A senior academic in the Education Faculty is the lead researcher for a national project on inclusive education titled Teaching for All.

Dr Cina Mosito, Head of Department: Intermediate Phase Department, says the project is premised on the belief that all children have the ability to learn, have the right to quality education and that every child matters and matters equally. The project is funded by the European Union.

“We have used our grant to host workshops for teachers that mentor our students during Teaching Practice and produce video-taped lessons that support curriculum and learning materials.”

She was selected as one of the three women at CPUT who will be taking part in a Higher Education Leadership and Management programme called Women in Leadership (WIL). The programme aims to create and sustain a pipeline and pool of women leaders and managers for South African higher education and promote their advancement.

“A number of interesting events have been planned as part of this programme.  I am grateful to the institution and look forward to participating in this exciting venture.”

Mosito adds that over the last 15 years at CPUT she has grown as an academic from the research she does with her students. She draws her motivation from knowing that the kind of work she does influences futures.

“From this I am motivated to ask if I would be content to be at the receiving end of everything I do. If the answer is no, then that pushes me to do better.”

She praises her dedicated and hardworking colleagues who are passionate about teacher education and says they care about their students and education in this country. “Their passion and dedication fuel me to face each day of work with renewed energy.”

She adds that students humble her and that it is heart-warming to know that there are young people who are committed to effecting social justice despite many challenges that teachers face in schools.  “Many of my students are determined to acquire university education despite many challenges that they face in their personal and academic lives.”

She wants young women to know that women are highly capable of achieving anything and should learn to silence internal noises that often cast doubt on their capabilities. “Where mistakes have been made, valuable lessons should be gathered and we should not judge ourselves harshly. We should set an example of how we want to be treated which is a very important attribute of Ubuntu/Botho.”

Mosito adds that this process starts with being truly supportive of other women and avoiding negativity and toxicity that could harm their progress.

*For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Kwanele Butana
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Research Chair in Literacy Development at CPUT, which is housed in the Faculty of Education, introduces teachers and lecturers to transformative literacy pedagogical approaches, focussing on developing higher order thinking skills and later assesses their impact in teaching and learning.

The Chair was established in 2016 when Prof Rajendra Chetty was appointed at the helm but was replaced by, Prof Janet Condy, to complete the term up to 2021 after he resigned in 2018. 

Condy explains how the research conducted in her Unit differs from typical research and intersects with the Focus Area: Human, Health, and Social Dynamics.

“Since I am introducing, through intervention programmes, innovative teaching pedagogies and approaches to lecturing staff across the university,” she says. “My idea is to track the lecturers’ use of these transformative strategies and how they impact on their own teaching and learning and those of their students.” 

“Before Covid-19 I planned to work with two teacher unions – National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa and South African Democratic Teachers Union – and offer intervention programmes focussing on teaching higher order critical thinking pedagogies in their classrooms across all subjects and grades.” Condy believes the SA schooling system narrowly promotes rote learning and this severely limits our tertiary students’ higher cognitive functions.

The founder of the sixteen-year-old Literacy Association of South Africa and the manager of the accredited Reading & Writing Journal, adds that this approach to teaching is based on the Active Teaching and Learning Approaches in Schools programmes she has conducted around the world for the International Literacy Association.

Condy’s motivation stems from her deep-rooted passion for providing a socially-just, decolonised educational space where everyone’s voice matters. “What lights my fire is delving deep into my pedagogical approaches and techniques and finding creative and innovative ways of working with every learner or student; developing student-led pedagogies.”

The C2 National Research Fund-rated researcher truly believes that all students can learn and that it is a matter of finding innovative ways to connect with them and allow them to manage their own learning opportunities.

This is her 23rd year as a staffer in the Faculty of Education. “The most memorable milestone and highlight of my academic journey at CPUT, was my inaugural speech in April 2019 when I was promoted to Full Professor.  This was the most amazing, humbling experience of my life and I would like to sincerely thank CPUT for the extravagant way in which they celebrated this occasion.”

Reflecting on her teaching experience of 40 years, she says sheer hard work and determination got her to where she is. Condy adds that she spent many hours reading, writing and re-writing, making mistakes and trying again and again, but never gave up.

“I kept my focus on the end goal – which was to lead a literacy research team!”

*For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Kwanele Butana
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Faculty of Education Lecturer Samantha Kriger, in collaboration with her co-author and PhD supervisor, Prof Jonathan Jansen, will be launching her first book, ‘Who Gets in and Why?’ on Wednesday, 26 August 2020.

The book investigates how do the schools in the Southern Suburbs administer their admissions policies? What keeps some of the Western Cape’s elite schools ‘white dominant’ in a country that is overwhelmingly black? Why does a post-apartheid government allow ‘white-dominant’ schools to exist?

Kriger, who is pursuing her PhD in Education: Curriculum Studies at Stellenbosch University, says this is a study of patterns of racial segregation in the elite primary schools of one of the ‘whitest’ and wealthiest areas of South Africa, the southern suburbs of Cape Town.  “What keeps these elite schools ‘white dominant’ in a province and country that is overwhelmingly black?

“How do the schools administer their admissions policies such that the outcome is white-majority enrolments?”

She adds this is the first available study on the micro-politics of primary school admissions that addresses the question of ‘Who gets in, and why?’ against the backdrop of South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. “For this reason, among others, the book holds significance for international scholarship on education policy and politics while at the same time offering practical value for South African parents who struggle to get their children admitted to these elite schools,” she remarks.

Kriger who is based at Mowbray Campus, started at CPUT in January 2017 as a lecturer for Pre-Service Teachers for Primary School Teaching.  Prior to CPUT, she was actively involved with teaching in schools for 25 years.  Her research interests include primary schooling, music education, and its impact on language literacy development recognising the complexities of changing teaching practice.

The mother of two boys, who is married to a SANDF naval captain, says her interaction with Prof Jansen through her studies has resulted in them collaborating for “this much-needed book”.

“I have learnt so much! To co-author with someone, who has written so many books is certainly a highlight for me.  What is surreal is to co-author with someone who has received awards for his books.”

Jansen’s Knowledge in the Blood was a winner of the 2014 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize and received the best book of the year award in the Library Journal. In 2019 Jansen received a South African Literary Award for his book: As by Fire.

Kriger says Jansen teaches by example and his drive and work ethic are what inspired her on her academic journey.  

Meanwhile, Jansen says this is one of his most productive and fulfilling research and writing partnerships. “Samantha brought great energy to the demanding research site visits, a depth understanding of the primary school environment (which I do not have), and a fairly sharp capacity for crap detection e.g. when a school claimed to be transformed when the data suggested otherwise. The book is much stronger because of her contribution to thinking and writing about a vexed problem.”

The book launch will be in the form of a zoom; Individuals are able to attend from the comfort of their homes. For more details and RSVP follow the link below.

https://www.usb.ac.za/usb_events/who-gets-in-and-why/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=USB_Leader%E2%80%99s_Angle_Series_%7C_Book_Launch&_cldee=bnBhZGF5YWNoaUBnbWFpbC5jb20%3d&recipientid=contact-2953c6001652e51180cb005056b8008e-884885f0c7da47c7b9a153b08b0d8a81&esid=ca4b4b50-28e1-ea11-811e-005056b87f92

*For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ncediwe Qomoyi, Director: Human Capital Operations and Services, challenges women to grab opportunities presented to them and not to look down on themselves.

“Women need to stand up and work hard in supporting each other and not work against each other. In doing that, we will together turn any hindrances we are facing to opportunities,” she remarks.   Qomoyi believes that empowering women addresses issues of the past and transforms our mind-set to ensure gender equality and inclusivity.   

“Women are strong and can survive any obstacle placed before them. What we have to do, including myself, is to realise that we are wonderfully and fearfully made.”

Born in King Williams Town, Eastern Cape, Qomoyi, through the financial assistance of her community and church members, managed to obtain a BTech in Commercial Administration at Border Technikon, now Walter Sisulu University.  “My parents struggled to see us succeed in life… That alone made me want to achieve and do it for them. Unfortunately, my father passed on in the same year I was doing my matric and so my mother took the responsibility of ensuring that I further my studies,” she recalls.

The church leader continues: “Both my parents never went to school… During those days parenting was not done by one’s biological parents only but by the whole community [who] cared about our childhood... This shaped me into what I am today.”

Her first job was at African Bank as a Personnel Secretary and then she was employed by Border Technikon as a Personnel Clerk. She was later promoted to Personnel Officer and eventually to a Human Resources (HR) Generalist.  From 2002 -2004, the Technikon granted her a scholarship to study in Australia where she obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in HR Management and further completed a Master of Business Administration at University of Newcastle.

On her return, she was promoted to Senior HR Practitioner and three years later she was employed at CPUT as HR Manager. Qomoyi also believes commitment, dedication, perseverance and loyalty took her to where she is today.  “As a result, I had acted several times in the Executive HR roles at CPUT for longer and shorter periods.”

However, she admits that it had never been easy to be part of such high-level leadership of the Institution, “but I thank God that I persevered. I had been in hot spots and high-level institutional platforms and I managed. I am proud to say, now I hold this post [since April 2019].”  Qomoyi manages close to 30 staff members and deals with many stakeholders regarding human capital matters.

She says CPUT, through the Learning and Development Unit in Human Capital, has made good strides in empowering its staff.  “We currently have good programmes which cut across all levels.  We have provided coaching and mentoring programmes, Women in leadership programmes e.g. HERS-SA Academy, Leadership development training for directors and many more.” 

Despite her demanding job, she is currently studying towards her second Master’s degree in Labour Law with the University of the Western Cape, “Although it’s difficult and challenging, I am still determined to pursue a PhD.”

She says the representation of women in leadership is something “we still need to work on together and I am glad to be part of a department that is one of the key stakeholders of transformation in CPUT”.   

“The institutions of higher learning should trust their own and strive to ensure that they are mentored and coached to achieve.  Successful leaders regularly speak about the advice they had received from those who walked the walk before."  

 *For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Personal and leadership development were among the objectives of the annual Young Women Empowerment conference, which was once again a great success.

Close to 60 female students from CPUT and neighbouring post-schooling institutions participated in the event which took place at the weekend and was held in a webinar format due to the coronavirus pandemic It was hosted by the HIV/Aids Unit of the Division of Student Affairs.

Melanie Marais, Head of the HIV/Aids, said the conference is aimed at developing students holistically outside the classroom in terms of leadership, health seeking behaviour, social justice and healthy lifestyle choices.

“Some questions that were raised included how we can involve students with disabilities in the peer education programme, the role of our male counterparts in addressing gender-based violence and starting your own business,” she said.

The speakers included Higher Health Regional Manager - Cape Region, Joy Oba , alumna, philanthropist and former CPUT mentor and peer educator,  Ntombozuko Bota, alumna and youth sector speaker on emotional intelligence wellness, Siyasanga Nokama, Student Affairs Dean Prem Coopoo, Central SRC President Phinda Swaartbooi and Marais.

Some of the comments about the conference posted to social media included:

“Today's conference was the best. It helped me get out of my comfort zone and I really felt empowered. Empowered to go out there and be the woman I am destined to be. All the speakers had so much to say and I am really inspired. So much was unleashed, and I am so equipped. Thank you for this webinar for it has changed my life for the better”. 

Another participant wrote: “I so wish every young girl/woman had an opportunity like this one to actually realise that they have value”.

Marais acknowledged Higher Health and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for generously sponsoring the event. She also thanked Peer Education Officer Dr Elma Maleka, Tumiso Mfisa and peer educators “for putting together such a successful event.”

*For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several phenomenal CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT. 

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Adding value to other people’s lives and appreciating life as it comes to motivate Shahieda Hendricks to source external funding for staff development and implementing internships at CPUT to support the national skills development strategy.

Hendricks joined CPUT in 2013 as Manager: Learning and Development in the Division with a wealth of experience gained during her years as a lecturer, social auxiliary worker, coach, mediator, education training and development practitioner, assessor, and board member of the National Skills Authority.

“Appreciate what you have, count your blessings, value family and friends, see the best in others and be non-judgemental,” she says modestly.

During the last seven years, she has sourced external funding for staff development, especially staffers who want to complete their matric and Adult Education and Training. Hendricks was instrumental in the rolling out of training for mediators and coaches and saw to it that fora for the respective functions were established.

She is also Deputy Chair of the HERS-SA Board, an organisation which aims to contribute to the career advancement and leadership development of women in the Higher Education (HE) sector “by advocating for and contributing to their development via carefully crafted leadership development programmes”.

“HERS-SA is ready to expand on what it has achieved in the last 19 years,” she says. “Thus far, we have trained more than 1 200 women through the HERS-SA Academy and are now looking at the possibility of implementing mentorship programmes and continuous learning opportunities, both online and at universities across South Africa, and exposing young, HE staff to HERS-SA leadership development opportunities at an earlier stage in their careers.”

Hendricks advises young women to always strive to be the best they can be, take advantage of all opportunities, and step out of their comfort zone. “No matter what obstacles you faced growing up, with discipline and a positive attitude, you can create the life of your dreams.”

She urges them to cultivate a network of trusted mentors and colleagues as others can give one the best insight into oneself and one’s own limitations. “We must have the courage to ask for help and to request feedback to expand our vision of what's possible.”

She encourages them to learn from the challenges and experiences in their lives as well as to embrace growth and change.

*For the duration of Women’s Month, we will be profiling several high profile CPUT women whose achievements and activities help us to become One SMART CPUT.

Written by Kwanele Butana
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CPUT students and staff members will lend their voices to a Women’s Month event with the Department of Arts & Culture and SAfm on the Bellville Campus this evening (August 7).

The Albertina Sisulu Centenary Panel Discussion will kick off at 6 pm and will be broadcast live on SAfm between 8pm and 9pm.

Panellists include the Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and the Minister of Women in the Presidency, Bathabile Dlamini.

The discussion will decipher the history of the struggle for liberation in general and gender equality in particular, focusing on the role played by women.

Panellists will employ the life story of the late Mama Albertina Sisulu as an anchor, focusing on her life story and the values she espoused as a mother, a struggle icon and a professional (noting that she was a registered nurse and had practiced nursing while playing other roles).

This is also meant to be a reflective platform in recounting the many gains made for women since the advent of freedom and democracy for South African.

The discussion will foreground and critically assess some of the legislative, policy and programmatic responses at the level of the state.

This year South Africa is celebrating the centenary of Sisulu who was born on 21 October 1918.

The other panellists are Pinky Kekana, Secretary General of Pan African Women's Organisation and South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communication, Faith Sibiya from the CPUT SRC: Mowbray Campus, Dr Trunette Joseph from CPUT’s Faculty of Engineering and Charlotte Lobe from the Department of International Relations & Cooperation.

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The highlight of Women’s Month at CPUT will be the launch of the Gender-Based Violence Policy on 16 August.

Students and staff are invited to attend the launch of the GBV policy which replaces the Sexual Harassment Policy. A Men’s Forum will also be launched at the same event.

In addition to the GBV Policy launch, the institution will host the 2018 Young Women Empowerment Conference on 18-19 August aimed at female students at Western Cape higher education institutions, including TVET colleges.

The Policy and Men’s Forum launch takes place between 10 am and 1 pm on 16 August in the Sports Hall on Bellville Campus.

On 18 August CPUT Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo will welcome students and speakers, including the conference's two keynote speakers Minister of Women in the Presidency Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Artscape CEO Dr Marlene le Roux.

Head of CPUT’s HIV/Aids Unit Melanie Marais said while the conference was aimed at female students the launch of the GBV Policy and Men’s Forum was open to everyone.

“The Institutional Position Statement on gender-based violence and the Policy has been discussed widely and approved by management. We have to acknowledge that yes, men are part of the problem of gender-based violence, but they are also part of the solution,” said Marais.

She said last year’s Young Women Leadership Conference was well attended and well received and this year there will be breakaway sessions on men as partners in GBV, networking and social media, reproductive health, entrepreneurship, leadership and personal development as well as digital storytelling. During the plenary sessions, gender-based violence, mental health and disability and access will all form part of important conference discussions.
Student Development Officer Melani Hara said she has been working closely with Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Innovative Educational Technology Daniela Gachago on the digital storytelling aspect. They will use videos that have already been created to elicit stories about the issues young people are facing.

“It gives a platform to the young women who are attending on the day. The conference is as much about the important people who will attend as it is about the youngsters, to give them a chance to gain skills and learn,” said Hara.

Anyone interested in attending the launch of the Gender Based Violence Policy and Men’s Forum can follow this link and check here for more information on the conference.

• CPUT GBV Position Statement

Written by Theresa Smith
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

South Africa is celebrating Women’s month during August and CPUT will mark the occasion with a number of events.

This year the country will commemorate Women’s Month under the theme “The year of Charlotte Maxeke: Realising Women’s Rights”.

Some of the online CPUT events that are scheduled to be held this month include:

• A ‘Generation Equality’ Webinar, in partnership with UN Women and HERS-SA, on 24 August at 11h30 am.
• The Disability Unit will be presenting a webinar titled: Celebrating the Victories of Women with Disabilities on 11 August 2021 from 10h00-11h30. 
• To pay tribute to all women, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences will be hosting a webinar for women staff and students to celebrate the contributions and successes that women have made to date. The event is scheduled to take place on 5 August from 11h00 to 13h00 and the theme is Choose to Challenge.
• CPUT alumna and international multi-award-winning chef, Siba Mtongana, will be joining an interactive webinar conversation touching on topics such as young women empowerment and personal development. The event, scheduled to take place on 7 August at 10 am on Zoom, is championed by the HIV/Aids unit.
• Student Counselling’s webinar titled: Self-defence empowerment: Protect yourself and Your Mindset, is scheduled to take place on 10 August at noon.

For more information, such as RSVP links, please click here.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.