Deputy President commends UNISA for prioritising African leadership

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has commended the University of South Africa (UNISA) for continuously prioritising African leadership and development in its mission and vision.

Mashatile was addressing the 150th anniversary celebration of UNISA held at the institution’s main campus in Pretoria on Monday.

UNISA was established in 1873, making it the largest and oldest institution in sub-Saharan Africa.

Reflecting on the role played by the university in shaping Africa’s intellectual future for the past 150 years, Mashatile said, throughout its 150 years of history, the university has been a key driver in developing the next generation of African leaders and stimulating socio-economic advancement on the continent.

“Recognising Africa’s unique challenges and abundant opportunities, UNISA has actively worked to equip individuals with the information, skills, and mind-set necessary to lead and drive intellectualism.

“This university has played a critical role in establishing African leadership and development agendas through its unique curriculum, research projects, and community participation,” Mashatile said.

Mashatile also commended the university for having six academic colleges and over 350 000 students, making it one of the world’s most diverse universities.

He said one of UNISA’s greatest assets is its dedication to making education accessible to students from diverse backgrounds across the African continent.

By leveraging technology and innovative teaching methods, he said the university has overcome geographical barriers and expanded access to higher education for individuals who might not believe had it otherwise, due to the socio-economic circumstances.

“This inclusiveness has been instrumental in cultivating a diverse population of leaders, ensuring that African voices and perspectives are represented in influential and decision-making positions all over the world. In essence, UNISA has been instrumental in transforming education by advocating for change, innovation and equity, and using technology to transform the way we learn,” Mashatile said.

The Deputy President reaffirmed government’s commitment to continue to partner with the institution as it continues to shape and reclaim Africa’s intellectual future.

“There is no doubt that this institution has always been committed to excellence in education and research, and we must continue to aspire for this as we plod into the future and establish recent objectives for the next 150 years.”

Investing in development of country’s human capital 

To create a prosperous nation that can compete globally, the Deputy President emphasised the need to first invest in the development of the country’s human capital, by “providing opportunities for youth to acquire marketable skills”.

Mashatile commended UNISA’s College of Education (CEDU), which boasts the highest teacher registration and qualifications, with more than 100 000 registered undergraduate students.

“We are comforted by the fact that some of CEDU’s educational initiatives to empower teachers include a focus on their qualification improvement through aligned academic and professional programmes, and engagement with districts of the Department of Basic Education to enable teachers to further their education.

“We also encourage teachers to be portion of various Engaged Scholarship projects and register for Short Learning Programmes to advance their skills.” – SAnews.gov.za

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