LOCAL As thousands of pupils prepare to celebrate the end of their school careers at matric rage parties this weekend they have been urged to do so responsibly – especially around alcohol. Two big matric rage festivals, regarded by many school leavers as a rite of passage that symbolises stepping into adulthood, kick off on Friday at Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape and Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal. Revelers are also […]
LOCAL The Basic Education Department has slammed the public response to the potential introduction of unisex toilets at South African schools, as a petition rejecting the move continues to garner support. At the time of publishing, the petition warning of the many social ills that would arise from mixed gender toilets, garnered over 80 000 signatories. It comes amid ongoing oral submissions over the draft Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, […]
LOCAL he Department of Basic Education says Minister Angie Motshekga will soon make an announcement on the findings of its investigation into a matric Maths question that some learners say was impossible to answer. The question is worth seven marks. The problem with Maths Paper 2 was reported nationwide after learners had written it. There are fears that the question could affect the learners’ grades. But should the department confirm that […]
LOCAL Various organisations have made oral submissions before Parliament’s Basic Education Portfolio Committee on the Basic Education Law Amendment Bill. The Bill has been criticised for aiming to change the powers of school governing bodies (SGB) in deciding on admissions and language policies at schools. Among others, the Bill indicates that the head of the department will have the final say when it comes to admissions. The spokesperson of the […]
LOCAL Hybrid public hearings on the contested Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill are expected to kick off today. Despite backlash from unions and civil society, the department maintains that the changes aim to improve education by modernizing outdated laws. Amendments include making Grade R compulsory, criminalizing keeping children out of school, heightening financial accountability for governing bodies and provincial departments and granting Heads of Departments and Members of the […]
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga will on Sunday morning brief the media on the state of readiness ahead of the commencement of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, in Pretoria. A total of 753 964 full-time and 167 915 part-time candidates are registered for the upcoming matric examinations scheduled to officially commence on Monday across the country. However, some practical examinations have already been written. A total of 6 […]
By: Aneeqa du Plessis Masha Allah! During these auspicious days of Dhul-Hijjah, the local community have been blessed with the presence of Dr. Khalid El-Awaisi Bayt al-Maqdis. Dr. Khalid is the Executive Director at the International Centre for Jerusalem Studies in Turkey. He is also a graduate of the pioneering field of Islamic Jerusalem Studies and received his Master’s (2003) and subsequently his PhD from the University of Aberdeen (2006). […]
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga says comprehensive sex education in schools is important for preventing HIV, early and unintended pregnancies and gender-based violence (GBV). Motshekga was speaking at the UN educational, scientific and cultural organisation (Unesco) on Wednesday. She said adolescents and young people have a right to sex and reproductive health education. “To ensure that our adolescents and young people become champions of their lives and responsible citizens empowered […]
INTERNATIONAL An investigation says many children also go without medical care as they have no birth certificates. Thousands of migrant children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) go without schooling and healthcare, according to a story by The Washington Post. Many of the children are without birth certificates because they were born without married parents, because their families could not pay hospital bills, or for other reasons, the news report […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
