educationlatest news & developments

Investing in South Africa's STEM Future: Five New Science Teaching and Learning Centers Established in the Western Cape

Five new Science Teaching and Learning Centres have been established across the Western Cape to expand access to hands-on STEM education and practical laboratory training in…

State control: Countless governments across the world have enacted a range of bans on social media for children. Australia was the first country to ban social media for adolescents under the age of 16 years. Photo: pickpik

Blaming the phone won’t save our kids

As calls mount globally to ban social media for children, comprehensive research reveals that screen time accounts for only a tiny fraction of adolescent distress, urging parents…

UMP 2023 Graduation ceremony.

To The Class Of 2026

Inspired by Mary Schmich's famous sunscreen essay, Shaun Read offers an honest, grounded commencement speech for the Class of 2026 on success, failure and staying human.

When One Teaches, Two Learn: Empowering the Teachers Who Shape Our Future

Afrika Tikkun Bambanani highlights the transformative power of ongoing training and empowerment for early childhood educators, proving that when teachers grow, entire communities…

The National Lotteries Commission, through Research-Based Funding to the South African Red Cross Society, distributes humanitarian relief parcels to families in Limpopo and Mpumalanga affected by the floods

The National Lotteries Commission is delivering vital flood relief across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, funding school sports infrastructure in North West, and guiding NPOs on lawful…

Lebogang Terciia Phaswana, founder and CEO of TS Pad a Girl Foundation, is working to address period poverty and promote menstrual dignity among girls and women in Hammanskraal and Temba.

Period poverty is keeping South African girls out of the classroom

Lack of access to sanitary products forces many South African girls to miss school out of fear and embarrassment. In Hammanskraal, the TS Pad a Girl Foundation is stepping up to…

A VUT student conducts research in the library

Eighteen is an age, not an exit plan

Turning 18 legally creates an adult, but it does not instantly provide financial independence or stability. When a vulnerable school-goer leaves home, informal community support…

Our children are connected but are they really present?

A study across South African high schools reveals that while smartphone distraction has a negligible impact on marks, the deeper toll on attention, relationships, and presence…

Against the grain: Central to Marcus Solomon’s radical philosophy is the view that children are not empty slates — they are co-creators of knowledge and agents of change. Photo: Kelvin Vollenhoven

What if we treated children as agents of change?

A review of Marcus Solomon's history of the South African Children's Movement demonstrates why recognising children as active agents of change remains vital for tackling poverty,…

From access to success, Emeris conference will tackle higher education barriers

Admission to university is only the first step. Emeris' Third International Conference on Teaching and Learning tackles how institutions can ensure students thrive, focusing on…

Flawed: Young people are not equipped for the fourth industrial revolution and adding computers to the classroom isn’t a solution. They need to start their education at the age of three.

The classroom is an ecosystem, not a one-person job

As South Africa faces rising educator resignations and high rates of burnout, building collaborative support networks and mentorship programmes is crucial to keeping teachers in…

How Unisa is taking education from graduation halls into society

As Unisa confers over 16,900 qualifications this Spring, remarkable stories of resilience emerge—from first-generation graduates and full-time workers to doctoral researchers…

Humanity: Sol Plaatje placed his gifts at the service of African dignity

Sol Tshekisho Plaatje: His name is everywhere . . . his legacy must be too

Marking 150 years since the birth of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje, Chancellor Thebe Ikalafeng reflects on how this pioneer of African dignity should be central to our education and…

Open your doors: Higher Education and Training Minister, Buti Manamela has made a call to industry to actively participate. Photos: Supplied

Business accused of being ‘absent’ in skills development programmes

Higher Education Deputy Minister Buti Manamela and union leaders have challenged the private sector to actively support skills development and open workplace doors to combat…

Services Seta, Takealot launch ambitious R103m digital skills development initiative

Services Seta and Takealot have partnered to launch a R103-million initiative aiming to equip 20,000 young South Africans with vital e-commerce and digital economy skills.

World Quality Day can be used for special projects such as ­cleaning classrooms or ­reaching out to poorer schools.

Foundation Phase catalogue approved — but are all the materials legally cleared for procurement?

The Council of Education Ministers has endorsed the new R1.6 billion Foundation Phase catalogue, yet lingering publisher deficiencies and legal compliance questions continue to…

History: The youth of 1976 demanded the right to learn. . . the youth of 2026 require the tools to thrive. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Long Before the Classroom, Learning Has Already Begun

Breastfeeding is far more than just a nutrition practice; it serves as one of a baby's earliest developmental building blocks, laying vital foundations for learning, trust, and…

Science in Action: Advancing Knowledge NPC Science Club Competition 2026

Over 220 learners from across the Cape Winelands and Overberg regions showcased vibrant experiments and innovation at the 2026 Advancing Knowledge NPC Science Club Competition.

Billion-rand dirt beneath SA's schools

While schools like Hilton College charge the country's highest fees, an analysis of campus land value shows that urban schools like Bishops and St Stithians hold fortunes worth…

Matriculants, there's a career that need needs you

With university spaces capped and NSFAS shortfalls mounting, artisan careers like toolmaking offer matriculants a paid, viable path into a crucial and high-demand industry.