Latest news with #BasicEducationDepartment
eNCA
03-05-2025
- Business
- eNCA
Award winning app to help children learn african languages
JOHANNESBURG - Ambani Africa has launched the Ambani Kids App. It's an innovative, award-winning educational platform aimed at helping children learn African languages. READ | Australia to ban children from social media The App has bagged the MTN App of the year award. It's designed for children aged 2 to 12. Its creators have signed a deal with the Basic Education Department to have it rolled out to schools across South Africa. Mukundi Lambani, CEO and Founder, says she believes it is important to provide interactive, engaging materials for children to learn in language they can understand..
News18
01-05-2025
- News18
UP Teacher Who Hid Pakistani Identity For 9 Years Missing After Pahalgam Attack
Last Updated: The Basic Education Department has fired Shumayla Khan and issued a recovery order, while Bareilly DM Avinash Singh has launched a probe into the department's negligence A Pakistani woman who had been working as a government school teacher in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly for nine years using forged documents, has mysteriously disappeared, just days after the terrorist attack in J&K's Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Her sudden disappearance has triggered a nationwide alert, with eight police teams and intelligence agencies currently on her trail. Shumayla Khan secured a teaching job at the Madhopur Government School in 2015 under the Basic Education Department. Despite her Pakistani nationality being discovered two years ago, officials in the department neither informed the District Magistrate (DM) nor the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), choosing instead to keep the matter under wraps. Bareilly DM Avinash Singh has now constituted a high-level investigation committee comprising two senior PCS officers, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM), and the City Magistrate. The police have registered a case against Shumayla Khan at Fatehganj West police station, while intelligence agencies are on high alert, probing whether she was involved in any anti-national activities during her time in India. The Basic Education Department has since terminated Shumayla's employment and issued a recovery order. After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India imposed a string of retaliatory measures against the neighbouring country, including suspension of Pakistani visas. This has prompted intelligence and security agencies to be on high alert. It remains to be ascertained how Shumalya Khan managed to stay at Bareilly for nine years, whether she had gathered any sensitive information from Bareilly during her stay and why officials in the department failed to report the matter to the police and administrative authorities in a timely manner. First Published: May 01, 2025, 12:20 IST
eNCA
30-04-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
UAT Takes Department of Basic Education to Court Over Pit Toilet Eradication Failures
JOHANNESBURG - The United Africans Transformation Party is planning to sue the Basic Education Department over its failure to eradicate pit latrines in South African Schools. The party is demanding the department provide safe and sanitary sanitation facilities for all school pupils. It says children have the right to learn in environments that do not compromise their health and dignity. The issue of school pit latrines has been ongoing since 2013, when the National Norms and Standards for Infrastructure banned them. Despite this, eradication deadlines were extended repeatedly. First to 2016 and then pushed to 2020. UAT spokesperson, Mighty Mabule, is concerned. 'The Department of Basic Education has violated our children's rights to a safe and dignified learning environment. The pit toilets are unsafe and unsanitary, which can lead to serious health issues. We have experienced tragic losses, such as the death of Michael Komape and other children in the Eastern Cape. NGOs have also indicated that the actual number of deaths may be higher due to underreporting in rural areas, as the community members often lack clear reporting channels,' he said. Limpopo Education Department Statistics from January 2023, show nearly 66,000 pupils in 210 schools relied solely on pit toilets. This is a notable improvement from December 2021, when 116,299 students in 363 schools depended on pit latrines. However, only 42% of Priority 1 schools—those identified as having only pit toilets—have had work completed or toilets deemed adequate. Despite progress, concerns remain about ongoing risks. Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, admitted that her department had not met its 31 March 2025, deadline to eradicate all pit toilets. Speaking at Mavhunga Primary School in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, she announced that 96% of pit toilets identified in the 2018 Safe Initiative audit had been eradicated, leaving 141 schools still with unsafe facilities. UAT is calling for judicial intervention. 'Our legal team is preparing the case, making sure all consultations are done so that when we submit, it is a strong case. We will keep the public informed through our social media channels about developments' Mabule said. He further criticised government's inaction saying the Basic Education Department has violated children's rights to safe and dignified learning. Education expert, Hendrick Makaneta, highlighted the severity of the problem, particularly in provinces like Limpopo and Eastern Cape, where infrastructure is a significant challenge. 'Many schools are in areas where communities rely on pit toilets. The government alone cannot resolve this issue, especially given recent budget cuts and austerity measures affecting all departments,' he said. As the fight for safe school sanitation intensifies, many are calling for urgent intervention to protect the rights, health, and dignity of South Africa's children. - By Tshenolo Khaile
