The management and staff of up2speed are deeply saddened by the death of the founder of our company, Chris Brunton. Chris passed away on 18 December 2009, surrounded by family, after a brave, three-year battle with cancer. We are all exceptionally proud to have been associated with Chris, from whom we learnt so much. His knowledge of education law and policy was phenomenal, his flair for business was instructive but, above all this, the generous and thoroughly decent way in which he dealt with all who crossed his path was an example to all who had the privilege to meet him. Chris was an attorney whose law firm was one of a handful that exclusively represented trade unions in their fight against unjust laws before 1994. After democracy he switched to building the skills base in the country by supplying high quality training to literally thousands of civil servants, company managers and union officials. There are few companies or government departments who do not have an HR official or two who have passed through his hands in some way. Chris also worked as a mediator settling some of the most protracted disputes in Durban. It was particularly in the education field where Chris’ footsteps lie the deepest. He was the compiler and principal author of the Education Law and Policy book distributed via the ELRC to every educator in South Africa, equipping them with the knowledge to safely navigate through the complex legislative environment in which they work. This very website continues that pedagogic mission. In the months before his death, Chris sold a majority share of up2speed to Jo-anne Philip, an attorney, arbitrator and trainer and Heinrich Böhmke, a former business partner of his, course developer and trainer. Both Jo-anne and Heinrich have extensive experience in the education law and policy field and have been attending to the day-to-day operations of up2speed for the last six months. We will deeply miss Chris and will strive to grow up2speed, a concept and business dear to his heart. We will continue to strengthen the relationships that meant a lot to Chris, especially with the ELRC, education trade unions and departmental officials. Indeed, subscribers can look forward to an expansion of the site and a continuous tracking and analysis of the latest case law, policy and legislation affecting schools in our country for the betterment of our country. We hope to make Chris proud. |
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Whites-only fund ruling disputed Bloemfontein - A high court ruling, which made an educational fund for poor white girls available to girls from all races, was disputed in the Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday. more... |
Chalk down, parents step in Schoolchildren are being urged to go to classes as parents mobilize retired teachers and university students to fill the gap during a nationwide public servants strike. more... |
"SA's matric "robust" - Umalusi" South Africa's matric is "exactly where it should be", according to research comparing it to foreign qualifications, education monitoring body Umalusi said on Wednesday. more... |
"Stofile urges schools to get kids moving" "We must also work hard to develop proper strategies to get physical education back into the curriculum of our schools" more... |
"Education equals economy" Education will solve poverty, unemployment and growing inequalities in South Africa, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday. more... |
""Racist school" probed" The North West Education Department on Wednesday said officials will be sent to a Klerksdorp high school following allegations of racism. more... |
"R68m laptop project lift classroom experience" The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education wants to transform text-book oriented classrooms to electronic format instruction to boost teaching and learning in the province. more... |
"Mixed feelings as OBE is set to bite dust" Curriculum changes announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga are to be phased in over the next few years. While the minister did not mention the words Outcomes Based Education (OBE) in her statement, many say OBE is dead. more... |
"Invest in our children, says Zuma" President Jacob Zuma read fellow leaders a lesson before heading out with them to Sunday's World Cup final. more... |
"Teachers have key role in reform - Motshekga" Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday urged teachers to provide input on the revised curriculum. "We will really appreciate your input in the revised curriculum because you know where the problems are, " she said during a workshop for maths and science teachers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. more... |
"Radical school changes welcomed" Pupils and teachers will have their workloads reduced when the new school year starts next year, thanks to a new school curriculum announced yesterday. more... |
"Code of conduct to crack down on bullying" Bullying in South African schools has prompted the national Basic Education Department to draw up a code of conduct that would be compulsory for pupils to sign to show their commitment to school rules. more... |
"Green light for exams, says Grant" The Western Cape is ready for the matric exams, Education MEC Donald Grant said on Sunday. more... |
"Massive World Cup education spin-off" Just five days before kick-off, President Jacob Zuma and Fifa President Sepp Blatter assured the country that the first World Cup on African soil would leave a legacy of hope and serve as an impetus for a campaign to broaden access to education. more... |
Pregnant pupil returns to school The Education Department is considering taking disciplinary action against a Chesterville secondary school principal who apparently implemented a policy that barred pregnant pupils from attending classes. more... |
Parents try to bar pregnant pupil A group of Durban parents is determined to bar a pregnant girl from returning to school today, saying she will bring the school into disrepute. more... |
Creecy offers lifeline for struggling matrics Grade 12 students at under-performing high schools will qualify for free extra lessons throughout their mid-year break, the Gauteng Education Department announced on Monday. more... |
New policy to focus on sport in school A policy aimed at encouraging schools and pupils to participate in sport has been drafted by the Department of Basic Education. more... |
PRESSURE ON PARENTS TO ENSURE ATTENDANCE Pupils who are absent for 10 consecutive days without a valid reason will be deregistered from school - a move designed to reassert the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly. more... |
Why teachers must lead the way The education indaba called by the National Teachers Union (Natu) on April 14 is one of the most significant events in education in recent times. more... |
KZN earmarks funds for new classrooms More than R2-billion has been set aside for the building of classrooms, Education MEC John Mchunu announced on Wednesday. more... |
Constitution to be a school subject? A subject on relevant aspects of the constitution and its values offered at school should be more valuable and is likely to be more attractive than woodwork. more... |
Poverty did not stop me A man who started Grade 6 at the age of 24, hoping to escape a life of poverty, has exceeded his own expectations and graduated with a diploma in building. more... |
Joburg's abandoned schools This year 14 primary schools in Soweto may close as the numbers of pupils dwindle. more... |
Literacy drive sees exams for younger pupils All pupils in grades 3,6 and 9 will write national examinations in key subjects for 2010 in a bid to improve literacy and numeracy skills, the Sunday Times reported. more... |
Here comes the judge with an unenviable task Did the Supreme Court of Appeal get it right when it found a trio of high school boys had defamed senior staff at their school? more... |
Joburg Principal Summoned Parktown Boys High School's headmaster and deputy headmaster face disciplinary action for their role in a controversial initiation ceremony. more... |
Language ruling hailed as a victory The national government had neglected its duty to regulate and monitor the use of official languages by means of legislative and other measures in terms of the constitution, the Pretoria High Court found yesterday. more... |
Grade 4s get help making switch to English Teachers in Umlazi have welcomed a private initiative to give Grade 4 pupils extra lessons in numeracy, literacy and life skills, with the aim of helping them make a smooth transition from being taught in their home languages to being taught in English. more... |
Moves to curb school violence Identity cards for pupils, patrols by parents and random searches have been proposed for a troubled Durban school rocked by a stabbing and concerns of drug peddling. more... |
KZN sets matric pass target The KwaZulu-Natal government has set itself an ambitious target of 80 percent matric pass rate by 2014. "While it will be expected that the matric pass rate should substantially increase in 2010, ideally KwaZulu-Natal must reach 80 percent by 2014, " said Premier Zweli Mkhize. more... |
Age Limit for Schools ? Pupils as old as 17 and 21 are currently in Grade 8 and 10 classrooms among children where the average ages are 13 and 16 respectively. more... |
We're not budging on Afrikaans: Nzimande The government had no desire to do away with Afrikaans as a language of teaching and learning, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said. more... |
Schools targeted in new drug drive" The Western Cape provincial government is to launch a five-year plan to tackle the growing drug problem, particularly at schools. more... |
Teachers "should lead by example" Last year, the Kwazulu-Natal Education Department's matric intervention plan focused on the provision of learning material to schools. However, for this year, the plan launched on Wednesday exerts extra pressure on school principals and education district managers to ensure good performance by their pupils. more... |
Union welcomes laptops for teachers An initiative, which will allow teachers to purchase subsidized laptops will help raise standards of education in the country, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) said on Sunday. more... |
Matric 2009 a success, says department The chief director of the Education Department, Nkosinathi Sishi, said on Friday that the leaking of five matric papers in Mpumulanga had been the only proven hiccup marring the national senior certificate examination in 2009. more... |
Non-custodians liable for school fees A non-custodian parent can be held responsible for a child's school fees even if he is unwilling but has the means to pay, the Supreme Court of Appeal held on Thursday. more... |
Education MEC liable for boy's brain injuries The Western Cape Education MEC has been found liable for serious brain injuries that an eight-year-old boy sustained five years ago when he fell from the top bed of a double-bunk during a school excursion to a youth camp outside Wellington. more... |
OSD pay for teachers before Christmas Teachers would get their occupation specific dispensation (OSD) in full before Christmas, union Sadtu said on Wednesday. "Patience, consistency and collective leadership in Sadtu (has) finally paid off.After months of waiting, teachers will finally receive their OSD, not partially, but in full," the South African Democratic Teachers Union said in a statement. The initial proposal for payment was April 1, 2010. more... |
Survey highlights literacy levels in SA Education levels among South African adults have significantly increased in the past 10 years, the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said on Tuesday. "Between 1997 and 2007 the number of adults who had completed Grade Eight increased from 14 093 000 to 19 026 000," it said in a statement. more... |
""Ideal outcome" to bullying incident" The mother of a Grade 8 Glenwood High pupil who was "bullied" by a group of four Grade 9s is relieved after the Durban school decided to discipline the culprits through counseling and community service following a disciplinary hearing last week. more... |
Education gets makeover from Motshekga From next year, pupils across the country will do fewer projects and teachers' workloads will be reduced. This will be the effect of some of the changes to the National Education Curriculum that were announced yesterday by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. more... |
Unfair language policy: Department blasted The Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the Mpumulanga education department acted unlawfully when it forced a school to change its language policy. more... |
Unions commended for wage agreement Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Wednesday lauded labour unions for signing the 2009/2010 wage agreement. more... |
THREAT SEEN TO MODEL C FUNDING
Concern over plans for school funding Radical changes to the current school funding model, to include the capping of school fees and giving all schools powers to mange their finances, could be on the cards as early as next year. more... |
Concourt to hear school language case The Mpumalanga Education Department will apply to the Constitutional Court on Thursday for leave to appeal against a ruling that Hoerskool Ermelo could return to its single-medium Afrikaans status. more... |
Deaf pupil withdraws sign language petition A deaf KwaZulu-Natal matric pupil has withdrawn his court bid to force the Education Department to allow him to use sign language in his exams, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard on Wednesday. more... |
NO UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION Schools may be forced to offer all of the 11 official languages in the country and principals will be in charge of finances for school governing bodies. more... |
School wins principal battle The Marquard High School's governing body will get the principal they want after a Free State court found in its favour against the provincial education department, the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools (Fedsas) said on Friday. more... |
Billions budgeted for teachers' skills The Gauteng Education Department is to spend 73 percent of its R18,9-billion budget on staff this financial year. more... |
Sadtu welcomes OSD offer The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday said it was happy with the government's latest occupation specific dispensation (OSD) offer. more... |
Wheeling and greening! Ithembelihle Lsen School, a primary school for disabled children, has found a novel way of creating a garden that will enable its pupils to work on it themselves. more... |
School bodies slate Nzimande Hard-working pupils who buckle under pressure could be given a second chance or this could open the flood-gates for mediocrity in education more... |
Education agreement on OSD not signed The education sector was among those where no agreement had been reached between the government and labour on the occupation specific dispensation, the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) said on Wednesday. more... |
One teacher, one laptop Government plans to make sure that by 2012 every teacher ahs access to a laptop computer and the Internet, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday. more... |
Pupil goes to court to fight matric battle A deaf matric pupil at Westville Boys High is taking on South Africa's education authorities in a court battle which he hopes will enable him, and other hearing impaired people, to take sign language as an official matric subject. more... |
School takes its bullying seriously The Pinetown Boys High School management and governing body say they have never neglected to deal with allegations of bullying at the school and have procedures to deal with the issue. more... |
No charges yet for Durban Teachers Five teachers from Makhumbuza High School will have to wait until next week to find out if sexual misconduct charges will be laid against them. more... |
School wins right to pick its principal The parents of a Northern Cape school have scored a significant victory against the provincial education department over the appointment of a principal for the 37-year old school. more... |
Back to basics for SA schools Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Friday vowed to cut the "frills" out of outcomes based education (OBE) and get back to teaching the basics in public schools. more... |
Drug tests see schools call for help Random drug testing has started in local schools with a number contacting the Safe Schools call centre to ask for help with referring pupils for rehabilitation and counseling. more... |
Teacher unions welcome Zuma's comments Teachers' unions on Wednesday welcomed President Jacob Zuma's comments on education in his state of the nation address to Parliament. more... |
When will teachers see salary hike? Just over one year ago media headlines declared that finally teachers would be paid a decent salary. more... |
Our failing schools Teachers are spending less time in the classrooms and instead are confused and swamped by paperwork and administration, a ministerial panel has found. more... |
Nzimande, Motshekga going back to basics The contentious outcomes-based education policy could be reviewed, government student loans could be turned into a full bursary scheme and the autonomy of universities could be under threat if they resist transformation. more... |
Education ministry split "would be logical Splitting the Education Department into two entities - which would be responsible for schools and tertiary education, respectively - would be logical provided the right people headed the two ministries. more... |
Long school holiday during World Cup South African schools will enjoy an extended holiday break during the Fifa 2010 World Cup, after the Department of Education confirmed that the school calendar had been approved and gazetted. more... |
Teachers to get allowance for laptops Teachers in state schools are to be ushered into the digital age as the national education department rolls out its plan to provide permanently employed public school teachers with an opportunity to acquire laptop computers. more... |
Presidency Nets kids by joining fun with fact A colourful animated and user-friendly website was launched at the Union Buildings on Monday, with the aim of teaching children about the Presidency and the government of South Africa. more... |
Ministry of schools on the cards Plans to split the Education Department into two - one focusing on schooling, the other on higher education - are at an advanced stage, African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe has said. more... |
Education system to be "fully" transformed" Bloemfontein - The African National Congress seeks to transform the education system "fully" within the next five years, ANC President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday. more... |
Weapons searches at schools "cut violence" Cape Town principals say that random searches for weapons are helping to reduce serious incidents of violence at their schools.Police have indicated they will be following a tough approach to dangerous weapons and drugs in schools. more... |
Matric exams were up to standard - experts The 2008 senior certificate maths examination papers were up to standard, the national department of education said on Monday."A panel of maths experts has found that maths papers in the 2008 national senior certificate exam were up to standard," read a statement. more... |
The Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign
The campaign was launched at Ikusasa Combined School in Tembisa on 9 October 2008. The launch date coincided with the October focus on teachers, which is traditionally signaled by the celebration of World Teachers Day on 5 October each year. The 2008 theme was, appropriately, "Teachers Matter!" The launch focused on the critical role of all stakeholders, particularly teachers and officials, in the quality interventions required for effective learning and teaching to take place. more... |
Interim plans ensure smooth school return
By Gugu Mbonambi Despite numerous challenges the department of education has announced it is confident that teaching will begin on the first day of the school calendar, Wednesday, in all KwaZulu-Natal's government schools... more... |
Rows flare over Cape teacher appointments
By Ilse Fredericks and Fouzia van der Fort An increasing number of schools are complaining about the interventionist role that the provincial education department is playing over teacher appointments, with at least two disputes currently at the High Court... more... |
MAJOR REVIEW OF SYSTEM ON THE CARDS
OBE to stay, but with changes
By ANGELIQUE SERRAO JOHANNESBURG OUTCOMES-BASED education (OBE) is here to stay, although changes to the education system can be expected. more... |
Mother tongue as first language By LATOYA NEWMAN Public schools offering indigenous languages to mother tongue speakers could soon be forced to do so at first-language level. more... |
OBE may be dropped in schools By ANGELIQUE SERRAO Public schools offering indigenous languages to mother tongue speakers could soon be forced to do so at first-language level. more... |
Son injured, father claims R270 000 By Zelda Venter The father of a former Hoerskool Menlopark pupil has claimed more than R270 000 in damages from the school and its governing body after his son was involved in an accident whilst travelling to a school choir camp in 2002. more... |
Ex-headmaster's court battle continues By Fatima Schroeder The former headmaster of Riebeeckstrand Intermediate School in Melkbosstrand, who was accused of financial irregularities and of sexually harassing a teacher, has lost a Cape High Court challenge against his dismissal on technical grounds. more... |
Court rules school right to expel boy By Karen Breytenbach A Fairbairn College pupil who was found guilty of smoking and selling dagga at school and in uniform at a nearby park has failed to have his expulsion overturned in the Cape High Court. more... |
Random drug testing for KZN schools next year By Sibusiso Mboto About 100 schools in KwaZulu-Natal will be armed with a new device that will allow the random testing of urine samples for drug use on pupils by early next year. more... |
School's pledge to start from 2009 By Irene Kuppan The final version of the school pledge will "most definitely" be recited in South African schools by the start of the next school year. more... |
School language policy was unfair WENDY JASSON DA COSTA The Equality Court has found that Durban High School's former language policy had discriminated against pupils whose first language was Zulu. more... |
Teachers to consider dress code PRETORIA: The dress code of about 45 000 teachers could soon be under review to ensure that they looked professional, the SA Council for Educators said yesterday. more... |
Safe Schools Summit hopes to find solutions A fresh approach to violence at KwaZulu-Natal schools is set to be adopted next month when the Safe Schools Summit is launched in Durban by the Education Department. more... |
Safe Schools success boosts pupil pride |
Gran gets new lease on life |
Oral history education applauded |
"Bring data, evidence into education process" |
MEC opens first solar-powered school computer |
Indigenous books to nurture reading skills |
More pupils to write matric exams |
Grade nine certificate on the cards |
Graduate shows you are never too old to learn |
Pupil banned for bangle wins case |
Mother's tongue lashes top school |
School exchange project applauded |
Teachers to get strike pay, promises MEC |
No marks for smutty dress - Department of Education investigates dress code for teachers |
KZN academic has the write stuff |
SMS system helps schools, parents |
Schools set for random drug-testing |
Fast track for the Africa Resource Centre |
Teachers going under the spotlight |
Sadtu: education budget 'simplistic' |
Teacher colleges might return |
Dates out for 2010 school holidays |