By Sisakhe Ntlabezo and Ashley Westaway Over the past decade, a team of brazen locally-based educationists has transformed the performance of Makhanda’s schools. The team has coalesced around the charismatic and inspirational leadership of Rhodes University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela. Some of the strongest indicators of the performance transformation in Makhanda’s public schools are as follows: The literacy comprehension rates of the city’s Grade 4 learners are more than double those in South Africa as a whole, as measured by the 2021 PIRLS study. The improving literacy rates have seen the city’s drop-out rate of learners plummet by 20 percentage points…
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Dear Editor On 26 October, an amazing bunch of 432 runners /walkers /strollers participated. Following the established tradition, newly elected prefects (management committees) of local schools dressed up and sizzled with joyful spirit. Apart from cash prizes for the fast runners, almost everybody received something! The first three men were Sisa Camagu, Lubabalo Bokuva and Ceejay Porthen, and the first three ladies were Lauren Ranger, Terri-Lynn Penney and Cecile van Schalkwyk. At a function after the event in Fanie Venter Klubkamer R12 000 was presented to Este Coetzee, vice-Chair of GADWMA , by the chairperson of the Rapportryers, Strauss de Jager.…
By Staff Reporter After a 2-month sanitary pad drive, Singamadoda Men Empowerment founder Simo Mawawa Ndyoko handed over 550 sanitary pads to learners in five primary schools: Carliesbridge, Reebiek East, Fort Brown, Geelhoutboom, Masakhe and Home of Joy orphanage home in Joza on Tuesday, 31 October. Ndyoko says that the organisation’s primary objective is to equip men against social ills like intimate partner violence (IPV), gender-based violence (GBV), mental health and other issues that affect communities. He adds that the organisation help different communities that experience various challenges. “For example, we started the sanitary pad drive because [not having sanitary…
By Jane Viedge A few weeks ago, the St Aidan’s Avenue WhatsApp group began vibrating with new energy. Possibly influenced by ‘GoBokke gees’, we were fully engaged in the kind of team spirit that spurs action and gets results. The catalyst: new resident, Leard King. The project: raising funds to fix our pothole-bedevilled road that was dissolving before our eyes and slowly killing our cars and our will to live. Behind the scenes, Leard organised the logistics with Makana Revive! which, alongside Makana Municipality, executes private road-fixing projects enabled by the National Arts Festival’s Social Employment Fund. Under Leard’s guidance,…
By Nicci Hayes Holy Cross Foundation Phase children took to the stage at Amazwi on Friday, 27 October 2023 and performed to two full houses. Audience members from Makana Primary and Good Shepherd, as well as the Holy Cross community, enjoyed watching the adventures of Mvundla as he journeyed to Jo’burg to meet President Mandela. Based on the story Mr Hare and Mr Mandela, the performances were full of fun with forest animals, street vendors, corrupt officials, tsotsies and the ubiquitous train forming the backdrop for Mvundla’s journey as he was successively swindled and convinced out of more and more…
Stay in the loop with the latest and join the MEW WhatsApp group! THIS WEEK THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER U3A Dr Michael Jukes will be our speaker this week to describe the significant work he has done to produce a novel biopesticide: From discovery, through research and development, to commercialisation. Too many pesticides spray dangerous chemicals onto fruit and into the air: Michael’s research has led him to discover – and to make available worldwide – a means of killing pests by natural (“biological”) means that do not entail poisoning the earth or the atmosphere. And this research has been done here in…
By Staff Reporter Kingswood College pupils Sophie Büttner and Savanna Renaud have been selected for the South African (SA) Schools Debating Development team. This team was selected based on a written application, and these two girls will now be a part of the squad from which the South African team will eventually be chosen. This is the first time in recent memory that a Kingswood speaker has made the SA trial squad. According to the Communications and Branding manager, Jackie Clausen, Kingswood College are incredibly happy for these two girls.
By Staff Reporter Kingswood College learner Savanna Renaud recently won Gold at the Eskom International Science Expo in JHB for the best animal science project for her study “Of Mice and Music”, which uncovered how mice reacted to different genres of music. Savanna is hoping her research can help children with Neurodiversity. Savanna shares information about her Eskom International Science Expo’s project: “I studied neurochemistry in mice to help children with autism,” Savanna says. “I did this by subjecting mice to a maze while playing music to see what elements/genre of music was most beneficial to helping them solve a…
By Aphiwe Nonyukela The Protection from Harassment Act No. 17 of 2011 was introduced to try to reduce the incidence of harassment in South Africa. The Act provides for a civil remedy in the form of a protection order from behaviour which may not constitute a crime but which impacts negatively on various rights of an individual. What is Harassment? In terms of the Act, harassment includes conduct, both direct and indirect, that causes harm or that inspires the person complaining of harassment (“the complainant”) to reasonably believe that harm may be caused. Harassment can include physical, emotional, financial, or…
Editor’s note: On 12 October, Grocott’s Mail published an article, The State of Albany Museum: Challenges and Concerns. Read an explanation of the story here. Below is the Eastern Cape Departments of Sports, Recreation and Arts and Culture (ECSRAC) Communications’ manager, Andile Nduna’s response to the published story. Dear Editor, In relation to the allocation and funding of R400 000.00, we reply. The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has started procurement processes for the appointment of a registered, reputable and experienced provider/s to upgrade exhibitions at Albany Museum to ensure the institution is able to display and promote…