Contributing towards education – the best way to celebrate our Human Rights

As we get ready to celebrate Human Rights Day on Thursday, South Africa as a nation reflects upon and honours the men and women who laid down their lives for a rights-based, democratic and just society.

Education has for many years been a very important issue in South Africa, as the education system tries to redress the inequalities of the past to ensure that all South Africans are given an equal opportunity to become productive members of society.

With this in mind, it is up to all of us to become passionate about education and make a difference. Here are some of the ways that you can contribute towards developing the human right of education, not just on one day, but throughout the year.

Get involved

Whether you are still at school yourself, or you have children that are attending school, there is always an opportunity to play an active role in ensuring that the school in your community improves and succeeds in its mandate. Students can join student councils, parents can join school governing bodies and community members can form voluntary groups to help upgrade schools in the area.

Encourage learning

Education is the key to success, so the importance of learning should never be underestimated or downplayed. Studies show that children who are supported by their families with homework and projects are likely to perform significantly better in academic examinations than those who do not. By showing an interest and making sure that homework is completed on time, parents communicate the fact that school work is important and needs to be taken seriously.

Mentorship

A mentor is more than an adviser. A mentor provides you with wisdom, technical knowledge, assistance, support, empathy and respect throughout, and often beyond, your studies. Mentoring helps students understand how their ambitions fit into graduate education, department life and career choices.  

Finding a mentor can be incredibly advantageous to learners and students above the age of 16. The journey into adulthood can be made easier if there is a role model available to lead by example and offer essential advice. Mentorship roles can be fulfilled by parents, relatives, older students, teachers or lecturers or any responsible person who would be willing to lend a guiding hand.

Push the limits

Setting high expectations for ourselves and for others around us can be instrumental in the development of education. Students respond to clearly set expectations. Rather than keeping those expectations low for students with poor classroom performance, raising them to high expectations can help bring them up to higher levels of performance.

Additionally, learner confidence can promote positive attitudes and behaviours that motivate students to tackle challenging learning activities. This is particularly important for learners entering secondary school because during these years many students disengage in school. When students turn away from school, they are less likely to take courses aligned with preparing them for tertiary education, and thus their futures can be profoundly affected.

Research has shown that students who experience academic failure in middle school have a high likelihood of never graduating from high school. Thus, increasing students' academic motivation during the middle school years is paramount to ensuring they remain on the high school graduation path.

Working together

The saying “it takes a village to build a village” holds true when it comes to education. Communities which are cohesive and actively involved in the provision of education often show higher levels of academic achievement than those which are not. Social cohesion happens when there are strong and positive relationships between people from differing backgrounds in the schools, the workplace and other institutions within a local area. But it doesn't happen overnight – building, promoting and sustaining community cohesion is a long-term commitment.

Studying after 30 – how to make your dream of studying further a reality

Although it may seem university is only for those who are 21 or under, these days this is far from the case, as more and more people are applying for higher education courses at any stage of their life. Mature students choose to study for a variety of reasons, for example they may want to change their career, improve their job prospects or just learn more about a subject they really enjoy.

You should not feel put off from applying for a higher education course because you think it’s too late or you won’t fit in. Universities and colleges always welcome mature undergraduates, as they are usually enthusiastic and often have a lot to contribute in class because of their extensive life skills and experience.

Since mature students are valued at higher education institutions, course requirements will generally be quite flexible and a wide range of qualifications will be accepted.

Do I need formal qualifications?

Some mature students will have traditional qualifications such as a Matric certificate with university exemption, a diploma or bachelor’s degree and some will not. Likewise, some institutions will take other forms of qualifications and experience into consideration when you apply for registration.

If you have not had any formal education for a few years or more, you may want to look into attending an access or bridging course at your local college or university to help refresh your study skills. This will aid with your preparation in returning to full-time study and get the qualifications you need for your entry requirements.

An access course will particularly develop your skills and confidence in written and oral communication, numeracy, information processing, and the effective use of information technology and other resources.

Although there are no standard entry requirements for mature students, exact requirements will vary from institution to institution, and you will have to provide evidence of your ability to study at an acceptable level, or evidence of some relevant experience to your chosen course. This is so the institution can rest assured that you will be able to cope with the academic demands of the course.

It’s a good idea to get in touch directly with the admissions tutors for the course or degree you are considering applying to, and ask to make an appointment with them so you can talk about your position before filling out your formal application. They may ask you to provide a CV, listing your employment history and academic achievements.

Will I be able to cope with all the studying?

Any university or college that accepts a mature student on to one of their courses believes they have what it takes to cope with the workload. This will be due to your access course or other achievements you’ve made that are equivalent to studying at higher education level.

Undertaking a degree requires you to:

* Organise your time effectively

* Take comprehensive notes

* Read material, such as text books, journal papers, etc.

* Research and analyse data, and make conclusions

* Write essays, reports and other assignments

* Use a computer, the internet or other forms of IT.

It’s a good idea to find out how much reading, writing, studying and practical work might be involved in a course before submitting your application for it. You'll be studying it for the next few years, so you really want to make sure you'll actually enjoy it.

Family and friends

It’s important that your family and friends are prepared for the changes you will be making in your life so you can study in higher education. This is likely to mean changes in some of your relationships, to a certain extent. You will need to talk to those that will be affected most about what arrangements you can make to overcome any difficulties during your studies.

These plans should be finalised and in place ready for when you begin your course, to help keep any potential disruption to your friends and family to a minimum. If you do not make suitable adjustments, you may become stressed by any problems that arise, or may even have to take time out of your course to sort out these personal issues.

Other considerations

You will also have to organise in advance any financial, childcare and/or travel arrangements. It’s also a good idea to make a timetable of your lectures, seminars, etc. and how you will fit in your studying around this. Try to work out how much time you will need to spend on campus each day, including time spent in the library and at social activities.

Although attending a university or college as a mature student may seem daunting, remember that you will meet lots of new people and make friends from different backgrounds. This will enhance your experience as a student, as will studying with people who have similar interests and who encounter the same challenges. They will be there to provide mutual support when things get tough, and they will value the support and advice you can provide too.

The entrepreneurial student – ten ways to supplement your income while studying

Now has never been a better time for tertiary students to start a business.  Much more than the graduates of the past couple of decades, current students need to be prepared to find ways to supplement their incomes. Let’s face it; the cost of living continues to increase every year and the job market is a tough place to break into, making it harder for students to make ends meet while they are studying and to find a job after they’ve finished. 

Launching a business while you’re studying sets you up for success.  Here are ten business ideas you can start while you’re studying that shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg to set up.  You can use one of these ideas or come up with your own.  Some of them may work better than others, or may not work at all, depending on your personal circumstances.   So choose wisely, and remember to adjust quickly if the business you start isn’t growing.

Before we start, let’s look at some quick tips for creating a successful student business:

* Innovation is good but it can also be overrated.  Don’t feel like you have to come up with the next big idea. The main idea is to start a simple business that generates a profit.  And that’s the main idea.

* Pick an idea that has an immediate and obvious customer base that needs or strongly wants what you plan to sell. Ask yourself if there is a demand for your product or service.

* After your initial investment, don’t put any more outside money into the business.  That’s your test for whether you’re succeeding.  The business needs to pay for itself and pay you.  Once you start, the business should generate enough for you to reinvest into the business and then begin to pay yourself.  If you see things dwindling, figure out whether you need to adjust prices, offerings, or do more marketing and selling.  Pay attention to customer inquiries and demands. They will lead you in the right direction.

* Remember the business is a great experience but it’s not the main reason you are on campus.  You are there to get a great education.  So develop discipline and time management skills that will allow you to go to class, get good results and still operate your business in your free time.

Our 10 student business ideas:

1. Tutoring service – if you’re attending university or college on a scholarship or bursary and know a required subject very well, consider start a tutoring service for local elementary or high school students who want to get into a good university or college like you.

2. Staffing service specializing in internships – start an on-campus staffing service where you help local or national businesses connect with the best students for internships and help students who want to do internships find the best opportunity.

3. Personal training service – are you athletic and into sports?  Think about starting a personal training service for students wanting to get fit and active.

4. Graphic arts and design services for presentations and papers – if you enjoy graphic arts and presentation design and you’re good at it, think about offering these services to students (and perhaps lecturers too) who want to jazz up their research and reports.

5. CV writing service – are you good at finding the best angles to present information? Start a CV writing service helping students put their experience in the best possible format and phrasing to attract interview and career opportunities.

6. Hair styling and grooming services – provide hair cuts or hair styling as a mobile hairdresser or stylist.

7. Babysitting service – if you know how to look after children and you’re responsible and reliable, starting a small au pair business could be an easy way to make extra income.

8. Bookkeeping service – if you’re studying accounting and have a love for numbers offer to keep books for a few small local businesses or find customers online.

9. Photography and video services – if you have a great eye for composing scenes and images consider starting a photography and video service. You can offer your services to students and faculty, take photos and videos of campus events and help local businesses produce and post videos online.

10. T-shirt company – really cool t-shirts just never get old and they’re the standard uniform for lots of college students. Come up with neat designs or funny sayings or create custom shirts for on-campus organisations and find someone to print the shirts for you and you’re in business!

Are you a student thinking about starting a small business? What do you think about these ideas? What are you excited about, or maybe scared about? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!

Pick up a book & expand your world on World Book Day

In the busy world we live in, a lot of us don’t have the time or the patience to read. Now that television, video games and movies are so readily available and easy to consume, we often associate reading books as something we had to do in school.  Many of us would shudder at the thought of reading a book for pleasure.

But since today is World Book Day, we thought we should remind you just how amazing reading can be and what it can do for you.

1. Enhanced brainpower

Reading a book will help you optimise your brain and improve in almost every area of your life. People who read have higher intelligence and more general knowledge than those who don’t. Research has found that reading, in general, makes you smarter and it keeps you sharp as you age. No matter what you want to do or become, you can’t do it without more knowledge and reading is an excellent way to get more information on your future plans and where you want to go.

2. Reading reduces stress

By simply opening a book, you allow yourself to be invited into a fantasy world that distracts you from your daily stressors. If you’ve had a stressful day, a book can easily distract you and get your thoughts off your worries for a while. Reading is the best way to relax. Reading an amazing fiction book is perfect right before bed time. Sometimes it’s hard to put the book down if it’s really good, but you’ll still be relaxed.

3. Improved logical thinking

If you’ve ever read a murder mystery and managed to work out who the murderer is before it’s revealed by the author, you’ll know that analytical thinking is boosted by reading. Readers improve their general knowledge, and more importantly are able to spot patterns and clues quicker. If you can spot patterns quicker, your analytical skills receive a boost.

4. Build your vocabulary

It’s no secret that reading increases your vocabulary and improves your spelling, but did you know that reading increases your vocabulary more than talking or direct teaching? Reading forces us to look at and try to understand words that we might not have seen or heard recently. Knowing what other people are saying and using the perfect words to convey your feelings is a critical part of boosting your brainpower.

5. Improved creativity

Reading books takes you to places you’ve never been, and as a reader you might often wonder how a writer can piece together real or fictional events with such accuracy and detail. Reading about places you’ve never been to (or even places that don’t exist) opens your mind up to new possibilities and allows you to be more creative in your own thinking.

Here are some common reasons why we don’t read and the ways you can get around them:

I don’t have enough time

Try to set aside ten or fifteen minutes every day for reading. Whether it’s just before going to sleep, while travelling in the bus to work or even while eating, you might just find that this little bit of “me” time will become your favourite time of the day.

I don’t have the patience

For those who have never sat down and read a novel of their own choosing, finding the patience to get into the book might be an uphill task, as the activity is so unfamiliar. Perseverance is the key here, so make it a habit to read for a few minutes every day. Once you get into the book you’ll find it easier to get stuck into it.

Books are boring

There are millions of books in existence, each one on a different topic, portraying different scenarios and covering dozens of different genres. Therefore, all books cannot be the same and all authors certainly cannot be the same. Take the time to make a list of the things that might be of interest to you (you could base this on the type of movies you like to watch, or the activities you enjoy). If you don’t like the first book that you try, remember not to give up on the idea of reading. You’re bound to find something that you like if you keep on looking.

Books are too expensive

If you find that bookshops don’t suit your budget, the best place to start a love affair with reading is at your local library. The books may be slightly older than the latest novels at the book store, but the good news is that books don’t have expiry dates like food at the supermarket!

“Reading takes us away from home, but more importantly, it finds homes for us everywhere.” - Hazel Rochman