Cape Argus 2022-05-23

A bill that could see a number of massive changes within the Basic Education Laws Bill is now open for public comment. The bill proposes to amend the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of 1996), and the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act No 76 of 1898) (the Sasa and the EEA, respectively), so as to align them with developments in the education landscape and ensure systems of learning are put in place in a manner which gives effect to the right to basic education enshrined in section 29(1) of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996. Among other things, the bill seeks to amend certain definitions, to provide that attendance of Grade R is compulsory, and to provide for system improvements in terms of admission of pupils…

Global education company Cengage has launched a subscription service that will give students access to thousands of digital products, including eTextbooks, online learning platforms and study tools covering over 600 courses. This is provided through one source at affordable prices irrespective of the number of materials used. Vice-president and general manager of International Higher Education at Cengage, Andrew Robinson, said they were already supporting more than three-quarters of public and private South African universities with in-person, blended and online courses. Cengage digital resources are used to support student outcomes and improve student engagement, digital literacy, the learning experience and employability skills. University of Pretoria, North West University, UCT and the University of Johannesburg are some of the institutions successfully using Cengage’s digital platforms. He said Cengage Unlimited was designed to…

According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), unemployment in Q4 last year rose to 35.3% from 34.9% in the previous quarter. This is the highest level since the start of the QLFS in 2008. Analysts have described the country’s economy as “producing jobless growth” and believe that even with upward economic growth in the medium term, South Africa will still have an overall unemployment figure of about 30%. Youth unemployment is a global issue, even more acutely pronounced in South Africa, where the most recent figures are sounding critical alarm bells. According to the QLFS report, of the 7.9 million unemployed persons in the fourth quarter of 2021, as many as 51.6% had education levels below matric. Astron Energy’s organisational capability, learning and development manager Lindiwe Ncongwane said: “It…

The gaming industry is a multi- billion-dollar industry that has tremendous growth opportunities and potentially rewarding career options. One such option that does not require a Master’s degree or even a high school certificate, but surely demands you to be in love with games, is live streaming. For those adept at content creation and confident enough to broadcast their gaming skills for the world to tune in to, a video game streamer could be the best career option. A career as a streamer can be challenging. To make it big, the first few months – or, in some cases, years – require being patient and focused. You can even capitalise on this streaming career and make good money. Abhinav Gupta, from Innovana Thinklabs Limited suggests taking the following steps: 1.…

This year marks the first full live event of the National Arts Festival’s hometown of Makhanda after a two-year hiatus. The art, theatre and music fraternities will come together for the first time since Covid-19 hit our shores in 2020. The festival CEO Monica Newton says hosting an event of this magnitude under the strict Covid-19 regulations has been an “adventure”, however, she and her team are ready to welcome the audiences and artists back to the live stages. “A festival isn’t just about the shows, it’s also the experience of being together in a small town, the road trip to get there and back, meeting new people, exploring and spontaneously discovering new things,” Newton says. “Our audience and artist communities have told us they are hungry for a real-life…

Sir Elton John’s extraordinary life and career will be documented in an upcoming Disney+ documentary. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years that Made His Legend will feature never-before-seen archival footage and new interviews. It will be released as the 75-year-old music legend wraps the North American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on November 20. RJ Cutler, who recently helmed the Billie Eilish documentary Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry for Disney, is directing, while the Tiny Dancer hitmaker’s husband, David Furnish, is producing. Cutler said: “What a thrill and an honour it is that David Furnish and I get to create this intimate and unique look at one of the world’s most celebrated…