RUTV 3

Take a quick look at this simple video on how to recycle.  By making a few easy changes to your daily refuse removal routine you can make the work of the rubbish sorters much easier.

According to SAPS statistics, bold crime in Grahamstown is on the rise. Yet when we hear of crime these days we barley blink an eye and taking precautions is a routine part of our everyday lives. Its only when the precautions we take seem inadequate, that we begin to fearfully blink at the thought of our vulnerability. It seems crime is not only on the rise but also the fearlessness of Grahamstown’s felons. Daylight is as good a time as any. Earlier this year two people were stabbed to death at midday in a local suburb, cars and houses are broken into in broad daylight, even when residents are home. Thieves are not only carrying weapons but also bolt cutters to ensure a successful break-in. Hi-Tech security is usually first on the scene with the police trailing behind. It seems locals are realising that their sense of security is a false one.

Grocott’s Mail reporter, Luvuyo Mjekula has been reporting on crime in Grahamstown for years, and agrees that crime is certainly taking on a more brazen nature, “Crime is getting bolder, more out in the open for anyone to see.”  Mjekula recently reported on an armed robbery at Noluthando Hall in Joza, where pensioners were held at gunpoint and robbed of all their money.  Students have also felt the effects of these more major crimes happening in the Grahamstown area.  We spoke to two students who have recently had first hand experience of the increasingly violent and arrogant nature of these crimes.

 Megan DeWaal a third year BSc student, woke up to find three intruders in her digs on Parry Street.  What shocked DeWaal most was the chillingly cool and methodical way in which the thieves went about their business… [podcast]http://rutv3.ru.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/sequence-03.mp3 [/podcast]

Martin Ross, another student at Rhodes, was one of the victims of the recent spike in car break-ins this month. His car was broken into on Milner street between the relatively busy hours of five and eight o’clock in the morning. Surprisingly it wasn’t just his radio that was stolen…. [podcast]http://rutv3.ru.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/crime-bite_1.mp3[/podcast]

 

 Elicia or “Superwoman” as she is affectionately known by her community has taken matters into her own hands. Her community in the township has expressed a complete disillusionment with the police response in their area.

Although bold crime may be on the rise, statistics show that the number of major crimes in Grahamstown have neither risen nor dropped since the figures released in 2002.

Are you bored of playing with the same old toys? Check out how to make the most awesome potato shooter with the barest of essentials. And it really does shoot far!!

OBE was first introduced in the 1990’s when the quality of South African education came under great scrutiny. Aggravating the problem even further were issues of inequalities within South African society, with the majority of the population sidelined and discriminated against. As a result, education policies had to be revisited in such a way that they would revise educational provision in such a way that they would promote a more balanced view of South African society.

In later months the ANC ruled out Apartheid education and in doing so introducing OBE in 1997, the government’s attempt of addressing the education crisis in the country. Apart from the curricular being implemented so as to limit content-based learning it also had to respond to international trends in educational development. In March 1997 the Education Minister announced in the British parliament the launch of Curriculum 2005.

Questions still remain unanswered with people enquiring whether or not the change in South African education was for the better or for worse. Or perhaps whether the OBE curricular simply lowers the standard for high achievers, whilst relegating those who have traditionally struggled to mediocrity, instead of realising individual potential.

The depreciating quality of the country’s education cannot solely be attributed to OBE but also one may argue that it is because of our national obsession with the matriculation exam as a bellwether of achievement.

Every year thousands of matriculants, are said to complete the curriculum unprepared for the challenges of higher education let alone the workplace. The ultimum question then becomes, Are the new breed of matricualnts well equipped than their predecessors? A third of the 2008 candidates failed matric last year, despite the fact that the pass rate has been lowered to just 30% (refer to graph). The actual matric pass rate decreased by 2.7% while learners receiving matric exemptions increased by 5.2%. The Department of Education has been called to address this crisis and ensure that it improves dramatically.

If you were in high school less than four years ago I am sure you still remember the feeling of being a learner. Sitting behind the desk and regurgitating what the teacher is feeding you. But things have changed now, the matriculants of 2008 wrote their first examination under the Outcome Based Education system (OBE). The system encourages them to apply what their have learnt in the class room in real life situations and think critically. Despite the change in the education system I still felt like I could relate to the learners on a very personal level. I also went to a high school in a previously disadvantaged community like T.E.M Mrwetyana Senior Secondary School-Grahamstown. The teacher we interviewed mentioned that one of the reasons why they could not successfully implement the OBE curricular is because they school does not have enough resources 

Listen to the podcast to hear more about what the OBE teacher had to say about the system:[podcast]http://rutv3.ru.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/teachermp3.mp3[/podcast]

 

 

 

How we followed the story: – “If it bleeds, it leads”

After brainstorming all possible angles we were going to follow to put together the story. We just noted down possible sources, location for filming and the research. One of the sources we were going to use is Prof. Chrissie Boughey; she is the Rhodes University Dean of learning and teaching. Prof Boughey was quoted in an article published in the previous edition of the Financial Mail. We could not meet with her for an interview so we were going to use her picture as a graphic cutaway in our package and also use her quote. We could not do that because we had to make the package as short as possible. Check out the full article about OBE: 

 

 

 

 

“The Benchmark Tests assess students against a set of ‘benchmark competencies’ — skills experienced academics have identified as necessary if students are to be able to engage with first-year work”.

 -Prof Boughey                                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         GET HOME SAFE PROJECT – MORE DETAIL BELOW

You may have watched  our video on the Get home safe project.

NOTICE: We are pleased to announce that the GHS project is now up and running.

The “Get Home Safe” Project is brought to you by the Dean of Students’. It is an initiative that has been in the pipe-line for the better part of 2 years and is finally ready to get ‘on the road!’

“Get Home Safe” is an initiative that encourages students to take responsibility and to plan their leisure activities so that they do not place themselves in vulnerable positions. It is a proactive venture aimed to provide a ‘safety net’ for students, and promotes the idea that students should be responsible about their personal safety and alcohol consumption. While the ‘Get Home Safe’ vehicle will be a free service to all registered Rhodes students, it is definitely not a taxi – it is a last resort safety precaution when students find themselves in danger. There will be an educational intervention with those students who make excessive use of the service. Students are reminded to be responsible for themselves before we have to be responsible for them.

The soul of “Get Home Safe” is the 12 dedicated, enthusiastic student drivers who make up the GHS Team. The 6 male and 6 female students were selected from a great number of applicants (an indication of the level of support this initiative already has in the student community) and have been briefed and trained and are ready to go! The attached GHS brochure, poster and press release have all the information you need, in a nut shell!

For further information contact the Project Co-ordinator, Ms Pamela Pierce, in the Dean of Students’ office