneur who turned WIFI signal into a power that can be used on small electric appliances such as cell phones, laptops and other related things. He also participated in the workshop and urged young people to do plenty of research to develop themselves a frame of reference.

Mojalefa Khoza from the Intellectual Property Commission said IPC is focusing on the youth.

“Always document your research and make sure that it is well supported. Those who are in high school must not wait until they get to the university to start working on their ideas. I worked on my electricity power project alone and I managed to get found.”

Thabang Jase, Acting Director at National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) delivered a presentation that encouraged young people to be innovative because the country needs more inventors to grow.

“It is important that we come up with new things that will play a role in developing society. Through IP our products have a better chance that they can do well on the market. Since many companies are failing to offer employment, we are calling on the youth to become innovators and start doing their things.

Our department is here to support you, so start your thing - we will assist you. Look at the problem that society has and come up with a solution. But make sure that whatever you invent has a market because there is no need to invent something that does not have a market,” he said.

Some of the speakers included Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching, Prof Shirley Sommers who presented the programmes offered by UMP and the success of the institution throughout the years.

@ Story Lisa Thabethe. Pictures Supplied.

WATCH: Students share their sentiments of the 2022 World Intellectual Property day held at the University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela campus. 

The book draws inspiration from the works of earlier scholars on land and agriculture in Africa, and was compiled in honour of the late Professor Sam Moyo who was a leading scholar on land and agrarian issues. The book takes the land and agriculture debates further by analysing pertinent issues across many African countries. Having been at the core of Africa’s colonisation project, the land question has remained unresolved in many African countries.

Relying on empirical evidence, the book argues for the hastening of land reforms and for promoting agrarian-led development in Africa. It provides a fresh theoretical lens in assessing the land and agrarian questions, using radical agrarian political economy to underscore the imperative for decolonising the land and a basis for creating new platforms for social change and broadened accumulation by the indigenes.

Leading the virtual launch, Prof Gumede paid tribute to Professor Sam Moyo: “Several works have been published on Prof Moyo, but we felt the need to publish something in his honour as someone who has greatly contributed to our lives and careers. Dr Shonhe and I were both working at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute when we pitched the idea to the institute and it gained traction.”

Co-editor, teacher at the Thabo Mbeki School, and author of several books and journals, Dr Shonhe says the book has been a journey that was motivated by the land reform and agrarian questions, which remain unanswered to this day.

Dr Shonhe said the land issue is a subject many African scholars have debated on and written about.

“It is the work of previous scholars that have shaped the way we continue with the land debate today. It places the land at the centre of how Africa can retrieve itself and foster development as a continent.”

UMP Students that attended the event.

“The book provides a fresh look and new ways of how to think about land and agriculture in Africa. The way we need to think about land and that it is part of the decolonisation process,” he adds.

“How we approach our minds and the kind of knowledge we apply, must change – we need an African perspective. Maybe in the past it was Eurocentric, which undermined the land question. The book and the contributors argue using empirical evidence of land reform and how land contributes to economic development.

“I hope scholars, academia, researchers, and doctoral students will have the opportunity to read this book. It is contemporary and affects the lives of Africans today.”

Dr Elina Amadhila from the Department of Management Sciences at the University of Namibia is one of the contributing authors. Her chapter examines why the youth are not interested in agriculture, existing environment, policies, and how accessible they are to the youth.

“I was aiming to reveal agriculture incentives in place for youth and the existing priority policies to create an enabling environment for agriculture-preneurs to carry out responsible agricultural investment systems in Namibia.

Currently the Namibian government supports all farmers regardless of age and gender. Support programmes are in place but the youth are not involved in political decision making and are therefore not interested in agriculture.”

Dr Amadhila adds that research shows that there’s lack of capacity development and limited opportunities for youth participation.

“Youth structures in the country need to be promoted. In the book I emphasise that engaging with the youth should not just be consultation.

Young people can be successfully involved in policy decisions making, programme designing, and management. But this requires improving the quality of jobs. It also includes promotion and investment in these areas where agriculture is practiced with a holistic approach.”

Former researcher at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute and currently a lecturer at the University of Freestate, Dr Moorosi Leshoele, is the author of the chapter: He who feeds you controls you, which looks at Burkina Faso under the leadership of Thomas Sankara who broke the ‘curse’ of food aid dependency and other forms of aid between 1983 and1987.

The chapter argues that food security is a priority for many African countries and draws from the thinking of leaders such as Sankara who understood that to be fully independent, he had to wean his country off food dependency or any form of aid, he had to control the food supply and value chain.

“Sankara secured the agricultural value chain. He strongly believed that: you must produce what you consume and consume what you produce”, which shaped the country’s policies and interventions, during his time in government.”

Other researchers who commented on the book included Dr Tendai Murisa, Director of SIVIO in Zimbabwe, who described the book as a continuation of the framework and foundation that was laid by Prof Moyo.

A guest giving his opinion about the book. 

“This book comes at a critical time when we have land concentration. It requires us to re-examine and re-evaluate the new policies and land reform processes in Africa.

“There is so much that we can still unravel in terms of the work Prof Moyo did. For me it’s how Sam linked land reform and democracy. He argued that in the absence of us dealing with those with economic muscle, we cannot be totally decolonised.”  

Dr Freedom Mazwi from the Sam Moyo African Institute of Agrarian Studies, applauded Prof Gumede and Dr Shonhe for working with young and emerging scholars in putting together the book.

“This book is a contribution towards and continuation of the work Sam Moyo did,” he said.

The book was reviewed by Zimbabwean academic, author and publisher Prof Ibbo Mandaza.

@ Story Lisa Thabethe. Pictures Supplied.

The programme has sparked remarkable interest from aspiring students from all over the country, leaving the impression that UMP has answered a need that was in great demand.

UMP’s first cohort of law students: Rivombo Vuako from Giyane in Limpopo, Snethemba Loveness Nkosi from Tjakastad in Mpumalanga and Dumisani-Junior Gumede who hails from Jozini in Kwa-Zulu Natal share why they have chosen to pursue law, what has inspired them to enter into this field, and where they would like to see change.

What inspired you to take up law?

“Corruption is rampant in South Africa. It occurs in both public and private sectors where it affects democracy and human rights. It obliterates the ability of government to fulfil its obligations and ensure accountability in the delivery of economic and social services like education, clean water, housing, social security and health care. This is because corruption diverts funds into private pockets,” says Vuako.

“Politicians are corrupted because they are always embezzling money and not thinking about the people who voted for them. They are involved in tenderpreneurship: they enrich themselves through corrupting the awarding of government tender contracts, mostly based on personal connections and corrupt relationships, although outright bribery might also take place and often involves an elected or politically appointed official (or his or her family members) holding simultaneous business interests.”

Dumisani-Junior Gumede adds that the social injustice he identifies most with and would like to eradicate, is social inequality. He says this is caused mostly by lack of equal opportunity in the workforce. “As a result, the unemployed are unable to attain low-skilled jobs which will support poverty reduction in order to end inequality”, he explains that the lootings in July 2021 serve as a good example of the social inequality he is referring to.

“It is a problem that people started to loot to incite anger over Zuma's imprisonment, but only to discover that the problem was hunger caused by social inequality.”

He says: “It is absolutely impossible for anyone who works or receives an income to loot, if they are thinking of the future of where they will buy if they damage stores. Looters were also generally taken to cells, but they claimed that they did loot since, while unemployed, they saw this as a chance to put food on the table.

For Nkosi, discrimination is her biggest motivator, especially discrimination based on race, age, gender or sexuality.

“There are so many examples I can mention. My neighbour’s son was an albino and he was constantly being bullied for being different. He eventually committed suicide. Then there was an emergency management services worker who was repeatedly subjected to offensive, belittling and degrading comments at work because of his sexuality. In another recent case a woman was fired because she was a lesbian. These types of discrimination should never be happening in this day and age, or ever.”

Vuako adds that he’d like to see an end to domestic and gender-based violence. It is all too prevalent in our society, he says, and it is one of the societal ills he would like to combat and eradicate.  

Nkosi from Tjakastad wants to tackle gender-based violence.

In a perfect world, what do you hope to achieve through your law degree?

Vuako says: “I want to see the justice industry free of corruption. I would change the laws of the justice system to become more difficult and employ people who understand what is needed, and what the consequences are for contravening the law.

This will help lawyers and judges to refuse to bow down to corruption because they’ll know that once they get involved in corruption they’ll be banned from being employed in South Africa.”

Gumede, like Vuako, agrees that GBV is a massive scourge in South Africa. He would like to implement changes to the legislation, help create awareness and finally put an end to gender-based violence. He says: “I can discuss with the legislature to change the justice system to become tighter. We have to start refusing bail to murderers.

We need to create a charity in aid of gender-based violence victims, and GBV programmes should be advertised more vigorously to create awareness and help prevent abuse. Government must implement men's organizations where they'll teach men about the danger and consequences of GBV. These will help to stop GBV. Law offers endless career path, since people want to be protected in many different ways and they need us, the legal luminaries, to guide them."

Nkosi believes that South Africa belongs to those who live in it and also those that come from other countries. “People who relocate to South Africa also have the right to fair treatment. I want to fight on behalf of foreigners because they are also human beings and South Africa also promotes diversity.”

Limpopo-born Vuako would love to see tighter laws around gender-based violence.

What do you hope to achieve through your law degree?

Vuako says: “I want to see the justice industry free of corruption. I would change the laws of the justice system to become more difficult and employ people who understand what is needed, and what the consequences are for contravening the law. This will help lawyers and judges to refuse to bow down to corruption because they’ll know that once they get involved in corruption they’ll be banned from being employed in South Africa.”

Gumede, like Vuako, agrees that GBV is a massive scourge in South Africa. He would like to implement changes to the legislation, help create awareness and finally put an end to gender-based violence.

He says: “I can discuss with the legislature to change the justice system to become tighter. We have to start refusing bail to murderers. We need to create a charity in aid of gender-based violence victims, and GBV programmes should be advertised more vigorously to create awareness and help prevent abuse. Government must implement men's organizations where they'll teach men about the danger and consequences of GBV. These will help to stop GBV. Law offers endless career path, since people want to be protected in many different ways and they need us, the legal luminaries, to guide them.

Nkosi believes that South Africa belongs to those who live in it and also those that come from other countries. “People who relocate to South Africa also have the right to fair treatment. I want to fight on behalf of foreigners because they are also human beings and South Africa also promotes diversity.”

Would you recommend any changes to the current justice system?

Gumede says: “I’d implement harsher prison sentences where they are due, but also work on rehabilitating offenders. To do so, I would promote equitable sentencing, ensure that policing practices are fair and effective, and end the criminalization of poverty.”

Nkosi says, in order to protect communities, she would not release dangerous criminal offenders. “Criminals must be put away so that the community can exercise their right of freedom of movement,” she says.

Vuako adds that the laws of justice must become more difficult. “I would also employ candidates who have qualifications or who meet the requirements.”

@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures supplied.

Acid mine drainage has had devastating consequences for the river system and the high diversity of fish that lived in the river. It has affected the last remaining refuge area of the upper Olifants River, established through the National Water Act and its Resource Quality Objectives as vital for the sustainability of the whole upper Olifants River catchment.

Acid mine drainage or AMD is usually associate with coal mining and includes the spillage of toxic, polluted water from mining areas, which carries metals, radionuclides (atoms that emit radiation) and salts in concentrations that radically changes river environments and is hazardous to all aquatic life.

In the eastern parts of Gauteng and western Mpumalanga around our coal fields, AMD is one of the most important threats to our rivers including our iconic indicator fishes such as our yellowfish (Labeobarbus spp), which was once abundant, but now uncommon in our rivers, along with all of the rest of our aquatic wildlife.

Dr O’Brien the abundance and diversity of fish species has declined drastically over the last two decades across southern Africa. He said we are in danger of unsustainable development that could affect all of our futures.

A 2011 study titled: An assessment of the influence of multiple stressors on the Vaal River, South Africa, by Dr O'Brien and other authors, which was conducted at the Vaal River, assessed the risk of multiple stressors to fish populations, and found that the regions that were predicted to be at greatest risk to exposure of multiple stressors, did indeed display disturbance in fish community structures.

“Our rivers are vulnerable ecosystems that are out of sight and out of mind,” says Dr O’Brien.

Dr O'Obrien and his team of researchers found that there are multiple stressors that contribute to the decline of the yellowfish in our rivers.

In the early 2010’s the team of researchers identified the threats to fish health due to rapid changes in available oxygen and increased oxidative stress associated with exposure to metals such as copper and nickel as well as organic pollutants. It is evident that a significant change in the fish community structures exists within the study area and that this change is in the form of an increase in dominance of the hardy species such as the sharptooth catfish and alien species such as Carp in Vaal Barrage are for example.

“When I was training in the late 1990s we used to do yellowfish population and health work around the Barrage area, just south of Joburg. We used to spend days and days processing fish because there were so many, the abundance was incredible," he adds.

“Now you don’t find many indigenous fishes there, and importantly no largemouth yellowfish any more. And now in the last 15 to 20 years we have seen another massive change.”

The multiple stressors which Dr O’Brien refers to include: the constant flow of inadequately treated sewage into the river, effluent released from local industries and mines and of course AMD water spills.

Dr O’Brien further added that due to altered flows and habitat modifications the important fish’s habitat had been destroyed. And that: “Our fish are particularly vulnerable because they deal with flow, water quality, habitat changes and other stressors such as alien species, over fishing and disease which all affects our water resources.”

Their research pointed out that potential drivers of this change in community structure include changes in the water quality of the Vaal River below the confluence between the Vaal and Blesbokspruit/Klip rivers and or due to habitat alterations.

The consequences of these drivers have been the complete removal of indigenous species that are sensitive to modified water quality and those species that have a high preference for specialised riverine habitats or substrates.

The abundance and diversity of fish species has declined drastically over the last two decades across southern Africa

Inadequate protection

The study further warned that the inclusion of higher tier assessment endpoints to elucidate the effects of multiple stressors in aquatic ecosystems was important.

Today, more that 10 years after the research on the Vaal River, reality hits hard. The quality of the Vaal, Crocodile West and Olifants Rivers has been seriously modified resulting in massive loss of the biodiversity of our ecosystems and their processes which we all depend on.

We are using our water resources excessively and not controlling over development and or the abuse of our rivers through water abstraction, release of effluents, habitat alterations and release of alien species and diseases that affect our precious water resources.

“It’s not that we don’t have the legislation to sustainably develop and conserve our water resources, we do. We are not adequately implementing them and or do not really have the desire to protect our resources or understand how inadequate protection will affect all of us in the long run! This will catch up with all of us one day, and we will all pay the price."

@ Story Lisa Thabethe. Pictures Supplied.

The recent graduation of nine UMP academics towards the Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE) is testament to the fact that UMP is successfully implementing its Academic Plan, which sets out to develop and support the capacity of staff as educators.

The programme, funded by the university through the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG) from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), is part of several initiatives aimed at developing and enhancing the capacity of staff as university teachers.

Deputy Director: Academic Support Services Division, Dr Severino Machingambi explains that the purpose of PGDHE is to enhance the professionalization of teaching staff by capacitating them with sound learning theories and skills that enhance and respond to the learning needs of diverse students to experience success in their studies.

“The act of enrolling academics for the programme is predicated on our strong belief in the inextricable link between the academic staff teaching competencies and student learning outcomes,” he says.

Dr Machingambi adds that the PGDHE is fast becoming a standard qualification that inducts and orients academics for their complex roles as university teachers at institutional, national and international level.

Raising the bar

Academics who have undergone the PGDHE are able to engage deeply and critically with the scholarship of teaching and learning. They subject their teaching and learning processes to research, which leads to what is known as research-led teaching.

“This represents a huge departure from the situation where lecturers just base their teaching on their own past learning experiences, since they will be able to engage students in the knowledge generation and production process through research driven and critical thinking skills. In this way, the PGDHE raises the standard of teaching and the ability to transform practices and student learning outcomes,” explains Dr Machingambi.

He further says that in the early phases, UMP had an academic staff complement characterised by a wide range of experiences and an equally wide range of levels of knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning in higher education.

“Research conducted in South Africa by Boughey and others has revealed that in order to be effective facilitators of learning, academics need to be well grounded in both disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge.

This situation prompted us to consider enrolling our academics for the PGDHE programme so as to transform the teaching and learning culture and to improve student learning outcomes at the university,” he adds.

“The academics that graduated on 8 April enrolled in 2020 and completed in 2022 have shown resilience, which was not only evident in their good grades but mostly in the fact that they enrolled during a pandemic and forced all contact sessions to transition to online. This notwithstanding, the cohort did very well, with two academics graduating with distinctions.”
 

Feedback from some of the academics.

Prof Andrew Maredza: Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences

"I have transitioned from being a relatively more banking-approach oriented facilitator towards leaning more to social constructivism. My teaching philosophy is now student centred – recognising students as important partners in the learning process.

I have since learned the importance of incorporating the 'Ubuntu philosophy' in my teaching as well as my professional conduct with peers and students, and that authentic assessment promotes deeper learning and critical thinking. The alignment of the three blocks of assessment, teaching/learning activities and  outcomes has also improved."

Dr Liaan Minnie: Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences

“The PGDHE has broadened by horizons in all aspects of teaching and learning. One of many examples is that I am more understanding of my students’ context and have adapted formative assessments to improve learning instead of just obtaining marks from students.

I have fine-tuned my teaching approach by grounding my teaching strategies in proven teaching styles, such as constructivism and active, participatory learning. These approaches will hopefully result in improved student performance and learning. It empowers lecturers with theoretical and some practical underpinnings of becoming more effective teachers.”

Dr Christina Kappo-Abidemi: Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences

“I now realise that the discipline of knowledge is not enough to be a practitioner. The art of teaching and engaging with students, irrespective of their background, is very important. I have learnt to treat students case by case and not expect a uniform behaviour or approach to learning.

Introducing peer and self-evaluation of assessment during teaching will enhance students' learning. My perception of evaluation has changed from a policing approach to a learning approach. I have also learnt that I can develop an instrument that is relevant to my discipline and applicable to my development as well as enhance student learning for personal purpose.”

Ms Itumeleng Sebola: Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences

"The course offers lecturers the opportunity to actually become a student and to experience the challenges students face. The growth of being equipped with new knowledge is phenomenal because the transformation becomes evident in the implementation of what you have learned in your teaching practices.

My teaching philosophy has been enhanced – why I teach the way I do and the justification of my teaching strategies. Most importantly how my teaching philosophy will benefit my students, especially in the current teaching context."  

Mr Sibonginkosi Gumede: Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences

"The course has helped me clear pre-existing myths about teaching. It has made me  understand how students learn in order for me to provide an environment conducive to them.

It has improved my teaching skills – through the understanding of how students learn which results in providing an improved teaching and learning environment and experience. The course discourages working in silos, which subsequently promotes collaboration among colleagues for the sharing of knowledge and experiences."

@ Story Lisa Thabethe. Pictures Supplied.

Postgraduate student in Hospitality Management, Tabile Sikatele, and Vuyelwa Carol Magagula who is doing her Honours in Development Studies, are completing a semester course in Health Management, which will enable them to work in the fields of occupational health promotion and public health.

The opportunity for the two students to study a semester at the Austrian university was made possible through an agreement between UMP and FH JOANNEUM, signed in 2018, which includes exchange of staff and students, work integrated learning (WIL), collaborative research, curriculum development, Agro-processing and value add, enhancement of graduate employability and ways to enhance involvement of private companies into the student development programme of UMP.

Valuable experience

FH JOANNEUM will train the students to become specialists in the organisation and planning of health-promoting and advisory measures and tourism offers in recreation and health tourism. Magagula and Sikatele are enjoying high-quality education and gaining valuable practical experience at the Austrian university.

“I have gained valuable intercultural skills and I wish to apply this to my already existing skills. Having to step out of my comfort zone and step on the way of personal development will allow me to not only add value to myself but to UMP upon my return,” says Magagula.

“I have experienced cultural diversity first-hand and I wish to share my experiences with other students as well. I am encouraged to integrate my success, problems, obstacles, opinions, and ideas of the study abroad experiences by readjusting back to the cultures and values of my home country and in implementing what I have learnt.”

Sikatele adds that she will apply the leanings to her studies by engaging more with her lecturers and fellow classmates, and give more input whenever it is needed.

“My advice would be work hard, be open minded, do your best and God will do the rest.”

Sikatele advises other students to work hard and do their best to receive great opportunities.

Open minded about diversity

Language barriers, food and foreign culture are some of the obstacles the two students had to turn into positives.

“Thinking of language, I have always imagined myself having fluent conversations. If I cannot speak well, I feel demotivated. One thing I have learnt along my journey of learning German is that one cannot speak unless one knows what they’re saying and learning this needs patience and discipline,” says Magagula.

One thing that I wish to point out about living in a different country is that you are constantly thrown into new and challenging situations that force you to improvise and find solutions. Even though it is not always easy, all these experiences helped me to grow in some way or another.

Sikatele adds that the experience, though challenging, was absolutely worth it. “It has been an amazing experience for the past three months. Life changing really – from learning different words every day in German, meeting different people from different countries, to travelling to different places around Austria,” she says.

Magagula says: “What I’ve enjoyed most during my time in Austria, Graz to be specific, are the many diverse encounters with different people. Some I have met only once, and others have become very close friends with whom I communicate on a daily basis.”

Magagula would one day consider relocating to Austria.

Big dreams

“Studying abroad is a one-of-a-kind experience for me, but there’s something you’ll always encounter regardless of where you go: and that’s the importance of communication and cultural exchange,” says Magagula.

“It offers you opportunity after opportunity to grow academically and personally. However, if you don’t set measurable, achievable goals, you will not feel satisfied with what you learn. I would consider settling in Austria. Although the cost of living is extremely high, Austrians have well-paying jobs, and the unemployment rate is very low."

Sikatele might one day consider moving to Austria. “It is an amazing country: the people are friendly, there are many job opportunities within the hospitality industry, the unemployment rate is low, and there is no crime,” she says.

At the end of the semester, Magagula and Sikatele are expected to have acquired additional skills that will give them an advantage when seeking employment in the fields of occupational health promotion and public health.

They will also be able to implement significant and lasting change in many aspects of general health.

@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures supplied.

The Premier of Mpumalanga, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, together with the MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba, recently launched an e-Learning Programme in the province. Aimed at grade 12 learners, the programme intends to revolutionise the delivery of education in the province to enable future growth and improvement of digital skills to ensure that learners in the province attain competitive contemporary 21st century quality education.

The province, in partnership with Bongani Rainmaker Logistics and other unspecified stakeholders, has purchased more than 55 000 android tablets for learners and 6 700 laptops device for teachers. Each grade 12 learner from about 517 schools will receive free monthly data to enable easy access to digitised Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSMs) in the form of textbooks and workbooks. This further includes support and maintenance of the devices for a period of three years.

Senior lecturer at the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Dr Mncedisi Bembe looks at the advantages of this bold move by the Provincial government.

Improving the quality of education

The concept of e-Learning refers to the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance learning education. This definition is generic as it covers a wide range of systems, from learners using e-mail and accessing subjects to work online. In essence, e-learning unveils a bigger picture of sources to learners available remotely with the holistic approach to learn from anywhere with minimal cost and effort. This feature implies that the Mpumalanga government hopes to improve the quality of education by allowing easy access to resources as the programme aims to provide textbooks and workbooks for the learners.

The programme will further enable individual instructions provided that the e-learning system adopted have a bidirectional communication between the learners and teachers. The provision of data will allow students to be exposed to different learning styles that are provided through different platforms available online. There are other advantages associated with the system, such as flexibility, motivating and interesting, as well as being available online, and offline.

Creating opportunities

As much as the current system adopted in the province provides advantages, these are not exhaustive to what e-learning system can achieve. The current programme and features of the e-learning system are associated with opportunities that includes live interaction with teachers, feedback, and an evaluation platform. 

The programme through the e-learning system further provides a platform that can permit the provision of personalized learning, expanded learning opportunities, high engagement learning, competency-based learning, collaborative learning, quality learning products, etc. Since the programme is in its inception stage, it is understandable that at this stage not all forms of e-learning functions are employed.  

 The e-learning programme intends to revolutionise the delivery of education in the province. 

Grooming learners to take up STEM careers

South Africa has recognised the need for more people with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills among secondary school learners. These skills are necessary for South Africa's infrastructure development. The programme is essential to provide a well-rounded education, including science subjects that are a foundation to STEM careers. This is due to the ability of the programme to proving access to up-to-date information to enhance the curriculum.

The incorporation of e-learning is an important tool for teachers in rural areas where resources are minimal as compared to urban counterparts. The access benefits are not limited to learners, but also networking and professional development opportunities for teachers. The access to e-learning presented by this programme is that teachers will have exposure to a greater network of other science teachers for information sharing.

Learners and teachers alike will benefit from information on the most up-to-date information and exposure to STEM related technologies. This implies that the adoption of e-learning in the province will stimulate and groom learners to take STEM (including ICT) related courses in higher education training as a pathway to taking careers around this area.

The future requires that we all adopt new paradigms, especially considering the effects of COVID-19 that affected learning around the globe. Despite all the challenges that the system might face, it should be remembered that the adoption of this kind of system is made solely for the desire to want to compete with the best education systems in the world. The desire is for the province to produce learners that are amongst the best in the world, and this is the objective of the Mpumalanga e-learning programme.

However, as important and vital as this programme is to the transformation of the education standard in the province, there are some challenges associated with this initiative. The programme requires knowledge and skills from teachers and content providers. This will mean that the provincial government will have to invest more money to ensure that the system is competitive to leading international e-learning systems.

The amount of free data that the programme will provide is not specified and there is a possibility that there will be lack of resources to support all the envisioned qualities of e-learning. The learners using this system might be isolated and suffer from missing social contact associated with negative attitude. The literature has also shown that ICT systems are susceptible to technical defect which might impair the ability to access resources remotely.

Lastly, it is my hope that the programme does not get extended to primary school learners, especially pupils that are 12 years old or younger as the dangers have been shown to be immense and complex than the positive for such ages.  

@ This is an opinion piece by Dr Mncedisi Bembe, Senior lecturer at the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences. Pictures supplied.