Category: Educationn

A new Human Rights Watch report says that in nearly one-third of African countries, teenage girls who become pregnant face “significant legal and policy barriers” to continuing their formal education.

Human Rights Watch said Tuesday it examined more than 100 laws and policies concerning education, gender equity, and reproductive health, that are detrimental to the education of teenage mothers.

Adi Radhakrishnan works with the rights group’s children rights division. He says some African laws have pushed young mothers out of school.

“It’s shocking to understand how governments are undermining girls’ education and effectively closing the door on girls’ futures… These are students who are denied their basic rights to education for reasons that have nothing to do with their desire or their ability to learn and they are not supported by their government,” Radhakrishnan said.

Researchers found that at least 10 African countries have no legal means or measures to protect adolescent girls’ education when they are pregnant and become mothers.

Several countries, including Sudan, impose punishments on teenage girls who have sexual relationships outside marriage. For those girls, going to school while pregnant raises suspicion and exposes them to possible criminal prosecution.

Hannibal Uwaifo is the head of the African Bar Association. He says cultural norms are mostly to blame for young mothers not continuing with their education.

“The issues have to do with families, society, and the community. I don’t think there are any specific laws that bars people going back to school,” Uwaifo said. “I think we need to deliberately encourage African girls to return back to school. We need to actively and deliberately campaign that this teenage pregnancy doesn’t mean they should give up schooling or give up formal education otherwise, if there are any laws which are in place saying a teenage mother cannot go back to school, we would like to know about them and work on them.”

On the positive side, Radhakrishnan says 38 countries in Africa have laws that protect the education of pregnant and young mothers.

“Far more countries have positive frameworks than countries lack them or have discriminatory measures. We have seen students excluded because teachers do not know whether the positive law exists, or parents don’t know there are great lessons to be learned … countries across Africa draw positive practices from their neighbors and develop useful guidelines that make sure that all girls — regardless of pregnancy or motherhood status — all girls are able to access education in Africa,” Radhakrishnan said.

Human Rights Watch urges authorities in countries that lack such laws to create legal frameworks that affirm girls’ right to education. The advocacy group also encourages countries that already have laws and policies to fully implement them so young mothers — and their children — can benefit.

Source: Voice of America

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, will be attending a three-day G20 Education Ministers’ Meeting 2022 to take place in Bali, Indonesia.

The meeting, which is scheduled to take place from 31 August to 2 September 2022, is convened by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.

The meeting will be held under this year’s G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) theme, “Recover, Reimagine, and Rebuild Stronger”.

The G20 is a strategic multilateral platform connecting the world’s major developed and emerging economies, and holds a strategic role in securing future global economic growth and prosperity.

Together, the G20 members represent more than 80% of the world gross domestic product (GDP), 75% of international trade and 60% of the world population.

Starting in 1999 as a meeting for the Finance Ministers and central bank governors, the G20 has evolved into a yearly summit involving Heads of State and Government.

In addition, the Sherpa meetings (in charge of carrying out negotiations and building consensus among leaders), working groups and special events are also organised throughout the year.

On 31 August, the high officials representing various countries will have the chance to meet in the Fourth G20 EdWG Meeting to finalise the Education Ministers’ Declaration and the G20 Education Report 2022.

“On 1 September, the meeting will adopt these two deliverables and the Ministers will have the opportunity to share their perspectives on this year’s G20 EdWG theme. Minister Nzimande will share publicly the South African perspective on the theme during the proceedings of the conference,” the department said in a statement.

Nzimande will be accompanied by Higher Education and Training Director General, Nkosinathi Sishi.

The members of the G20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Spain is also invited as a permanent guest.

Each year, the Presidency invites guest countries which take full part in the G20 exercise. Several international and regional organisations also participate, granting the forum an even broader representation.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has not dictated to the City of Johannesburg on what municipal rates rebate should be given to independent schools.

In a statement, the department said this could not have happened, as this is a prerogative reserved for Council.

Recent media reports purport that the City’s municipal property rates tariff increases emanate from a direct instruction by the Minister.

CoGTA spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali, said: “The Minster of CoGTA is not authorised to determine the… rate a municipality may levy on categories of rateable properties. The Minister has never interfered with the functions of the City of Johannesburg on what rebate, if any, it should give to independent schools, as this is a prerogative solely reserved for Council.”

Mtshali said the issue of setting rates is not based on the category of the property in question, but on the actual rate tariff a municipal council determines, and whether a municipality deems it appropriate to grant relief measures in terms of section 15 of the Municipal Property Rates Act.

“Section 8 of the Municipal Property Rates Act requires a municipality to determine a property category for purposes of levying rates. Section 8(2) lists mandatory property categories that a municipality must determine, provided such property category exists within the municipal jurisdiction.

“Such mandatory property categories include business and commercial properties, properties owned by an organ of State and used for public service purposes, and properties owned by public benefit organisations and used for specified public benefit activities,” he said.

Section 8(3) states that “in addition to the categories of rateable property determined in terms of subsection (2), a municipality may determine additional categories of rateable property, including vacant land: Provided that, with the exception of vacant land, the determination of such property categories does not circumvent the categories of rateable property that must be determined in terms of subsection (2).”

Mtshali said it is important to contextualise the fact that the City had seven years, since 2015, within which to ensure that its categories of rateable properties are in line with section 8 of the Act.

Section 14 (1) of the Municipal Property Rates Act states that “A rate is levied by a municipality by resolution passed by the municipal council with a supporting vote of a majority of its members.”

Section 14(2)(b) requires the municipal council resolution to “(iii) reflect the cent amount in the Rand rate for each category of property.”

Section 15(1) of the Municipal Property Rates Act states that “A municipality may in terms of criteria set out in its rates policy- (b) grant to a specific category of owners of properties, or to the owners of a specific category of properties, a rebate on or a reduction in the rates payable in respect of their properties.”

Reading sections 8, 14 and 15 of the Municipal Property Rates Act together makes it clear that the authority to set municipal property rates is not with the Minister of CoGTA but is with a municipal council.

Mtshali reiterated that the Minister does not set the municipal property rates tariffs nor does the Minister determine whether a specific category of owners of properties are worthy of being granted a rebate or reduction in the rates payable in respect of their properties.

“These powers are vested in the council of a municipality, and in this regard, the City of Johannesburg has, in its own right, determined that the schools in question do not fall within the category of ‘properties owned by public benefit organisations and used for specified public benefit activities’ must only be granted only 25% rebate,” he said.

Should the City have wanted other schools to pay rates similar to that of “properties owned by public benefit organisations and used for specified public benefit activities,” Mtshali said it should have granted them higher rebates, for example, 75% or higher to bring some equalisation.

Only the city, he said, can explain why it decided to grant a rebate of just 25%, resulting in schools that are not public benefit organisations facing higher municipal property rates increases.

He confirmed that Dlamini Zuma did receive an application from the City regarding a number of categories and sub-categories of rateable properties.

“The City had seven years within which to ensure that its categories of rateable properties are in line with section 8 of the Act,” Mtshali said.

In terms the Act, the Minister is authorised to approve the determination of sub-categories of rateable properties by municipalities provided these do not circumvent or undercut the categories of rateable properties that each municipality must determine.

“To that end, the Minister responded to the City on its proposed sub-categories of rateable properties,” he said.

‘Educational’ was included in the City’s submission because the City needed advice on how to categorise the properties therein.

Mtshali said the Minister informed the municipality to consider including the properties categorised as ‘educational’ in the public service purpose properties category. The category consists of preschools, primary and secondary schools, further education and training colleges. The City was also advised to categorise the institutions in the public benefit organisation (PBO) properties category.

“It is important to restate that the Minister did not give instructions to the City on the cent in the Rand rate that the City should levy on these properties, in keeping with the principles of the separation of powers,” said Mtshali.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Government Communication and Information System together with Tshwane University of Technology host a panel discussion on the Changing Landcape of Communication and Journalism

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) is hosting the fourth annual panel discussion for women in the media and communication sectors on 25 August 2022 at the TUT Pretoria Campus. The theme for this year is, “A look into the future of communication and journalism in South Africa”.

The panel discussion forms part of the Women’s Month celebrations and seeks to create an intergenerational conversation with industry leaders. Director General of GCIS who is also the Government Spokesperson, Phumla Williams, Nomshado Lubisi from Media Monitoring Africa and the South African Reserve Bank Head of Digital Hub who has held a senior position in both media and government, and Mahlatse Mahlase and TUT Journalism and Intergrated Marketing Communication students.

The discussions will be centred on the changing landscape of communication and journalism due to the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The 2022 panel discussion will focus on the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on communications and journalism under the following topics:

• The shift in the media landscape

• Emerging digital communication and media tools

• Ethical reporting: Misinformation, fake news and malformation

Since 2019, the GCIS has been engaging women through this platform on different topics including issues of gender representation, gender-sensitivity in the media, and celebrating women photographers who were at the forefront of covering the COVID-19 story. In 2021, the discussion focused on how women editors and political reporters successfully navigate these roles.

Source: Government of South Africa

North West Education MEC, Mmaphefo Matsemela, has extended her heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, learners and teacher at the Vyfhoek Primary School in Potchefstroom following the tragic death of five school learners on Thursday.

According to reports, the learners were run over by a mini truck inside the school premises, while waiting for their school transport after school.

The mini truck is reported to have been traveling from Potchefstroom towards the Johannesburg direction on the N12 road and capsized after a front wheel tyre burst and the driver lost control of the vehicle.

The vehicle then went straight through the school fence plunging into four learners and killing them on the spot. One learner died inside the ambulance while the paramedics were still attending to her injuries. Four learners sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.

Matsemela has called for cooperation during this difficult time.

“This is the most devastating news to share. Losing five learners in this manner is not easy to accept- as a parent and as a caretaker to these learners.

“We are truly lost for words and we plead with the public to treat the matter with sensitivity as parents are still trying to get into terms with this sudden loss. I wish to send a word of comfort to the bereaved families and for those whose learners are hospitalised,” Matsemela said.

Source: South African Government News Agency