Prof Bhekie Mamba, Executive Dean: College of Science, Engineering and Technology
Tuesday, 2 June 2020, was a seminal day for transformation in the calendar of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), which hosted a virtual workshop in which the Department of Leadership and Transformation presented and led discussions on the Unisa transformation programme.
Outlining the purpose of the workshop, Prof Zodwa Motsa Madikane, the Executive Director of Leadership and Transformation in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, explained that the workshop was primarily about having a conversation on transformation with the college, specifically sharing ways in which this project could be implemented, monitored and reported on. After the workshop, it was hoped that the college would be better poised to interrogate its progress in transforming within the broader context of the institution and the country, she explained. Madikane emphasised the urgency for the university at large to continue its programme of transforming into the true African university which has rid itself of racism, tribalism, xenophobia, patriarchy and linguistic inequalities, and one that is accessible to all as a university of choice.
In his official opening statement, Prof Bhekie Mamba, Executive Dean of CSET, made it clear that the impulse to transform was not a suggestion, but an obligation. Mandatory transformation is a concept that everyone should embrace, be they colleagues, staff, students or stakeholders of the university. The same applies to the country at large. The ED indicated that, when interrogating the scope of transformation, a number of pertinent questions arise:
The ED further posited that, for Unisa to move forward, it is crucial for the university’s policies to transform and complement what is already being done, to bring about transformation. For example, newly appointed lecturing staff at Unisa currently do not sign a contract that makes it mandatory for them to register for a higher qualification. He proposed that someone should not be appointed as a junior lecturer without a time frame being put in place for him or her to obtain a higher qualification and, ultimately, a PhD. This is one way of transforming the higher ranks of academia, but at present there is no stimulus to push staff to obtain higher degrees. Mamba added, with a measure of pride, that the CSET of eight years ago had significantly transformed, and is continuing its transformational drive across various disciplines.
The presentation by Dr Grace Kanakana-Katumba, the Deputy Executive Dean of CSET, revealed that the college has transformed and continues to do so, judging from the evidence presented below, which lists just some of the achievements:
Kanakana-Katumba also discussed the difficulties the college experiences in terms of diversity, considering that science, engineering and technology is a scarce skills environment. In certain disciplines there are very few qualified South Africans available, especially at senior level, so the college uses different mechanisms to ensure capacity is grown in those fields
Madikane said that it was heart-warming to see that CSET had already done much work in transformation. She sensitised colleagues on the issue of language, which, she explained, had the potential of gravely marginalising others and becoming a major stumbling block to learning, especially in higher education. She stressed the need to dismiss the myth that indigenous languages could not accurately express concepts in the curriculum. "Language, as a major carrier of identity and culture, was one of the key instruments used in the colonial onslaught on Africa. Because it carries and broadcasts a people’s knowledge, it was used to advance western ideals while Africa’s own were suppressed through that same western education. We should never lose sight of the fact that one’s mother tongue is often best suited to convey the knowledge and sciences of his/her community."
Dr Malekutu Bopape, Director of Institutional Culture, who also chaired the workshop, discussed institutional culture, diversity and social inclusion. He submitted that the college needed to acknowledge and embrace diversity and adopt a social inclusion ideology as a tool with which to order to change the institutional culture.
Speaking on transforming systems, policy and practice, Console Tleane, also from the Department of Leadership and Transformation, posed the question: "How do we teach and research in such a manner that it becomes a tool of liberation and development?" He emphasised that systems and policies are located within five pillars of transformation:
In addressing EE-related issues, Masentle Lengane, Deputy Director of Employment Equity, reminded staff: "It is important for all colleges to strive towards assisting the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mandla Makhanya, to adhere to the equity prescripts given by the Department of Labour."
Keenly participating in the conversation, several CSET executive members also shared their views and experiences on matters such as such as a need for the college transformation efforts and progress to be visible for all to see, the language of teaching science, commercialisation and the speed in terms of knowledge production. In particular, the emphasis was on the need for the university to be clear on what it is transforming and how it should be done, rather than merely "ticking the boxes". The need for flexible HR practices that take into account the unique nature of a college such as CSET was also discussed, as in some fields the college competes for the small pool of qualified South African candidates with other government organisations, in addition to industry and other universities.
Speaking on transforming knowledge, Prof Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Director of Scholarship Change, explained that the subject of transformation is not only debated at Unisa or across South Africa, but it is, in fact, a subject of debate that has challenged the global landscape. This matter seems to be stemming from the epistemic crisis that exists in the world today. "We need to clearly see ourselves producing people who are able to do things for themselves, instead of [people who are] continuing to look for employment," he advised. He further indicated that discourse on transformation is largely viewed as a long-standing debate, which has still not been resolved. Ndlovu-Gatsheni also expressed a concern that many institutions in post-1994 South Africa had declared themselves "African" universities, without necessarily transforming their offerings, character or identity. In his view, there is a difference between a university in Africa and an African university.
The meeting ended on a high note, with members of CSET management expressing their appreciation for the workshop, and Madikane acknowledged the numerous and diverse ideas that were shared in the workshop. She particularly urged the college to continue to strengthen its links with basic education in order that the development of scientists in the country and the continent could be nurtured long before students came to the university for their degrees.
"The workshop was insightful and packaged very well. The discussions and inputs confirmed that CSET is on the right track as far as transformation is concerned and, in fact, has done far better than would have been expected of a college in a scarce-skills environment. CSET will continue to not only find solutions, but will also make these solutions a reality, as shown by the transformative leadership being displayed during the online examinations," concluded Mamba.
* By Thembeka Ntuli-Mpapama, Communication and Marketing Specialist, College of Science, Engineering, and Technology
Publish date: 2020-06-22 00:00:00.0