Cape Peninsula University of Technology

The Faculty of Education has formed a new Advisory Board for Intermediate and Foundation Phase to provide input and guidance on all aspects related to the academic project.

The function of the board is to offer first-hand assistance in better preparing newly qualified teachers for the 21^st century World of Work within the South African context.

 The inauguration of the Advisory Board for Intermediate and Foundation Phase was held recently during a virtual meeting. A robust programme to set off the board was designed by Dr Chi Kwenda, Acting Head of Department(HOD): Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase on the Mowbray Campus and his colleagues on the Wellington Campus  Dr Devandre Boonzaaier, Acting HOD: Foundation Phase and Associate Professor Hanlie Dippenaar, HOD: Intermediate Phase.

The meeting was attended by various stakeholders including primary school principals, mentor teachers to student-teachers, officials from the Western Cape Education Department, CPUT alumni and staff members as well as school teachers. Kwenda welcomed everyone attending the meeting and said: “We are gathered for a very noble cause and to create a democratic collaborative dialogical engagement”.

He added that the Faculty of Education has an aim to form a new advisory board to provide input and guidance on all aspects related to the academic project. The function of the board will be to offer first-hand assistance in better preparing teachers for the 21^st century World of Work within the South African context, said Kwenda.

He added that the Faculty regards the venture to “include the voices of various education stakeholders” as a very important step towards social cohesion. Ultimately, the aim is to include knowledgeable experts in education from within and outside the University to make informative decisions and plan the way forward, he emphasised.

Acting Assistant Dean, Dr Anna Thornhill, addressed the meeting and said: “You are our partners in the world of work and we need your input to ensure that we deliver graduates who will be  novice teachers that will be able to function optimally in a changing schooling environment”.

Acting Dean of Education, Prof Lungi Sosibo, told the meeting that the board was a “revival due to the faculty not having had this board for several years”.

Sosibo added:“The absence of an advisory report has been detrimental to the Faculty of Education and can lead or impose serious risks to the quality of the teacher education programs that we offer in the faculty, as well as in terms of their content. This is because the advisory board serve as a sounding board on which we bounce off our ideas regarding curriculum matters. It is therefore for this reason that I appreciate your presence.”

The following three executive members were selected for the 2022 academic year.

The Board’s Chairperson is Louis Mouton, Deputy Chairperson is Maryna De Lange and Secretary Clive Brown.

CPUT hosted the Higher Education, Science and Innovation Ministerial Task Team during an oversight project site visit at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC) as part of the National Skills Fund (NSF) Strategic Review.

The Entrepreneurship and Business Management Department has appointed an Advisory Committee to provide mentorship and coaching to staff and students.

The fourth advisory committee to be constituted was established at a virtual meeting recently. Its members include a representative from the Small Enterprise Development Agency, three entrepreneurs, a business consultant, a Technical Vocational Education and Training College executive and an academic or director of a centre for entrepreneurship,

The committee’s chairperson is Sinethemba Mali-Bolo, a CPUT alumnus who currently works as a Country Environmental Advisor at Shell.

According to the CPUT policy, advisory committees should meet at least twice a year and their members are invited to serve on the committee by the heads of department.

The chairperson and vice-chairperson are elected bi-annually by members, adds the policy.

The chairperson must be a person external to CPUT.

The Entrepreneurship and Business Management Department Advisory Committee assists the staff to influence, build and deliver academic positions for institutional change, where  is required in the department, through methodology and processes directed at achieving a unique and distinctive entrepreneurial curriculum, says the department’s Head, Prof Chux Iwu.

Iwu adds that the committee assists the department and university in promoting entrepreneurship programmes as well as building and strengthening an interactive communication strategy involving both staff and students.

“[The committee] looks at a strategy of creating an inclusive and diverse learning space that will build the capacity of learners to be socially responsive entrepreneurs in line with global trends,” he elaborates.

“[It] acts as a sounding board for new developments, ideas, innovations in teaching and learning practice, research and community involvement.”

The committee interrogates the department’s curriculum design and its assumptions with particular reference to methodology in order to guide and influence the curriculum design and implementation of a learning methodology that equips learners and academics to fulfil their potential.

Iwu says the committee assists and contributes towards situating ethics as a key consideration in the practice and development of entrepreneurship, especially within the African context.

It is also charged with the task of building bridges between key companies and students, facilitating exchange, partnerships, internships as well as influencing the creation of events and round table discussions on entrepreneurial topics.

“[It is] the board to provide strategic guidance on envisaged strategic intent of the department in repositioning itself within the Business Faculty- noting internal and external stakeholders,” he adds. “[It] reviews the strategic and operational business plans of the department and ongoing performance achievements.”

CPUT is working on establishing a Centre on Sustainable Heritage in partnership with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), where research and consultancy will be performed to develop various guidelines to protect and restore heritage sites and structures.

As part of the celebration of the World Space Week, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), Space Science and Technology team visited CPUT’s Space facilities recently.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, Dr David Phaho and Prof Judy Peter, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships (SIP) unit Director, recently hosted the French Embassy Delegation, Dr Paul Cavalier and Bertille Daran.