Important things you should know about AI
Ronél van Jaarsveld
The new buzz word on the block is Artificial Intelligence, known to its friends as AI. It scares some (especially the older folk!), but it is an exciting development for many. We live in the future!
Experts say one should view the arrival of AI in the same light as that of the Internet. This also brought
the table. You can use AI to explain difficult concepts to you, to do research, to summarise information and to translate. You can give your creative side a super boost by creating original music, digital art and tell unique stories in new creative ways. If entrepreneurship is your thing AI can help with designs, generating content and product development. All this within SECONDS. Easy ways to start
But what exactly is AI?
It describes itself as follows (yes, we asked on Google’s AI Mode, to see what we’d get!): It is the ability by computers to do tasks that require human intelligence, such as learning, problem solving, reasoning and decision making. AI can process data to understand their environment, adapt their behaviour and achieve specific goals. This enables them to automate complex tasks. The goal is to enhance human capabilities.
enormous changes in the 1990s and had people worried about the effect it would have on their lives. And look at us know… steering the internet like a jockey on a racehorse!
AI’s skills include:
Perceiving: AI systems “see” their environment through sensors such as cameras or microphones, or by processing existing data (for example your fitness watch, when you unlock your phone with facial recognition or that Temu suggestion of items you may like).
Learning: AI systems can learn from new information and past experiences to improve performance over time.
Problem-solving and decision-making: AI can analyse data and identify patterns to make informed decisions and solve complex problems.
Responding: Based on their analysis, AI systems can act and respond with a view to achieving goals.
Meta AI on WhatsApp is easily accessible through your search bar at the top. Post your question and then click on the multi-coloured circle on your right. From here you can give it voice prompts, just as you would send voice notes. Try something silly such as asking it to create a picture with a bear wearing boots and a pink apron making pancakes and see what happens. You can also access ChatGPT’s free version or download the app. The AI-generated voices that respond to your questions are uncannily life-like.
How can I use AI to make my life easier – or more interesting?
With a smart phone in hand a world of info awaits. But as with many things, the outcome depends on how you navigate the info you get. Think of it like this: if you walk through a strange city and choose the dodgy streets you’ll end up in danger or at the dumpsters. If you choose the well-travelled and well-lit streets and use a map, you’ll end up exactly where you want to be. Use AI to add to what you already bring to
pieces of information, understanding maths principles and critical thinking. You know, the things that will make you successful. You want to master AI, not be a slave to it. Learn the skills you need and use AI to enhance what you can already do yourself. Just as AI helps you to complete schoolwork, it also helps teachers detect work that’s been
Will AI take our jobs?
Experts say that AI may take over jobs involving routine tasks, but many new jobs will also be created by this development. Just look at new careers that have stemmed or benefited from the internet: web designers, programmers, graphic designers.
The trick is to keep on learning and improving your skills.
For those who dream of making music AI has thrown the door wide open. You can use apps such as Suno, Loudly or Canva by a text prompt that explains what you want. You can provide lyrics (or ask it to generate some), what genre you want and other styles or beats you want it to add. On some platforms you can hum the tune to give it an idea of what you want. This, unfortunately, has caused headaches for current artists. Collaborations, that never happened in real life, are becoming more popular. Fans created an AI song that went viral with the AI-generated voice of Taylor Swift singing a love song for Travis Kelce. Many people didn’t realise it was entirely fake! More recently “Heart On My Sleeve” mimicking the voices of Drake and The Weekend went viral and according to fans, sounded like the real thing. Always wanted to be an artist but, although you have the ideas, you are not that good at drawing? Have a look at the AI artworks Billy Lee creates with Midjourney.
Schoolwork
A definite no, as it means that you won’t master important skills such as writing coherently, planning a piece of work, memorising large
With AI being so handy and all, should you use it to do your school work for you?
done using AI. Programmes such as Turnitin, ZeroGPT and others will tell if your writing’s been done by AI.
Some useful tools
ChatGPT, CoPilot and DeepSeek’s chatbot are generative AI tools that produce text, images, code and other material. Character AI is another chatbot where one can interact with customiseable characters. Meta AI and Google’s Gemini hold text conversations with users. Midjourney, DALL-E or Veo 3 are dedicated to creating images or video from simple text prompts.
Khanmigo, Quizlet, Notion AI and Snapchat’s My AI may be useful for school work as it helps you plan and study. Teensinai encourages teenagers to consider careers in technology and AI.
Jobs not threatened by AI typically require unique human skills like creativity, empathy, complex-problem solving and intricate hands-on work. These include professions in health care (doctors and nurses), education (teachers), skilled trades (electricians and plumbers) and various creative fields (artists and writers). Roles involving high levels of human interaction, strategic decision making and physical agility in unpredictable environments are considered relatively safe from automation.
A rollercoaster; continued development
AI as a concept has been around for decades, and the term “articifial intelligence” was already coined in a research paper in 1955. Is AI, or Generative AI as we’ve seen most recently, the latest thing? Apparently not! According to experts the next big thing will most likely be Agentic AI. This comprises autonomous systems that can make decisions and take actions independently to achieve specific goals. Agentic AI will be able to handle tasks and solve problems proactively without having to be supervised constantly.
AIindailylife: AIisallaroundusalready! Whatyouseeinyoursocial-medianewsfeedorthose friendsuggestions.Therecognitionofyourfriends’ facesinyourphotoswithasuggestiontotagthem? SuggestionsonNetflix,CheckersSixty/60,Google MapsandyourUberride? Self-drivingcarsandvoiceassistantslikeSuriand Alexa…youguessedit:it’sAI!
Keeping safe in a digital age
When using the internet and AI check your apps’ privacy settings and do not share information you do not want to be made public, for safety’s sake. The usual guideline is, if you’re not okay with everyone knowing, rather don’t post it. Remember, AI is a new technology and its responses may not be accurate or appropriate. Double-check the answers with reputable sources. It should never replace humans in your life. If you need life advice, a real hug, medical or relationship advice, find a flesh-and-blood person to do these things.
AI is amazing and ground-breaking, but remember it cannot think, empathise or crack a joke. It is, after all, only a machine or a machine-generated product.
In a matter of seconds Meta AI created this picture to the prompt: a photo of a bear wearing a pink apron making pancakes
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Is jy reg vir ‘n wêreld met kunsmatige intelligensie?
VAARDIGHEIDSKOOL SE PERSONEEL
DINK DIT GAAN DIE TOEKOMS POSITIEF VERANDER.
Quinton Liebenberg, onderwyser:
As opvoeder is ek ’n AI-‘fan’. Ek weet dat alles voor- en nadele het en dat dit verantwoordelik gebruik moet word. As die toekoms AI-gedrewe is, moet ons ons strategie van onderrig en leer aanpas, anders raak ons vasgevang in frustrasies. Onderwys moet aan die voorpunt wees van ontwikkellinge. Ek’s AI-oorgehaal!
Elvine Kruger, onderwysstudent:
Ek gebruik dit veral by die huis om my kinders met take te help. Baie mense kan dalk in die toekoms hul werk verloor indien AI alle take verrig. As ’n mens na die verskillende AI-ontwikkellings kyk, raak baie van die tradisionele maniere van inligting versamel ongedaan. AI is die toekoms – daar is geen keer aan hierdie nuwe wending nie.
Sonica Tala, onderwysstudent:
Ek gebruik Meta AI op my Whatsapp baie. Dit is baie makliker om so navorsing te doen. Dit kan ’n positiewe invloed hê, maar dit kan ook studente lui maak om te lees en self navorsing te doen. Ek gebruik dit veral met my medikasie om meer daaroor uit te vind.
Charn Visagie, onderwysstudent:
Ek gebruik dit baie. Dit gee verskriklik baie inligting vir navorsing – veral vir matrikulante wat vraestelle moet uitwerk of moeiliker werk moet leer. AI is die toekoms, hoewel ’n mens nie altyd op die inligting kan steun nie. Ek geniet die AI-‘tools’ en sal meer daarvan wil leer.
Insight into SA teens’ smartphone habits
Alec Basson
Today’s teenagers are the first generation to grow up with constant online connectivity. As smartphones are becoming more ingrained in their lives what do we know about how they use them? A new research report by academics at Stellenbosch University sheds light on this question by providing empirical evidence of how teenagers in South Africa use their smartphones at home and at school. Compiled by Drs Daniël le Roux of the Department of Infor-
mation Science and Jennifer Feldman of the Department of Education Policy Studies, it aims to advance our understanding of the role of smartphones in the lives of adolescents. They collaborated with five former Model C high schools to collect data on how adolescents use their smartphones. In total, 2 195 adolescents, 2 264 parents, and 203 teachers participated in the project. The researchers point out that almost all the adolescents had smartphones. On average, they spend 197 minutes
(three hours and 17 minutes) per day on their phones, with girls using their phones more (three hours and 39 minutes) than boys (two hours and 56 minutes).
“WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are currently the most popular social media platforms among teens. Girls use social media more than boys, with more than 12% reporting that they check these platforms constantly.
“Boys, on the other hand, spend more time gaming on their phones (22,6 minutes per day) than girls (19,9 min-
utes per day). The researchers add they were surprised to find that most parents do not limit or regulate the amount of time their children spend on their smartphones.
“Not surprisingly teens are also using tools such as ChatGPT and Meta AI to generate essays, orals and artwork for school projects. There can be little doubt that this trend will rapidly spread in the coming years.
It is critical that the implications of this for teens’ learning and cognitive development are studied and
appropriate guidelines are developed to guide schools and parents.”
• This article has been shortened from the orignal version.
Read the full article here: https://tinyurl. com/58vcfbb9
• Source: sun.co.za
VIBES HET GAAN AANKLOP BY VAN DIE BREEDEVALLEI
Picture created with Toqan AI
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Rugby-oorwinning was Drostdy se hoogtepunt
Een van die hoogtepunte op die hoërskole se sportkalender elke jaar is die FBN Classic Clashes. Die Hoër Tegniese Skool Drostdy se leerders het op Vrydag 15 Augustus dou voor dag op busse geklim vir die groot trek George toe, waar hulle teen die spanne van die Hoërskool Outeniqua te staan gekom het. Dit was ook die afsluiting van die jaar se wintersport. Leerders sal vir jare lank nog die ongelooflike gees en kameraadskap van hierdie kragmetings onthou. Die Donkies se eerste rugbyspan het ná ’n naelbytstryd met twee punte oor die
Kwaggas geseëvier (38-36). Dié oorwinning teen ’n gedugte teenstander soos Outeniqua was ná ’n uitdagende rugbyseisoen ekstra soet! Die o.19B-span het 20-24 verloor. Die eerste netbalspan het egter hul wedstryd 18-38 verloor terwyl die B-span 17-12 gewen het. Die eerste hokkiespan vir die seuns en die B-span het 0-4 van die veld af gestap. Die eerste hokkiespan vir die meisies het die o.19A-stryd 1-9 verloor en die o.19B’s 0-6. Die o.16A-rugbyspan het 24-20 gewen en die o.16-netbalspan het 14-36 verloor. Die o.16A-hokkieseuns het 0-7 verloor en die meisies het 3-2 gewen.
Worcester Moslem Primêr steeds onoorwonne
Worcester Moslem Primêr se o.13-sokkerspan het op Saterdag 23 Augustus aan ’n sokkertoernooi by Esselenparkstadion deelgeneem. Hulle het hul onoorwonne status vir 2025 voortgesit deur al hul wedstryde tot in die eindstryd maklik te wen. Bo staan die trotse afrigters, ju rou Elizanne Hill en meneer Chaheen October. October is as die beste afrigter vir die 2025-seisoen aangewys.
Hokkiespelers vier ’n hoogtepunt in hul wedstryd teen die span van Hoërskool Outeniqua. Foto: Olga Grunder
Local runner is UK champ
From the athletics tracks of Worcester to the world!
This is how Grindan Abrahams, former learner at Esselen Park Primary, is making his mark on the UK, breaking all u-15 sprint records. This talent was apparent at just 5 years old. At school he was a track star and competed in Boland Athletics, for the Western Cape and took part in national championships.
“In 2022 I received an offer from Richemont in the UK as a watchmaker,” dad Graville related, “and we made the decision to relocate to England. Grindan has broken records ever since. Not only at club level but also at school level.”
Last year Grindan finished sixth in the 200 m for boys u-15.
athletics and still coaches him via WhatsApp video. “He continues to keep track of my son’s progress,” said Graville. “Grindan misses him. I used to coach him, with Mr Neethling’s help, until late in the evening at Boland Park, even in strong winds and rain.”
Grindan’s dream, his goal, is to break the records of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, whom he admires, and others such as Yohan Blake, Akani Simbine and Wayde van Niekerk, who has featured Grindan on his Twitter account. Last month Grindan was approached by US recruiters. Said his father: “He sees himself running in SA colours in all the major cham-
“This year he smashed both the 100 m and 200 m in times of 10.77s and 21.77s, respectively,” Abrahams said. “This made him the champion age group in the UK. These times placed him second on the alltime list in his age-group in the UK.”
Grindan used to train at Boland Park with Shaheed Isaacs and then Hisham Neethling. Neethling predicted Grindan’s success in
From sixth place in the 100m for boys u-15 in the UK last year, Grindan Abrahams took first place this year. Photo: Supplied
Die Donkies se eerste span het 36-38 geseëvier teen die Kwaggas. Foto: Novellan Juries
Grindan Abrahams, who moved from Worcester to the UK three years ago, is the u-15 UK champion in the 100 m.
Reguit net toe! Foto: Olga Grunder
Standard Breederivier Gazette stel met groot opgewondenheid sy eerste skole-e-publikasie bekend. Standard het onlangs ’n kompetisie van stapel gestuur op soek na die regte naam vir die elektroniese skolebylaag. C-Jay Visagie, ’n gr. 11-leerder aan die Hoërskool Breërivier in Worcester, se voorstel het die span aan die dink gesit en op die naam Skole/School Vibes laat besluit. Op die foto bo ontvang hy sy prys van Standard se uitgewer, Stefan Kolver. Skole/School Vibes is ’n maandelikse publikasie propvol skolenuus – van alles waaroor die jong klomp praat tot skoleprestasies en raad van kundigdes. Skolenuus kan gestuur word na worcesterstandard@novusmedia.co.za en leerders word genooi om hul hand aan die sleutelbord te waag. Die bekende NTT Groep is die hoofborg van die eerste uitgawe.
Oefenskool vier nege dekades
Die NGK Oefenskool in Worcester vier vanjaar sy 90ste bestaansjaar en ’n ryke geskiedenis. Die skool het Saterdag 20 September die strate ingevaar met ’n feestelike optog en ’n kaskardag om hierdie groot mylpaal te vier. Die kaskardag het as ’n geldinsameling vir die skool gedien.
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Victoriapark kroon mooistes
Victoriapark Primêre Skool in Worcester het onlangs ’n baie suksesvolle Mnr. en Mej. Victoriapark aangebied. In die afdeling vir Mej. Victoriapark Primêr Tiny was Summer-Joy Buys die eerste prinses, Tyra-Faith Louw die wenner en Johnay Willemse die tweede prinses.
Franzé Johnson (middel) was die wenner in die Mej. Victoria Park Primêr se junior-afdeling. Haar eerste prinses was Tacara Schroeder en Azlin Buys was die tweede prinses.
Die jong manne wat die wenners was in die “Tiny” afdeling van Mnr. Victoria Park Primêr was Tylepher Thomas (tweede prins), Mauneeb Roux (wenner) en Liam Visagie (eerste prins).
Langerugskool wys Mnr. en Mej. Langerugskool aan
Die Langerugskool in Worcester het vroeg in September die Mnr. en Mej. Langerugskool op ’n glansgeleentheid aangewys. Die kroondraers is: Agter, van links: Ian Louw (tweede prins, gr. 11), Jolene Scheepers (tweede prinses, gr. 9), Anél du Toit (koördineerder van Mnr. & Mej. Langerugskool), Mikaela Engelbrecht (eerste prinses, gr. 9) en DW Steyn (eerste prins, gr. 8). Voor: Mnr. Langerugskool, Anroux Brand (gr. 8) en Mej. Langerugskool, Dezre-Lee Campbell (gr. 10).
Voor in die koor! Die kaskarre het die voortou geneem by die NGK Oefenskool in Worcester se optog deur die dorp voordat die kaskardag amptelik begin het.
AI a double-edged sword
By Khanyisile Tshandu –Worcester Gymnasium, Gr 11
With technological advances and its techno-savvy spin-offs artificial intelligence (AI) is taking off like a meteor. It has revolutionised our daily lives and introduced us to a multi-faceted world we never knew we needed. Like a double-edged sword AI holds unmatched treasures while also posing immense peril. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this technological colossus.
by AI cannot always be trusted.
. Innovation and growth – AI constantly brings new ideas to the public.
The dark side of AI showcases its disadvantages such as:
. Reduced jobs for humans – As AI continues to develop the biggest issue we could face is that it could take over the workforce, leaving many people unemployed.
AI’s silver lining is that it makes our lives more convenient and it holds advantages that include:
. Increased efficiency and productivity – AI can turn a complex task into a piece of cake and allows us to do more in shorter periods.
. Improved accuracy and decision-making – AI reduces errors in data analysis and other tasks, although the information provided
. Ethical issues – AI raises concerns around user privacy and surveillance.
. Security risks – AI systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and data breaches.
. Dependence on data – AI requires top-level data, which can be extremely difficult to uphold and maintain.
. Bias and discrimination – AI can inherit biased views and opinions from human programmers. AI is a relatively powerful tool that requires responsible use. Being the double-edged sword it is, it’s up to us to wield it with caution by using it carefully.
Blind: KI help ‘sien’
Leané –Hattingh Pionierskool vir Blindes
Vir my, as ’n blinde mens, is daar verskeie apps beskikbaar, wat die lewe vir gestremdes met behulp van kunsmatige intelligensie vergemaklik. Ek het drie hulpmiddels wat ek gereeld gebruik. Die eerste is PiccyBot. Dit is ’n toepassing wat enige foto of video in woorde omskryf – tot in die fynste detail. Jy kan ’n foto of video in die toepassing neem of jy kan uit die video’s of foto’s wat jy op jou foon het, kies. Jy kan ook vir PiccyBot vra om op iets spesifiek in die foto of video te fokus, byvoorbeeld “Wat is die kleur van hierdie hemp?” of “Watter een van hierdie pakke is die souten-asyn-skyfies?”
Die volgende hulpmiddel wat ek gebruik, is WhatsApp se geïntegreerde assistent, Meta AI. Hierdie hulpmiddel kan nou danksy onlangse opdaterings ook foto’s beskryf. Enige foto wat jy deur WhatsApp ontvang het,
kan aangestuur word na Meta AI en ’n beskrywing van die foto word opgestel. Dit is gewis ’n vinniger opsie as PiccyBot vir wanneer jy gou ’n foto wil aanstuur of daarop wil reageer. Die derde hulpmiddel wat ek gebruik sal seker geen verrassing wees nie, aangesien amper almal vandag – blind of nie blind nie – hiervan gebruik maak. Ek praat natuurlik van ChatGPT! Iets wat my nogal baie help en wat ChatGPT kan doen, is dat jy dit kan vra om vir jou ’n karakter van ’n rolprent of televisiereeks of ander beroemde te beskryf, sowel as enige uitrustings wat hulle al aangehad het. Dit is nogal handig vir wanneer jy wil weet hoe iemand werklik lyk en ook natuurlik as jy nuuskierig was oor wat presies ’n beroemde op die rooitapyt by ’n prysuitdeling gedra het. KI het nou wel sy nadele en dinge om oor bekommerd te wees, maar geen twyfel bestaan dat dit gewis ’n waardevolle hulpmiddel vir gestremdes kan wees nie.
BOLAND VEHICLE
By Nor tier Motors is klantetevredenheid altyd die hoogste prioriteit. Ons absolute professionaliteit en vinnige diens,
en na-verkope , het ons handelsmerk van betroubaarheid stewig gevestig. As ons wye reeks kwaliteit, geïnspekteerde motors nie aan u spesifikasies voldoen
Ons reël finansiering met alle groot banke Ons verkoopspan is gereed om jou by te staan en finansieringsopsies van die meeste finansiële instellings te bespreek.
Khanyisile Tshandu
WAYS TO EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
The average person spends around one-third of their life working, so it’s no surprise that many people want to find a career that will be a good fit. Choosing a career first means learning about yourself, your goals and the larger context of how you'd like to work. Use the list below to help you begin that process. Reflect on your values and passions. What do you enjoy doing and what are helpful indicators of how you’d like to spend your working time? However, this passion-related approach can be misleading and confusing. It’s common to want to feel energised and even excited about what you do. But the following questions about interests, values and traits are worth mulling over:
Interest-based questions:
# What do you enjoy learning about?
# How do you like to spend your time?
# Do you enjoy manual labour or mental labour?
# Do you enjoy working outside or inside?
Value-based questions:
# What’s most important to me?
# What are your priorities in life?
# Where do you find meaning?
# What change do you want to see?
Trait-basedquestions:
#What does success mean to you?
# What do you want more of?
# What are your are strengths?
# What skills do you like most?
Reflect on your motivations Now why do you want to work?
Perhaps you want a career that will pay a higher entry-level salary than comparable occupations or one that promises more flexibility so you can work from anywhere. Most careers won’t feature everything you'd like, so it’s important to understand your
priorities. Consider the sample priorities list below. Think over what you'd include on your list and how you'd organise your priorities in order of importance.
Salary/Benefits/Autonomy/Work-life balance /Flexibility/Career growth/ Company culture
Think about your long-term goals and what your most perfect life looks like. Make a list of your long-term goals, both personal and professional, to help you understand what it may take to reach them. For example, do you want to rise past managerial ranks and advance to the C-suite of a company? Do you want to own a house? Do you want to travel, and how often? Also, if you want to work in the same industry 10 years from now research the industries likely to continue growing.
There are a number of career tests you can take to evaluate everything, from your personality to your strengths, and even what career may be a good fit. But tests can be overly prescriptive, meaning they tend to impose categories on you. Rather than relying on them for a definitive answer, use them to continue learning more about yourself and your underlying motivations. If they present helpful answers fold that knowledge into the larger picture.
does not aim to make revenue the way private businesses do it must earn enough to achieve its mission and cover overheads. Benefit: Greater potential for meaning
Explore industries
Along with sectors, researching different industries may help you identify a good fit, especially established ones, to see if any seem worth investigating further.
# Make a list of any that sound interesting in terms of major roles, career trajectories and projected growth. Seek out various professional career resources for more guided help. Also, take advantage of the university, college or other tertiary institution’s career resources on offer. Meet a counsellor or adviser trained to help you transition from institution to career.
From them you can learn more about the kinds of work best suited to you. If an additional expense make sure to research their credentials, experience and background. Researching career options
Learning more about each sector and its respective goals may help you determine where you'd be a strong fit. Think about the goals that sound most interesting to you.
# Private: You’ll be employed through a privately-owned company or corporation, which typically aims to increase growth and revenue.
Benefit: Greater potential for growth
# Public: You'll be employed through a local government or the state, which aims to keep public programmes and institutions operating.
sectors
Benefit: Greater potential stability
# Non-profit: You'll be employed through an organisation not associated with private or public sectors, which is dedicated to addressing or fulfilling a public need. While it
Once you have a bigger picture of yourself, research various career possibilities. Write each option that sounds interesting down and pay attention to the results that will help you achieve your biggest priorities. For example, if flexibility is important to you then focus on roles lived out remotely than office-based. Once you’ve come up with some interesting career ideas, take the following steps:
# Use job-search sites dedicated to posting job openings, such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Monster. As you peruse roles available in your area read more about the responsibilities for each one. Highlight the job titles that sound like a good fit.
Helpful questions: Does the job meet my needs and many of my preferences? Does this career align with my values? Will I accomplish one of my short-term or long-term goals with it?
# Cross-reference company reviews. Use Glassdoor or other sites to learn more about a particular company you're considering. Pay attention to any current issues being discussed in that industry.
# Set up informational interviews. If you've found a role at a specific company that sounds interesting look to see if you have any connections you can ask for an informational interview.
If you want to find more general information about a role look for any connections you have, or connections of connections, who are currently doing that work.
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Teaching is a calling that can truly change lives
Thinking about teacher as a possible career? If so, you are considering one of the most impactful ones there is, one with incredible opportunities both locally and internationally.
Teaching remains a calling that can truly change lives, ours and others’.
Why teaching matters more than ever South Africa is facing significant educational challenges. Compared to international read- ing and numeracy standards the country isn't performing well, creating an urgent need for passionate, skilled teachers. This challenge represents your opportunity to be part of the solution that builds a quality educational system and contributes to the country’s economic growth.
Good teachers are essential for creating equal educational opportunities for all South African children. In a land of contrasts and extremes many children study under difficult conditions, making dedicated educators absolutely crucial. In addition, there is a huge global demand for qualified South African teachers, especially in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). South African teaching qualifications are internationally recognised.
and life skills. This phase focuses on building fundamental learning foundations.
Intermediate Phase (Grade 4-6):
You’ll teach all learning areas, including economic-management sciences and mathematics. Mathematics, mathematical literacy or technical mathematics are essential subjects.
Senior/FET Phase (Grade 7-12): You must specialise in specific subjects. To teach mathematics or sciences you need these subjects in high
Training options:
# 4-year BEd degree: Complete undergraduate teacher qualification
Postgraduate Certificate in Education: One-year qualification after completing your degree Distance learning: Study part-time while working as a student teacher
# International opportunities: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) opens global doors. One needs to be 16 and older for online courses (18+ for weekend courses) and demonstrate advanced English proficiency.
TEFL offers incredible flexibility:
# Gap year opportunities: Travel while earning money
Podcast: Gen Z career paths in 2025 and beyond
Gen Z vs The Old Career Rulebook, a tension that characterises profound shifts that have taken place in the world of work, and very fast too. From side hustles and TikTok-driven brands to AI jobs, gaming and creative activism, discover the skills and mindsets that matter most in 2025 and beyond.
Hosts unpack real stories, local SA
insights and global trends to show why Gen Z isn’t just looking for a job; they’re reshaping what work means. Whether 16, 26 or just keeping abreast of new talent, our podcast series is your cheat sheet for thriving in a brave new world. Listen to the NovaNews Beyond Matric podcasts here: https://tinyurl. com/3wvr6n4w
Digital Bootcamp: The Real Skills Behind Competitive Gaming
Who said gaming is a waste of time? Some say it is building the leaders of tomorrow! Here’s the thing: gamers voluntarily put themselves through intensive cognitive training that render corporate-leadership courses child’s play. They’re developing lightning-fast decision-making abilities, mastering complex strategic thinking and building teamwork skills that corporates spend thousands trying to teach executives.
The catch? They think they’re just having fun.
board and you’ll see precision that would impress a concert pianist. Strategy games turn players into generals, forcing them to think five moves ahead under constantly changing conditions. Puzzle games create master troubleshooters who approach problems from angles others miss. Team-based games produce natural leaders who can coordinate diverse groups under pressure. Almost all gaming genres help with problem solving skills, analytical thinking and perseverance.
Once registered with the South African Council for Educators you can teach overseas.
What makes a great teacher?
Before choosing teaching honestly assess whether you have these essential qualities:
# Genuine passion for learning and your chosen subject
# Love for children and young people
# Strong communication skills
# Resilience and adaptability to handle daily challenges
# Responsibility and reliability
# Hope and positivity that inspires learners
Remember, teaching involves much more than classroom instruction. Your day includes lesson planning, administrative tasks, marking, sports activities and often acting as a parent figure during school hours. Different teaching pathways
Foundation Phase (Grade R-3): You’ll teach numeracy, literacy
# Career options: Language schools, academic institutions, online teaching, au pairing, content writing
# Short training period: Quick, inexpensive process leading to lifelong career opportunities
Funding your education
Funza Lushaka Bursary: Merit-based funding from the Department of Basic Education (check its website for current requirements) National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS): Additional funding option for qualifying students
Making your choice
Covid-19 accelerated educational technology integration. Modern teachers must be tech-savvy to teach digital citizens in technology-rich environments. This aligns with Fourth Industrial Revolution demands, passion and practicality well balanced. Every nation is built on teachers' work; make a lasting difference in this essential profession.
Brad Kirby, MTN’s Senior Gaming Specialist, says when a teenager has just spent six hours playing video games they may well have just completed more intensive brain training than most people manage in a month.
Seeing someone glued to a screen mashing buttons neuroscientists view completely differently. They see rapid-fire decision making, complex problem solving and coordination skills to make an air-traffic controller green with envy.
The Mental Olympics You Didn’t Know Were Happening
In a typical gaming session players are juggling more information streams than a stock trader during market chaos. They’re tracking enemy positions, which includes multiple objects moving through space at different velocities, managing limited resources, coordinating with teammates and making split-second tactical decisions that could win or lose everything. This while the other team is actively trying to outsmart them. As for hand-eye-coordination benefits? Watch any professional gamer’s fingers dance across a key-
Dr Simone Kühn of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development discovered gaming actually changes brain structure, increasing grey matter in areas responsible for spatial awareness, strategic planning and motor skills. Try getting those results from traditional training methods.
Esports at schools
Esports programmes are also popping up at schools; students who seemed disengaged suddenly become strategic masterminds. In the workplace, that gamer who spent years perfecting their reaction time in fast-paced shooters will probably excel in high-pressure environments. Balancing competing priorities with limited resources has project management written all over it.
There’s a social side too! In fact, modern gaming is as far from antisocial as you can get. Players coordinate across continents, building teams, so they’re developing cultural awareness and communication skills. Controllers and keyboards are building mental muscles that augur well for tomorrow.
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