SEESA and Hot91.9FM are collaborating in April 2017 to provide one lucky candidate with the opportunity to win a bursary to the value of R100 000 to study towards a degree in Accounting.

On 06 April 2017, Hot91.9FM’s Breakfast Show with Darren Scott announced that nominations are now open to stand a chance to win this bursary as part of Hot91.9FM’s #JoburgsHottestBursaries campaign. For the entire month of April 2017, listeners and the public can nominate candidates for this bursary by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their motivation as to why they must be awarded the bursary.

“Our goal is to contribute to South Africa’s future through tertiary education. We are starting with Accounting bursaries and hope to develop the successful candidates to Chartered Accountants.” – Roelof le Roux, SEESA Financial Director

Candidate nominations are open until 30 April 2017, after which Hot91.9FM will announce the bursary winner in May 2017. For more information about this initiative, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

EduOne is an education technology startup that has captured the attention of over 1.5 million South Africans, 2000 teachers and has been recognised by a number of exclusive international startup societies for their work.

A big day has arrived for the team at EduOne, based in Cape Town, to launch new versions of two of their most popular websites. This is the biggest single launch for the company to-date and includes major structural and design changes to both EduConnect and EduFunding.

The redesign and development of new features on these sites began in late 2016. Inspired by user generated insights and industry best practices, the redesign is aimed at improving user experience, data usage and usability for site visitors. 

“It has been a number of late nights and early mornings over the past few months, but I’m very glad to be at the launch date with two quick, stable and ridiculously good looking  websites. It’s a job well done by the team,” says James Kieser, the company's CTO.

This launch is one of the first of what will be many iterations in a new design approach for the company’s products. In addition, one can expect a number of new features and entire products to be released in 2017.

For a more detailed view on the changes to EduOne’s sites on 31 March 2017, see a previous press release for the launch. The EduOne team encourages users to continue sending through feedback on their work through this form.

EduOne has, for 26 months, been climbing into the hearts and minds of the South African youth to help better prepare them for what lies ahead: life.  Education is the key that unlocks many doors.  Yet access to education is not as simple as 1, 2, tertiary. Through EduConnect, we have managed to cover topics and resources that are vital in taking the next step, wherever our users are on the decision making journey. From grade 9 subject choices to the ins and outs of the National Benchmark Tests, EduConnect covers it all. 

With EduFunding, we have created a centralised funding application portal to bring funding opportunities closer to those in need. We have developed an innovative management system for tertiary funding.  This aims to entice corporate organisations to offer more funding to our youth in an efficient and seamless way. We’ve also seeded a revolutionary mentorship program to help reduce drop-out rates and support beneficiaries in their studies.

Over 1.5 million people have accessed these websites in the past two years.  This makes EduOne one of the fastest growing startups in South Africa, attracting international interests from New York, Switzerland and Hong Kong, amongst others. The shake up With so many people visiting our sites every month, and many more interacting with our brand, we wanted to make sure our sites worked seamlessly and looked unbelievably sexy.  So we undertook the task of sitting with experts, specialists and, most importantly, our users to gain an understanding of what would work best. 

After designing new front-ends, re-building foundations and developing fresh features for days, we have come to a point where we can reveal these masterpieces to the interweb. We can select the book that reveals the secret door and let our work emerge from the abyss. Okay, Shakespeare, so when is this happening?

Date: Friday 31 March 2017

Time: 12h00 Central Africa Time

Recommended music pairing: Circle of Life – The Lion King

To get a better idea of what the fuss is about, here is a list of some of the changes that are happening on the sites:

• New and improved user interfaces.
• Redesigned navigation and menu structures.
• Mobile-first and data-light considerations.
• New features, including tag clouds and improved search functionality.
• Advanced marketing opportunities offered exclusively to academic institutions and organisations offering funding opportunities.
• A brand new directory listing of institutions in South Africa (EduConnect only).
• New tutorials & downloadable resources (EduConnect only).
• New career profile and entrepreneurship sections (EduConnect only).
• The newly released mentorship technology (EduFunding only).
• A re-factored approach to the application process (EduFunding only).
• Industry-firsts with new features in fund disbursement (EduFunding only).

We sincerely hope you enjoy the changes made to these two websites. Our aim is to make sure we’re on the right track with them so it’s important for us to get as much feedback as possible. Please click the button below to offer some valued advice and wise words for our team to consider.

Give us feedback

British Council links South African schools with UK counterparts in an effort towards knowledge sharing and international partnerships 

Seven South African schools have forged partnerships with UK schools as part of the UK-funded Connecting Classrooms project, a unique global education programme.

Connecting Classrooms is designed to broaden teaching practice, equipping teachers to prepare their learners with the skills they need for life and work in a global economy.

Colm McGivern, Director South Africa said: “Connecting Classrooms equips teachers and school leaders to broaden their teaching practice and ultimately improve learning outcomes for young people in the 21st century.

It’s a fantastic way for teachers to access free professional training and learn practical approaches to teaching the core skills required by students to fully prepare them for life and work in a global economy.

Forging a partnership and working with a school overseas who has also completed the training is a unique way to not only understand more about the education system of another country, but also compare approaches, take away new ideas and pedagogies, and ultimately build confidence in delivering the core skills in the classroom.”

Once teachers complete the Core Skills Professional Development training, schools are eligible to apply for an international partnership. As part of the programme, teachers incorporate teaching ‘21st century Core Skills’ into the curriculum, as well as to visit partner schools in the other country to exchange insights and ideas on how to improve teaching and learning in their schools.

This week, UK teachers will visit their partner school in South Africa and share their experiences and successes in teaching and implementing the Core Skills into their own curriculum.

The visit will culminate in a conference: Sharing good practice and celebrating professional partnerships (UK-SA) on 16 February 2017 at the Park Inn in Sandton, providing a platform for their success to be shared more widely.

Representatives from the South African Department of Basic Education and British Council Country Director, Colm McGivern will be in attendance. 

For more information about Connecting Classrooms, please contact Thabisa: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to Editor

• Connecting Classrooms is a global education programme brought to schools by the British Council in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID).
• It is a fully funded learning journey that includes face-to-face and online courses, international professional partnerships and visit funding opportunities based around core skills.
• The programme gives teachers and educational professionals the opportunity to develop classroom practice and develop ideas with like-minded teachers internationally.
• Before a school can apply for a professional partnership, it must complete one of the British Council’s fully-funded courses on teaching the core skills.
• To facilitate collaboration face to face, schools in the UK can apply for a £3,000 grant to take part in a project with an overseas school.
• By developing and networking with thousands of teachers across the world, the British Council aims to help young people develop the knowledge, skills and values to live and work in a globalised economy.
• The British Council has committed £17 million over three years to work across the globe.
• The UK government has additionally contributed £17 million to support partnerships between schools in the UK and developing countries.
• Thousands of schools will be supported to work together in over 30 countries across the world; to enhance teaching and learning for teachers and young people.
• For more information about Connecting Classrooms, please visit https://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/connecting-classrooms  or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About the British Council

The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. It is a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

The Department for International Development

The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty, building a safer, healthier, more prosperous world for all of us which is firmly in the UK’s national interest. We're ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit.Find out more at www.dfid.gov.uk  

Alphology is proud to announce its new website of the same title. This is a new Learner Teacher Support Material website that uses crossword puzzles as a means of teaching. It embraces the concept of Mindful Teaching=Mindful Learning which emphasizes that in order for effective learning to manifest, learners must be given the opportunity to learn while playing.

Alphology has recognized the fact that children/learners are not given the opportunity to play while at schools and when they do play at home, they do this excessively leading them to engage in truant behaviour. Gone are the days when children used to play as they are supposed to do. Children/learners learn better when they play and this website has Learner/Teacher Support Material for Maths, Setswana, Zulu, Ndebele and Xitsonga with more to come. Alphology has effectively been launched and is now live at http://alphology.co.za.

Parents and teachers are advised to get the learning material for themselves and children as this will help them improve dramatically.

The material is also suitable for the ordinary man in the street, more especially taxi drivers and those who want to preserve their language.

Many experts have hailed the materials as being new and innovative and that it will be warmly welcomed by the community as the first of its kind

College’s largest intake of youngsters enjoy their first day of magic school

A wand handover ceremony, a whirlwind mansion tour and the recital of the mysterious Magician’s Code amazed more than sixty of Cape Town’s aspiring magicians as they began their magical education at the College of Magic in Claremont on Saturday 28 January, 2017.

The Mother City’s brightest young wizards-to-be, from ages 10 to 16, and hailing from Gugulethu to Grassy Park, Hout Bay and more, have the proud distinction of being the College’s largest new student intake in its nearly 40 year history. 

Forget Hogwarts’ hat sorting ceremony - at the College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, the wizarding newbies are sorted into Course One and  the Magic and Showmanship Course where they will be taught the basics of magic, presentation skills, patter, and how to entertain an audience. 

Course One runs for 15 weeks while the Magic and Showmanship Course is 30 weeks long. Lessons are held on Saturdays during the school term. 

The first day of lessons included a look behind the wizard’s curtain as the students were led on a tour of the College of Magic’s mysterious Victorian manor. In addition to providing host classrooms for more than 200 students each Saturday, the century old building is home to Africa’s largest magical museum, the continent’s premier magic shop and the wondrous Imagination Centre where the College’s popular festivals and events are held. 

One of this year’s impressive recruits is ten-year-old Kiara Davids, a former marching band enthusiast, from Grassy Park. The multi-talented prodigy is thrilled to be learning magic: 

“I think magic is incredible and I can’t wait to come back to the College every week to learn something cool!” 

Hout Bay’s Samuel Peters (12) has loved magic since the age of 2 and has been watching magic tricks on YouTube because he’s been too young to join the College of Magic before. Now that he is of age and a College student, he is eager to fulfill his magical dreams: 

“I’ve learnt some pretty mind blowing tricks on my first day at the College and I can’t wait to learn more so that I can be as amazing as world-famous magician Dynamo, my magical role model”, says the youngster. 

In addition to teaching magic effects, the College offers a variety of the allied arts (juggling, mime and clowning, puppetry). A rising juggling star is Anathi Fodo(10), from Gugulethu who, on his first day, was already impressing fellow students and teachers with his gravity-defying clubs routine: 

“Juggling is one of the better known allied arts and I want to be the best in it. I’m looking forward to improving my balancing skills over the next few months!” said the dexterous youth. 

Much like the amazing world of Harry Potter, performing magic is passed down through generations of a family like Hout Bay’s mother and daughter magical duo Leonie Mollentze, a College of Magic alumnus, and Heidi van Wyk. 

Heidi (10), who attends Kronendal Primary and is a budding synchronised swimming star, is following in her mom’s trained magician footsteps this year: “My mom does amazing children’s magic like balloon modelling and vanishing effects, but I really want to learn all of the dazzling card magic tricks, as well as ventriloquism. I can’t wait to get started!” 

The mischievous foursome and their new classmates had just enough time during their first lesson to choose a magic wand and learn their first wand effect of the year - how to make the wand float - before reciting the all-important Magician’s Code. The code, amongst other things, is a promise to never reveal the secrets of magic to “muggles”! 

The College of Magic, which has been teaching the theatrical performing art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children and adults since 1980, is pleased with the first day’s new student turnout: 

“We’ve been amazed at the high rate of registration this year and the number of learners who are eager to learn the art of performing magic. I can promise our new students that they are in for the most amazing experience of their lives!” says David Gore, the director of the College of Magic.

Registration for the second intake of Course One for the year will open in July 2017. For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or call 27(0)21 683 5480.

MathsGenius Leadership Institute (MGLI), a quantitative leadership startup based in Johannesburg, South Africa has launched an audacious program entitled "The Mothers for STEM Initiative".This initiative seeks to empower 150 women with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) tutoring businesses by the end of 2017.  

South African learners perennially do badly in maths and science subjects compared to their peers in other countries as shown by the low ranking in both the TIMSS and WEF reports on educational quality. On this background, MathsGenius a STEM advisory start-up saw it fit to address some of the fundamental problems associated with this failure in STEM.

A study done by MGLI in 2014 showed that the weakest link in the maths and science education learner spectrum were rural and township girls. They are the one who were seen to pose the greatest threat to success of the country in STEM subjects and careers. Upon further analysis a strong correlation between a mother's belief system around maths and science and their daughter's performance was established. 

"The best way to get more girls into STEM is to involve the community especially the mothers", stated Edzai Zvobwo, Chief Genius at MGLI. To put these sentiments into practice, MGLI has embarked on an ambitious project to provide motivation, training and support to 150 mothers who will become STEM tutoring business owners within their communities.

MGLI is looking for willing partners to come into fray and contribute towards the achievement of this goal. The model will see MGLI setting up an online education ERP system and LMS that will allow continuous monitoring of the entrepreneurs and learners and measuring progress and impact as the project goes on. MGLI will provide the prospective entrepreneurs with a "school-in-a-box" solution that they can simply plug and play to the benefit of learners. 

For information on this initiative you can visit Mothers of STEM  or  send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Milpark Education launches the National Certificate in Generic Management

Milpark Education’s College has launched a new online accredited qualification, the National Certificate in Generic Management. The course launches on 24 January 2017 - where classes for the first module will commence - and runs until 4 July, 2018. The National Certificate in Generic Management is quality assured by the South African Board of People Practices (SABPP). The qualification is aligned to NQF level 5 rating and it “forms part of a learning pathway of management qualifications across various sectors and industries,” explained Maritsa Grewe, Milpark College Academic Manager.  

Milpark Education boasts an interactive learning experience that is flexible enough for students to study at their own convenience, independently of place and time. Students participate in live online lecturing sessions and asynchronous online group discussions - multiple instances of assessment will ensure student progress.   The focus of this qualification is to enable learners to develop competence in a range of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values including:  

• Initiating, developing, implementing and evaluating operational strategies, projects and action plans, and where appropriate, recommending change within teams and/or the unit so as to improve the effectiveness of the unit.
• Monitoring and measuring performance and applying continuous or innovative improvement interventions in the unit in order to attain its desired outcomes, including customer satisfaction, and thereby contributing towards the achievement of the objectives and vision of the entity.
• Leading a team of first line managers by capitalising on the talents of team members and promoting synergistic interaction between individuals and teams. To enhance individual, team and unit effectiveness in order to achieve the goals of the entity.
• Building relationships using communication processes both vertically and horizontally within the unit with superiors and with stakeholders across the value chain to ensure the achievement of intended outcomes.
• Applying the principles of risk, financial and knowledge management and business ethics within internal and external regulatory frameworks in order to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the unit.
• Enhancing the development of teams and team members through facilitating the acquisition of skills, coaching, providing career direction, and capitalising on diversity in the unit.  

If you’ve a penchant for generic management studies then this course is for you. Applications for the 24 January 2017 intake are open and you can visit our website for more information or by contacting Student Services on 086 999 0030.

NOTES TO EDITORS  

Established in 1997, Milpark Education was one of the first private providers of higher management education in South Africa. Today, it remains a leading provider of Higher Education and Further Education and Training Qualifications. Milpark Education is registered with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as a Private Higher Education Institution. With a national footprint in South Africa, Milpark has two teaching campuses in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and a support office in Durban.  

The Milpark MBA has been rated in the Top 10 of Accredited Business Schools in South Africa since 2009. Milpark was rated as the number one private provider of the MBA degree in the 2015 PMR Africa national survey on accredited business schools offering MBA/MBL degrees in South Africa. In 2016, PMR Africa rated it number one again in the private sector, as well as second overall in the same year.  

Milpark Education comprises six schools of specialisation, namely

1. Milpark Business School
2. Milpark College
3. Milpark School of Commerce
4. Milpark School of Government
5. Milpark School of Investment and Banking
6. Milpark School of Financial Planning and Insurance

One year after Dieter Ortmann, CEO and founder of the German maxx-solar & energie, started planning the project, the first pilot system was commissioned. Another half a year later, students now benefit from the system and maxx-solar energy and GreenFin have launched a financing tool to make PV renting available to the masses.

PV renting is a great concept to purchase photovoltaic systems without a big initial investment. Practical implementation has been extremely successful in South Africa. Here is a summary of the achievements of the last one and a half years and a review of the positive impacts of the project.

The first milestone was achieved in March this year, when the first 20kWp pilot project was installed and commissioned at the Dominican Grimley School in Hout Bay. During the inauguration ceremony in April, the PV renting approach was presented to a wide audience. On 10 November 2016, the greenfin-maxx PV renting financing tool was launched. The greenfin-maxx PV renting tool enables home owners and enterprises to benefit from cheap solar electricity without any investment costs and to save money every month, as PV electricity is cheaper than the electricity from the grid.

Thanks to the dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme, maxx-solar energy PTY Ltd. was able to install a PV renting pilot project at the Grimley School in Hout Bay. The maxx I solar energy PTY Ltd. is convinced that education is the only way to promote a sustainable use of solar power in our country. Thus, we run the training academy maxx I solar academy for installers and engineers, but we also target the public. “Installing our first PV renting project at a school is especially interesting for us, as this gives us the chance to show the children what solar energy is and how they can benefit from it”, says Antje Klauss-Vorreiter, head of the maxx I solar academy. To increase awareness among the students, Vivian Bluemel from the maxx I solar academy organized an energy day in cooperation with the science teachers at the school on 13 October. Twenty students with hearing impairments from grade seven to nine used mini-solar cells from the maxx I solar academy experimental kits to find out how photovoltaic energy production works. In three groups, the children connected the small cells just like real PV systems are connected and had a lot of fun testing out different lighting conditions and their influence on power production. All students showed great interest in the technology and were very excited to learn more about the solar power system of the schools.

Vivian explained students the components and functionality of the 20 kWp solar power system of the school. The students asked many questions and even wanted to know how their school could finance such a big investment. Vivian explained them that the school leases the system just as their parents lease a car. The whole group understood that using the PV renting concept saves the school money.

The energy day was a great success and the school now plans to organize energy days frequently in order to familiarize all students with renewable energy technology. Sister Francis Krige, head of the school, said “The school could have never afforded to buy a PV system. We are grateful that Patrick Baldamus from SolarpowerPB introduced us to maxx and that both made it possible for us to use clean solar electricity now and to include this theme now in our education.”

The dena RES Project South Africa is part of the worldwide dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme coordinated by Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) - the German Energy Agency - and co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) within the German Energy Solutions Initiative. 

Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena)

The Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) - the German Energy Agency - is Germany's centre of expertise for energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and intelligent energy systems. dena's aim is to ensure that energy is used in both a national and international context as efficiently, safely and economically as possible with the least possible impact on climate. dena is working with stakeholders from the worlds of politics and business and from society at large to achieve this aim. Shareholders in dena are the Federal Republic of Germany, KfW Bankengruppe, Allianz SE, Deutsche Bank AG and DZ BANK AG. www.dena.de/en.

German Energy Solutions Initiative

The transfer of energy expertise, the promotion of foreign trade and the facilitation of international development cooperation are part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative, which is coordinated and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The initiative offers networking and business opportunities in Germany and abroad, it showcases reference projects and facilitates capacity building. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en

dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (dena RES Programme)

The dena RES Programme was developed by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency. This programme, co-financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the German Energy Solutions Initiative, supports renewable energy companies entering new markets. Within the framework of the programme reference and demonstration projects are installed nearby designated institutions in different countries around the world. The installation is accompanied by comprehensive marketing and training programmes. These projects impressively present high-quality renewable energy technology. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en/res 

Have you every wondered how a bathroom is built? There are many steps that are required to turn a shell into a finished bathroom. So too is a great deal of know-how, in-front of and behind-the-wall.

Click here to watch a 40 second video of what it looks like when you disassemble a bathroom step by step. Have a look at the array of sophisticated technology behind the wall.

Behind the wall: Innovative, sophisticated and high-quality sanitary technology from Geberit has ensured trouble-free operation and a high quality of life for decades. In front of the wall: Geberit offers ceramics, bathroom furniture, comprehensive fittings and design solutions for bathrooms of all sizes and comfort classes.    

He who builds responsibly, builds sustainably. That is why Geberit has always devoted itself to comprehensively sustainable products that meet the highest standards, thus providing innovative system solutions for sustainable building. The globally operating Geberit Group is a European leader in the field of sanitary products. Geberit operates as an integrated group with a very strong local presence in most European countries, providing unique added value when it comes to sanitary technology and bathroom ceramics.