University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
On 12 September Wits announced it is set to enhance and change teaching and learning methods by introducing a high-tech eZone, a physical learning space that uses sophisticated technology and advanced eLearning tools to deliver education that helps students to keep up with the times. The project, which has been named eFundaninathi (translation eLearn) is set to be introduced by an occupational therapist and PhD student, Paula Barnard. Barnard introduced a joint initiative that sought to combine the school of Therapeutic Sciences and the School of Education in order to ensure that students will keep up with the times and be on par with rapid technological advancement.
Stellenbosch University (SU)
According to News24, SU’s tuition fees will increase by 8% in 2018.
The news site quotes SU rector Wim de Villiers saying “the university believes that free higher education is not currently feasible in the South African setting due to slow economic growth and increasing demands on government resources”. De Villiers explains that they intend to mitigate the 2018 fees increase “through financial support to academically deserving poor students linked to their combined annual household income”.
Free State’s Central University of Technology also released a preliminary 2018 budget with a fee increase of 8%. Other tertiary insitutions such as the University of Pretoria (UP), University of Witwatersrand, and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have indicated that they will await the Fee Commission’s report before making any fee announcements.
North West University (NMU)
On 7 October Lebogang Monyatsi, a former NWU student, was crowned the first princess of the primordial Miss Wheelchair World pageant held in Warsaw, Poland.
Lebogang is the first South African to be involved in a wheelchair model competition and the first South African to be crowned First Princess at such a gathering. She was born in Vryburg, North West. She graduated from NWU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology. “I have always loved modeling. As a teenager, I did mostly pageants, but at some point, I gave up. […] the fashion industry especially in South Africa, ignores diversity and inclusion. In SA, and other parts of Africa, many people have a belief that people who are differently abled are only good for office work or sport,” Monyatsi told She Leads Africa in an interview. Monyasti has also represented SA in Wheelchair Basketball internationally.
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
On 25 September UJ opened a vagina shop, which has since been closed following its spark of controversy. The shop was purposed to help women with their sexual health and wellbeing. The shop was set to operate on UJ Kingsway campus in Auckland Park and was dedicated not only towards women’s sexual health but also towards teaching women about vaginal hygiene.
Compiled by Koketso Ngwenya and Ditebogo Tshaka
