14th August 2025 to 24th October 2025 Performing Arts Practical
14th October 2025 to 24th October 2025
Enquiries:
Visual Arts and Design Practical
Contents Features
11 Exams - It is now
12-17 Exams: before, during and after
18-19 ‘Exam’ at TVETs - different
20-21 Exams: what do they do for us?
22-24 Micro-credentialing: another option
26-27 VW and Nelson Mandela University
28-29 Fashion Summer 2025 - Look good!
30-33 Career: Push-back operator
38-41 Allan Gray: Entrepreneurship Challenge
42-43 GWM Partners with READ trust
46-53 Nobel Prize - get inspired
October 2025 Every Time
Exams are Just get past
Exam time. This is it. No way back now.
It is also for grade 10 and 11. not just for grade 12. We can just as well get used to it now. Exams will happen every year.
We have collected a few tips for you, but you probably have a ton of ‘good tips’ in your TikTok feeds.
But this edition is also more: The Nobl prizes have been awarded. This is inspirational.
Career: Pushback opertor in the airport!
Allan Gray: this is so relevant! inspiration!
Music: Really weird instruments! giggle!
We have received articles
Meropa Communication: hope for graduates in tough GWM, Vuyo Fata: : GWM READ Educational Trust Volkswagen Group Africa, Parfitt: inspiring future Bay. But also read how a TVET not grade 12 stuff.
It is also time to relax: Fashion Go bold with colours! Go
Good read!
Hola is here to give you a break from all We are also serious, but it is now called
are here past it - in style
articles from:
Communication: Micro-credentialing: New tough job market
GWM South Africa Partners with Trust to Empower Young Readers
Africa, Andile Dlamini and Odette engineers in Nelson Mandela
TVET is ‘conducting’ exams. It is Fashion tips for Summer 2025. Go bold with the fabrics
all the school stuff. called edutainment.
Sybil Otterstrom Editor and CEO
WE
are the Contributors
Want to be a contributor? Wanting to write like a pro?
You CAN!
look firther and see how you can become one.
... and it is a good feeling to entertain and inform.
Masiziba Hadebe is doing her Master’s in Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State (UFS). She is driven to make a change and is a passionate volunteer for community projects. She loves reading and writing about science, agriculture and anything in between. She believes you can wear a smile whatever the weather!
My name is Lerato Pitso. I am from Maseru, Lesotho. I am a Sociology and Criminology student at UFS and Miss Supranational Lesotho 2023. When I’m not a model and a student, I write about my philosophies on life as well as expressing my feelings on paper. I hope that my views will aid in the social development of the next person.
And we are honoured to also have industry-views from:
Edith Wynne-Trollip: - Curriculum Support and advise, Overberg District
Thozamile Mvumvu: - CFE Programme Manager, False Bay TVET
Daniel Roos - Account Executive, Transform Marketing
Artvilla Dakamela, 22, another wizard from the literature world, he is an Accounting student at the University of the Free State. He has written for the Initiative for Creative African Narratives (iCAN) amongst others. He currently resides in DurbanKZN - and is a very enthusiastic reader and writer.
My name is Molatelo Kate Kgatla, I’m 24 years old. I was born and raised in Lenyenye. I’m a grade 2 teacher at Vunza Teddy Bear Learning Academy, an author of a book titled her jouney as a young mother. I became a mother at 17. It influenced me to write about my personal journey to try and help someone that could be going through the same. I love writing and I love my 7 year old daughter and life.
Lesly Malose Mahapa is a singer/writer/poet. He started writing at the age of 14 and has since been on a journey to pursue his music and writing career. Lesly is currently working with an indie group ‘MozSouth’ based in Ivory park, Midrand. Lesly is also a brand ambassador for a local clothing line “Boi Boi apparel”
Editor
Sybil Otterstrom
sybil@romele.co.za
Advertising sales
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011 614 5046
076 360 1792
sybil@next-level.co.za
Publishing
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Romele
No way out of it. Exams are starting now.
However, it need not be all doom and gloom. Exams are not the ‘do or die’ from years back, where an entire year’s learning is tested in four hours and that is it. There is more to it now.
However, exams are important and will need to be taken serious.
There are different tips in terms of preparation. It is also important to look at the time before, during and after exam. It is really a full-scale thing.
We have collected a few tips for you, but you may know it all by now.
We have also looked at how a TVET is ‘conducting exams’. It is not like in grade 10-12 at all.
Read on and let also this be an inspiration for looking at TVETs as a viable option after grade 12. TVETs are the future in many ways and the overseas experiences all tell the same story: TVETs are there and are recognized in the job market. Good luck with your exams!
Exam tips: Just before
There are plenty of things to look out for. Getting to the exam hall is only one of them. Preparing is actually also needed. What to do?
Get there on time and know where it is. Obvious! But hey, if the school has more than one hall for exams, are you at the right place? And just get there on time. If you use transport, make sure it leaves you enough time for ‘disasters’.
Eat something before exams. I can’t my stomach is a big knot. Well, yes maybe, but your brain will need the energy – and the right mix for that matter – so just loosen the knot a bit, sit down and get cereals, tuna (Omega 3) or a slice of chicken breast. Fruit is excellent as well. Chop an apple in yoghurt. At least something! Sure, Tuna is the better option and tin tuna is fine. Expensive? Hey, how many exams are you going for?
Water during exams: No need to have a whole bucket of water. You are not going to wash there. BUT you have to stay hydrated. The brain works far better if the entire body is hydrated. So get a few bottles to take along. Oh yes, and leave the fizzy drinks. They actually dehydrate you. Water is fine, leave the rest!
Did you bring a calculator? An extra pencil? A pen. Just one? The one which will die on you? Take an extra one along. Get the logistics right.
Practical clothing is essential. Cold? Hot? An extra jersey? Shoes too
before you walk in
tight? Make sure that whatever you wear will not occupy your mind. You cannot afford to focus on being cold or hot or anything else but the exam paper.
All-night preparation and cramming time or go early to bed the night before? Up to you. I think that is a choice and a habit more than anything. But be aware: your brain will have to work 100% next morning. Can it do that if you have not even had a kip? Maybe yes, if exam is just continuation of the night, but will you never go tired then? Choose wisely! As they say in Harry Potter.
… and now we get to the actual exam!
Exam tips:
Ok, now let us see. You have made it to the right place, on time, and have gallons of water, food, extra pencils and, well yes, all of it.
Now sitting down, waiting. Like this is the Olympics and you are Caster. “turn the pages and begin..you have 4 hours…” or something similar.
Panic, the sinking feeling of it all, the cold sweat breaking out, the heart rate going up, the collar too tight, hands shaking. It is NOW where the entire future of the universe will be decided. Aliens or Illuminati will invade if I don’t get it right, this moment!
RELAX! Here is what we recommend:
First of all: Aliens and Illuminati will not arrive today. It is scheduled for next year, we believe.
Now, take your time to do some planning of those few hours you sit there. READ it through, all of it. Make notes. What is easy to do, what is difficult? Are there a range of questions? What is the total score of the easy one’s?
Now you will know which one’s you can quickly do and what is then outstanding for passing this one test.
Set time aside for the semi-difficult one’s.
It is NOW!
Identify the one which you might not be able to do. See how much it will cost you not to do it, but use the time to do more of the other one’s.
NOW you know perfectly well where to start.
You have made a budget of the test. Time to spend on the individual questions and the weight of those.
Now stick to it. If an easy one turns out to be not so easy, skip it. Get to the next one. You might just find that some of the other one’s will save you time, and voila, you are back on track.
And the really difficult one’s? what if I don’t get to them? We trust you will have scored enough points on the easy one’s to make it up, but if not?
“Houston, we have a problem”. You have to have some extra time to grasp the nettle and get on with the difficult stuff. No escape there.
For every question, just spend a few seconds to structure (in your mind or on a piece of paper) how you will answer it. It is called thinking and it is the way to success. To think that is.
Drink plenty of water, have a snack and enjoy exams!
Exam tips: after exams,
This is mind-games. Prepare and declutter your brain.
If you want to read up on more for the next exam, by all means. BUT it is important to get the mind-set right. That means something simple: Don’t think about the last exam. Get all the ‘old’ notes and books away. They will clutter your works pace. Here is a trick: a clotted workspace WILL clutter your mind. You cannot afford that. So, clean up and clean out.
Get yourself in a good mood. Take a day out with friends. You should anyway have prepared so well for the next exam that you can afford it. Otherwise we are into :”Houston, we have a problem”.
Eat proper food. It is amazing how much food – the right stuff – will mean to you. The synapses will have to fire some days into the future and there are foods that will help you here. Omega-3, vitamins, proteins and all things. HOWEVER, it is also important to look at food and not at supplements. Supplements might give you a boost. But is it sustainable?
If you put junk in the trunk, there is a good chance that you will think junk. So, skip the burger for this period. Do something better. The additional time it takes to prepare a meal might give you a bit of relaxation and might
exams, before the next
just give you the energy sources required.
Exercise is great. Don’t do a Marathon, but just get to walk or maybe run. Don’t overdo it either, but just ensure that you get out of the house and get to ‘stretch the legs’ a bit.
Party is after exams. Not in the middle of the battle for grades. There is nothing to celebrate before the fat lady sings.
Sleep is just as important. It is the brain’s only chance to regenerate itself. And the brain is indeed very active. It is ‘cleaning house’ (chemicals are going) and new connections are made as well as getting rid of old stuff.
Help the brain a bit! Get enough sleep. Do you know that the brain only accounts for 5% of the body weight but takes 20% of the oxygen? Help your brain a bit!
The brain is working in mysterious ways, so it is also an idea to look at ways of remembering things. Ways to improve concentration. It sounds like magic, but these are simple things to utilise.
... and remember: Exams can be fun!
It is all in your mind.
Forging Futures: The Practical Path of the Centre for Entrepreneurship within the TVET Sector.
The journey from a skilled artisan to a successful business owner is a significant leap. It requires shifting from perfecting a craft to mastering the mechanics of an enterprise. This is the critical gap that the Centre for Entrepreneurship is designed to fill. Our philosophy is rooted in a simple, powerful truth: entrepreneurship is a practical skill, best learned by doing.
Many of the community entrepreneurs with years of experience and aspiring business owners possess excellent technical ability, whether in welding, electrical, auto repair, or upholstery.
However, talent with a spanner does not automatically translate to proficiency with a spreadsheet. The Centre’s programmes are built to bridge this divide, moving beyond theoretical business models to deliver handson, actionable training that speaks directly to the challenges faced by local Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMME).
Considering the core modules of our SMME development programme, they are not abstract concepts, but practical tools for daily use. Financial Literacy is taught not as advanced accounting but as the essential prac-
tice of managing daily cash flow, pricing of services correctly to ensure profit, and understanding basic tax obligations.
It’s about answering the question, “How do I ensure that my business is financially sustainable tomorrow”
Similarly, our focus on marketing and customer engagement rejects complex jargon in favour of real-world strategies. The Centre works with entrepreneurs to identify their unique value proposition and communicate it clearly to their community. This means crafting a simple, effective social media presence, leveraging word-of-mouth, and building a reputation for reliability that turns first-time clients into loyal patrons.
Furthermore, the Centre provides a vital environment for practical problem-solving. Through workshops and mentorship, entrepreneurs bring their real-world challenges, a supply chain issue, a difficult client, a pricing dilemma and work through solutions with facilitators and peers. This collaborative approach mirrors the business ecosystem itself, fostering a network of support and shared knowledge.
The success of our graduates, from auto workshops to trailer manufacturing companies, stands as a testament to this methodology. They emerge not just with a certificate, but with a fortified business. They have a clearer operational plan, a stronger financial foundation, and the
confidence to navigate the market. At the Centre for Entrepreneurship, we do not just teach business; we build business owners, equipping them with the practical tools to turn their skilled craft into thriving, resilient enterprises.
Thozamile Thomas Mvumvu CFE Programme Manager
False Bay TVET College
Thozamile is writing in his personal capacity
Here we are again! The dreaded time of the year. Exams, stress, nerves, relief, grief and a lot more.
Can the entire year be erased in a 4-hour session at exam? Are there other means of assessing a student?
I found something interesting here https://debatewise.org/1215-are-examinations-a-fair-way-of-testing-our-knowledge/
What we have to realise is that closed-book exam will test memory more than creativity and understanding of a subject. The limited time for an exam will then focus on a small amount of what has been taught through the year.
It is of course ‘fun’ to test a student’s ability to work under stress, but that cannot be the objective of exams.
We need to ask ourselves if it is even possible to ‘test’ knowledge in a few hours?
It is possible to test ‘knowledge’ in terms of math and physics and those fact-based subjects. Subjective topics are far more difficult to grade. The typical essay is hard to grade as there are no ‘right’ answers.
If such tests now come down to the evaluators mood at the day of grading, we are in trouble.
To illustrate all of this, I have a wonderful analogy:
“a physics teacher asks the class to use a barometer to measure the height of the Tower of Pisa. One student writes: I will attach a string to the barometer, lower it to the ground and then measure the length of the string. Problem solved.
The teacher failed him
The ‘correct’ answer was to measure the air pressure at the foot of the tower and also at the top of the tower. Apply some math and there is the height.
The student complained and argued that the question was not clear. There would really be many different answers:
I could stand at the top of the tower and chuck the barometer over the railing and measure the time it takes before it hits the ground and splinters into many pieces. Apply math and there is the answer
Or I could measure the length of the shade of the barometer and the shade of the tower. Apply math and there is the answer.
… but the one I like the most: I will take the barometer to the souvenir shop and tell the owner that he can have this great thing if he can tell me the height of the tower.
Do we see the problem with exams?
Micro-credentialing: Redefining how graduates break into new careers
With rapid shifts in the job market becoming commonplace, graduate professionals have to be more resilient than ever to ensure they stay ahead of trends and keep their careers on an upward trajectory. This has given rise to the phenomenon of micro-credentialing, which allows swift, affordable upskilling, an education expert says.
“Micro-credentialing is revolutionising how individuals break into new careers, offering flexible, targeted learning to acquire in-demand skills. Unlike traditional degrees, these shorter, focused courses or certifications allow professionals to upskill quickly in areas that are in high demand,” says Dingaan Moropane, Deputy Dean: Academics at The IIE’s Rosebank College.
For career changers, micro-credentials bridge the gap between current expertise and new opportunities, enabling rapid entry into emerging and high-growth fields without having to take a 3-year break to pursue fulltime studies.
And as industries evolve, the micro-credentialing model empowers employees to stay competitive and to pivot with confidence, he explains.
The 3 main reasons people seek to upskill in the current environment, include:
• Pursuing greater fulfilment: Especially mid-career, many professionals seek roles that better align with personal interests or values, promising greater job satisfaction over routine or unfulfilling work.
• Economic opportunities: Shifting to high-demand fields offers better pay, and greater stability and growth potential, especially in rapidly evolving industries and those facing job cuts.
• Adapting to change: Technological advancements or job market shifts, like automation, push workers to reskill and transition into emerging or more secure careers.
“Micro-credentialing enables professionals to pivot into high-growth industries, or higher growth roles within their existing industry, with agility and precision. As industries evolve and new opportunities arise, micro-credentialing is proving to be a vital resource for career changers seeking relevance, flexibility, and opportunity at speed,” says Moropane.
Obtaining complementary skills through micro-credentialing means students can gain entry into a new field within a few months or a year. Additionally, these shorter programmes are found in most fields, including tech, finance and accounting, law, education, and marketing, enabling pivots to brand new fields.
Examples of transitional qualifications, which allow graduates to broaden their field of expertise outside of their first degree, to encompass high-demand skills, include:
Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business: Prepares graduates with digital skills across finance, HR, and marketing.
Postgraduate Diploma in Management: Ensures students gain a deep understanding of management theory and practice.
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership: Equips managers with leadership and business management skills across multiple disciplines.
Postgraduate Diploma in Data Analytics: Provides training in Big Data, AI, ML, Data Visualisation, and Statistics.
“For those transitioning to new roles, micro-credentials bridge the gap between current expertise and the demands of emerging fields. The Future of Jobs report 2025 underscores the value of micro-credentials for job seekers aiming to differentiate themselves in competitive markets,” notes Moropane.
An added benefit of pursuing a micro-credentialing approach, is that they are stackable, allowing professional students to accumulate expertise over time, creating a robust skill set tailored to their career goals.
“This flexibility is ideal for professionals juggling work, family, and education. Micro-credentialing is reshaping how professionals navigate career transitions. By providing a fast, more affordable, and targeted approach to skill acquisition, it empowers workers to adapt to change and remain resilient, pursue fulfilling roles, and capitalise on economic opportunities,” says Moropane.
“Micro-credentials are not merely a trend but a cornerstone of a future-ready job market, enabling individuals to pivot with confidence and stay ahead in an ever-changing professional landscape.”
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR CAREER
Knowing yourself and your capabilities
Career Planning
For you to pursue your career choice.
You need to pass your National Senior Certificate!
“ it is in your hands “
- Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
ChooseSubjectsyour
Careerchoice
The Eastern Cape Department of Education encourages learners to choose suitable career path, by collecting information that will help them pursue their career / field of study.
On 30 September and 1 October, Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA) Product Development team, in partnership with Nelson Mandela University’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in ACTION, welcomed 114 Grade 9 learners from six schools around Nelson Mandela Bay, namely Andrew Rabie High School, Strelitzia High School, Uitenhage High School, Hoërskool Cillié High School, Marymount Secondary School, Motherwell High School and Sanctor High School.
The learners were given a first-hand look into the world of automotive engineering, gaining valuable exposure to the innovative work being carried out by VWGA engineers.
STEM in ACTION is a community engagement initiative spearheaded by the Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology at Nelson Mandela University. The programme focuses on supporting Grade 8–12 learners and their educators in Mathematics and Physical Science, with the objective of equipping learners with the competencies required to pursue further studies in STEM-related careers.
“Our aim at STEM in ACTION is to ignite curiosity and open doors to opportunities that many learners may not have imagined possible,” said Nabeelah Jappie, Marketing Coordinator at STEM in ACTION.
“Collaborations with industry partners such as VWGA are invaluable in showing learners the real-world of what they are learning in the classroom.”
VWGA is in its first year of partnering with STEM in ACTION and seeks to inspire learners to pursue careers in STEM. As part of this collaboration, VWGA’s Product Development team gave participants a glimpse into the daily life of an engineer and encouraged them to consider this career path.
On both days, learners were divided into groups of three and provided with equipment to build their own miniature vehicles, designed to race down a ramp. Beyond the fun and energy, the activity encouraged problem-solving, creativity, and innovative thinking - key skills that are essential in the fields of science and engineering.
“At Volkswagen Group Africa, we recognise the urgent need to grow South Africa’s pool of skilled engineers and innovators,” said Réhan Strydom, Product Development Division Head. “By opening our doors to learners and showing them what engineering looks like in practice, we hope to grow the profession, spark curiosity and passion, and ultimately contribute to building the next generation of problem-solvers who will help drive both our industry and our country forward,” Strydom concluded.
Fashion – love it or hate it – but we still adhere to it.
I found inspiration from here. This article is written by Shijulal Sarngadharan.
Are we going to see more earthly neutral colours? Perhaps. But let us just admit it. It is another word for .. brown. And brown is just so .. well.. brown. Look here and agree.
Something new is going to creep into the wardrobe: Jewel colours and metallic shades. That is chrome silver and gold and all things glittery. That will be different and should put us more at ease as being bold.
Colour blocking? Oh yes. But let us mix with style!
Animal print might be in, but again: dress as a tiger can be exhilarating, but style it is not. Leave it to the very ‘bold’ ones. And hope they will not get picked up by the fashion police.
There is more to the South African streetwear scene: Gingham, classic tailoring and oversized shirts and cargo pants. And be assured: it can look rather great.
As consumers we are getting more eco-conscious. After all, there is no planet B. That can also be seen in the choices we make. Fashion can be ‘green’.
I quote directly from the article – because I cannot put it better:
Fashion can be bold, but balance is everything. Here are styling tips:
• Neutral Base + Bold Pop: Pair earthy neutrals (beige trousers, white T-shirt) with one bold piece (emerald sneakers, jewel-tone jacket).
• One Print Rule: When wearing animal print or African motifs, let one piece dominate and keep the rest simple.
• Fabric Focus: Mix textures subtly – suede sneakers with cotton joggers or denim jackets with organic cotton shirts.
• Colour Confidence: If experimenting with metallics or colour blocking, keep accessories minimal to avoid clashing.
All of this is what we can expect for summer. Let us go and enjoy it and make a statement.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Airport Pushback position and why are they important?
It is all from here and here.
To thrive as an Airport Pushback operator, you need a solid understanding of ground operations, aircraft movement procedures, and a valid driver’s license, often accompanied by specialized training or certification such as an Airport Movement Area Permit.
Familiarity with pushback tractors, radio communication systems, and safety protocols is essential for performing the job effectively. Attention to detail, teamwork, and strong communication skills help ensure safe and efficient operations on the ramp.
These competencies are vital to prevent accidents, coordinate closely with pilots and ground crew, and maintain punctual aircraft departures.
What are the typical work shifts and physical demands for an Airport Pushback operator?
Airport Pushback operators generally work in rotating shifts that may in-
clude early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays, as air travel operates around the clock.
The position is physically demanding, often requiring prolonged periods outdoors in varying weather conditions and tasks like climbing, lifting, and operating heavy equipment.
Teamwork is crucial, as you’ll frequently coordinate with ramp agents, ground control, and flight crews to ensure safe and efficient aircraft movement. If you’re considering this role, be prepared for a fast-paced environment where safety, precision, and effective communication are prioritized every day.
The ‘traditional’ method of allowing the ground vehicle to move an aircraft is to attach it to the aircraft nose landing gear by means of a towbar. These must be approved for use with a particular aircraft type and clearly marked as such, since there is no universal towbar specification.
The same towbar attachment and ground vehicle may also be used for Aircraft Towing in the forward direction.
An alternative method which is becoming more common for pushback is the use of a specialised vehicle called a ‘towbarless tug’. This positions two low level ‘arms’ either side of the aircraft nose landing gear and these are used to engage with the aircraft gear leg and raise it slightly off the ground. These specialised vehicles can also be used to tow aircraft forward,
Both pushback methods are subject to the observance of any aircraft limits for maximum nose landing gear steering angle, but these are not usually especially restrictive.
The responsibilities of the ground crew team carrying out a pushback include ensuring that no part of the aircraft structure will impact any fixed object or other aircraft and may include giving clearance to start one or more engines just before, during or immediately after a pushback.
The number of people assigned to a ground crew team for a pushback may vary according to aircraft size, but in most cases will be at least three.
One will be driving the pushback vehicle, one will be walking in the vicinity of one of the aircraft wingtips and looking beyond the aircraft tail and one will be in charge of the manoeuvre and in communication with the person with aircraft responsibility in the flight deck.
Communication between the ground crew supervisor is usually by means of a plug in to an aircraft ground intercom circuit; if so, this is facilitated by a ground crew microphone which acquires the voice of the user whilst excluding background noise, which if the aircraft engines are running can be considerable.
Risk Management
The evidence of accidents and incidents is that there are a number of re-
current features of aircraft damage during pushback:
• Use of hand signals rather than intercom communication,
• Lack of intercom clarity in communications between the aircraft and the ground crew supervisor,
• Ground crew totalling less than three people,
• Departure from non-airbridge gates,
• Failure of vehicle driver to maintain adequate communication with supervisor,
• Lack of clearance between horizontal stabilisers of adjacent ‘T’ tail aircraft,
• Pushback commenced from a parking position different from that marked,
• Ground crew poorly trained or unfamiliar with the immediate pushback environment,
• Unserviceable towbars attributable to lack of ownership clarity,
The pushback tractors are also evolving: wiki: “Robotic tractor/tug.
The Lahav Division of Israel Aerospace Industries has developed a semi-robotic towbarless tractor it calls TaxiBot that can tow an aircraft from the terminal gate to the take-off point (taxi-out phase) and return it to the gate after landing (taxi-in phase).
The TaxiBot eliminates the use of airplane engines during taxi-in and until immediately prior to take-off during taxi-out, potentially saving a lot of fuel.
The TaxiBot is remote controlled by the pilot from the cockpit using the regular pilot controls
New Exhibitions
We added two new exhibitions to our collection on the floor. The 4IR and Mirror Maze exhibitions
4IR Exhibition
The 4IR exhibition currently hosts the Humanoids (two small ones and the big one called Pepper), Virtual reality Station, Augmented Reality and the interactive displays integrated with of a number of TV screens.
This concept is through the touch screen located at the entrance to the center. Interactive display section has been created where visitors are encouraged to use traditional touch screens to immerse themselves in games and content around Science Technology Engineering and Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
Children are provided with the opportunity to play games to train their analytical ability, improve their ability to solve puzzles and chal-
lenges. They are also challenged to explore more traditional content style, such as exploration of subjects including how Artificial Intelligence works, Machine Learning, how data transfers over networks etc.
Science Exploration
While traditional science teaching has complex challenges around logistics, safety and costs. VR has none of these limitations. Experiments are done as often as needed with no physical costs of materials or safety concerns. Students can learn about physics and chemistry, life science etc. in a safe environment. Within VR learning occurs without any distract but with full immersion. Learning and understanding mathematics becomes easier and more fun inside of VR due to the nature of games and how they are designed.
This is designed to make learning and exploration real fun especially for little ones. Wide learning opportunities exist through this exhibition, children have many prospects to learn on, e.g. google earth exploration experience.
With Google Earth VR, children can travel to almost any place in the world. They can fly all over the world and explore any city, any monument and landmark anywhere in the world.The exhibition has two different types of humanoids the small one (called Sanbot Max and the Bigger one called Pepper).
The Sanbot Max robot was designed to be implemented into numerous kinds of business scenarios, providing customers and staff members with intelligent and efficient services.
Pepper is a semi-humanoid robot, which means that a human has to control it. It is designed with the ability to read emotions. Pepper recognizes faces and basic human emotion.
Drones and Mirror Maze
Drones Pilots at the Clubhouse
Did you know that the Clubhouse has three certified drone pilots?
They also have 10 DJI Tell drones that they will used for their drone course.
They are currently putting together content for the said course.
In addition, the Clubhouse offers programmes such as Teach Fundamentals of drones, real-life applications of drones: namely surveillance using object identification and tracking to videography for commercials and other media use.
This includes python programming that covers drone automation.
Mirror Maze Exhibit
A mirror is an object that reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera.
Mirrors reverse the direction of the image in an equal yet opposite angle from which the light shines upon it. This allows the viewer to see themselves or objects behind them, or even objects that are at an angle from them but out of their field of view, such as around a corner.
Natural mirrors have existed since prehistoric times, such as the surface of water, but people have been manufacturing mirrors out of a variety of materials for thousands of years, like stone, metals, and glass. In modern mirrors, metals like silver or aluminum are often used due to their high reflectivity, applied as a thin coating on glass because of its natu- rally smooth and very hard surface.
A maze is a path or collection of paths, typically from an entrance to a goal. The word is used to refer both to branching tour puzzles through which the solver must find a route, and to simpler non-branching patterns that lead unambiguously through a convoluted layout to a goal. The pathways and walls in a maze are typically fixed, but puzzles in which the walls and paths can change during the game are also categorised as mazes or tour puzzles Mirror Maze
The mirror maze itself is a pattern, combining several characteristics of geometric patterns: repetition, symmetry and tessellation using repeated equilateral triangles. These triangles fit together without any gaps or overlaps, creating a tessellation. Mirrored surfaces all around reflect the pattern so that it repeats and appears infinite.
The annual Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge (AGEC) for schools and learners across Southern Africa has named its winners for 2025 - and this year, three Gauteng learners have come out tops among the 40 000 participants from across Southern Africa.
AGEC plays a unique role in Southern Africa by focusing on early-stage entrepreneurial exposure - targeting high school learners and sparking curiosity through fun, gamified learning. Top students get the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a live audience, with the aim of turning their business plans into real ventures.
The legendary business pitch competition also offered more action-packed games, prizes and opportunities for high school learners to pursue their business dreams in 2025 than ever before.
At the AGEC Summit, held on 4 October at Radisson Blu Sandton, the top 3 finalists presented their ideas to an audience of educators, partners, non-governmental organisations and government officials, before the final winners were chosen.
Celebrating 2025’s brightest young entrepreneurs
“We’d like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our winners this year. We would also like to congratulate our two top performing schools of 2025, Nigel High School in Gauteng and Etham College in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, for achieving record enrolment numbers,” says Mahlatse Tolamo, Operations Lead at the Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge.
A unique new competition format
“With the challenge in its ninth year in 2025, the mission was to ignite entrepreneurial thinking among youth across Southern Africa in more schools, more provinces and more neighbouring countries, with exciting new additions to the competition format,” says Tolamo.
The competition’s new features included a brand-new high school game – with a deeper, scenario-based simulation that puts learners in the driver’s seat of real-world business decisions.
The popular AGEC digital platform was also made faster, smarter, more mobile-friendly, with added Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered feedback to help learners reflect on their choices.
Always-On
Gaming Quests replaced once-off Mini Challenges with year-round quests. A brandnew entrepreneurship card game, the Start-Up Shuffle, was also introduced in July 2025, while the Allan Gray High School Game included a new theme called ‘FastFood Frenzy’, which focused on scaling up a small food stall to a wholesale business.
In addition, the competition’s Business Pitch Challenge was upgraded with a new theme, “Fix It Gen Z – Africa Edition”, to solve real Gen Z challenges like unemployment, mental health, unsafe transport, and load shedding. The competition was also made more accessible and interactive through the introduction of structured video submissions, finalist coaching sessions and live WhatsApp audience voting.
What AGEC competitors can look forward to in 2026
“Looking ahead to 2026, AGEC is gearing up for a powerful expansion through strategic partnerships that promise scale, legitimacy and deep community impact,” says Tolamo.
“By aligning with the Department of Basic Education and provincial governments, AGEC will embed seamlessly into school calendars nationwide. Teachers’ unions will help spotlight excellence with a ‘Top School’ recognition programme, while schools and educator networks will offer grassroots reach at minimal cost. Collaborations with youth NGOs and EdTech startups will fuel innovation through co-hosted micro-challenges.
We invite all our budding young entrepreneurs to enter again next year – they’ll be glad they did.”
As GWM South Africa celebrates 18 years in South Africa, the company is reaffirming its long-term commitment to the country by supporting literacy through its partnership with READ Educational Trust through the Rally to Read Programme.
South Africa faces a critical reading crisis, with recent assessments showing that 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, limiting educational progression, employment opportunities, and broader socio-economic development. Literacy is increasingly recognised as critical national infrastructure, with long-term implications for economic growth and social equity.
The World Literacy Foundation estimates that illiteracy costs South Africa’s economy approximately R199 billion annually, largely due to reduced earning capacity and associated social costs, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions. Building on its global experience in education initia-
tives, GWM South Africa is localising this approach to tackle literacy gaps in a partnership that will combine teacher support, infrastructure development and community engagement.
The partnership will see the company work closely with teachers, parents and communities to improve reading outcomes, empower educators and provide children with the tools to succeed.
“This 18-year milestone is more than a celebration,” said Floyd Ramabulana, GWM SA Head of Marketing. It represents our commitment to South Africa’s future. Investing in literacy is investing in the nation. Every child who learns to read contributes to the country’s long-term growth and social development.”
Mr. Floyd Ramabulana, GWM SA Head of Marketing.
“Partnerships like this are what we need to scale literacy interventions,” said Brand Pretorius, Rally to Read Founder. “When corporates, communities and schools work together, we create sustainable impact that reaches far beyond the classroom.”
Through Rally to Read, GWM is providing targeted support to under-resourced schools in Tembisa, Midrand and surrounding communities, ensuring interventions go beyond books to include teacher training, learning materials and structured follow-ups to measure real impact.
“Education is not an optional infrastructure,” Ramabulana added. “Public-private partnerships are critical to addressing the literacy challenges facing the country.
This initiative forms a key milestone in GWM South Africa’s long-term country plan, pairing business growth with meaningful societal impact.
Over the next several years, the company plans to expand its interventions to ensure sustainable outcomes for children and communities alike.”
What is NSFAS?
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a government entity under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
What does NSFAS do?
Supports access to and success in, higher education and training for students from poor and working-class families who would otherwise not be able to afford the cost of studies at a public university or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college.
•Provides financial aid to eligible students who are studying or plan to study at any of the 50 TVET colleges or the 26 public universities in South Africa
•Identifies students who qualify for the bursary
•Provides bursaries to students
Who qualifies for NSFAS funding?
• All South African citizens
• All SASSA grant recipients
• Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum
• Persons with disabilities with a combined household income of not more than R600 000 per annum
• Students who started studying at a university before 2018 and whose household income is not more than R122 000 per annum
What does the NSFAS bursary cover?
• Registration
• Tuition
• Book allowance
• Accommodation allowance
• Transport allowance
• Food allowance
• Personal care allowance
Does the NSFAS bursary offer any additional support for students with disabilities?
Yes, NSFAS further supports funded students with disabilities through an additional allowance that covers:
• Medical assessments
• Assistive devices
• Human support to cover for the cost of a caregiver, guide dog, scribe or tutor.
How, where and when can one apply for NSFAS?
The 2021 application season will be communicated through media, social media and the NSFAS website www.nsfas.org.za.
Applications are submitted online through the NSFAS website: www.nsfas.org.za
To apply for NSFAS funding students must have a registered myNSFAS account If you plan to study in 2021 and require support from NSFAS, you may open your myNSFAS account now to keep updated with the latest funding information.
Connect with us using the following channels:
NSFAS Connect: www.nsfas.org.za and log into your myNSFAS account
NSFAS Connect gives you access to quick facts and frequently asked questions. Applicants and students can also submit and track a query for further assistance.
The Nobel Prizes have now all been awarded. It is again a great achievement and congratulation to all the winners.
The Nobel prize is without doubt the ultimate recognition of achievement, but where did it all start? Wiki says.
The Nobel Prizes are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of “for the greatest benefit to humankind”.
The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The original Nobel Prizes covered five fields: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace, specified in Nobel’s will.
A sixth prize, the Prize in Economic Sciences, was established in 1968 by Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) in memory of Alfred Nobel. The Nobel Prizes are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards available in their respective fields.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, such as war, all six prizes are given annually.
Each recipient, known as a laureate, receives a green gold medal plated with 24 karat gold, a diploma, and a monetary award.
As of 2023, the Nobel Prize monetary award is 11,000,000 kr, equivalent to approximately US$1,035,000.
The medal shows Nobel in profile with “NAT. MDCCCXXXIII-OB. MDCCCXCVI” which is his year of birth, 1833 (NAT) and year of death, 1896 (OB).
No more than three individuals may share a prize, although the Nobel Peace Prize can be awarded to organisations of more than three people. Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously, but if a person is awarded a prize and dies before receiving it, the prize is presented.[
He was a chemist, engineer, and inventor. In 1894, Nobel purchased the Bofors iron and steel mill, which he made into a major armaments manufacturer.
Nobel amassed a fortune during his lifetime, with most of his wealth coming from his 355 inventions, of which dynamite is the most famous.
There is a popular story about how, in 1888, Nobel was astonished to read his own obituary, titled “The Merchant of Death Is Dead”, in a French newspaper.
It was Alfred’s brother Ludvig who had died; the obituary was eight years premature. The article disconcerted Nobel and made him apprehensive about how he would be remembered. This inspired him to change his will. Historians have been unable to verify this story and some dismiss the story as a myth.
Read on and see who won this year
Nobel Peace Prize 2025
Maria Corina Machado
“It was a choice of ballots over bullets”
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 goes to a brave and committed champion of peace – to a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.
As the leader of the democracy movement in Venezuela, Maria Corina Machado is one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.
Nobel Prize in Physics 2025
John Clarke
Michel H. Devoret
John M. Martinis
Their experiments on a chip revealed quantum physics in action
A major question in physics is the maximum size of a system that can demonstrate quantum mechanical effects.
This year’s Nobel Prize laureates conducted experiments with an electrical circuit in which they demonstrated both quantum mechanical tunnelling and quantised energy levels in a system big enough to be held in the hand.
Michel H. Devoret
John Clarke
John M. Martinis
Nobel Prize in Literature 2025
László Krasznahorkai
The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 is awarded to the Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025
Mary E. Brunkow
Fred Ramsdell
Shimon Sakaguchi
They understood how the immune system is kept in check
The body’s powerful immune system must be regulated, or it may attack our own organs. Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi made groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body.
Their discoveries have laid the foundation for a new field of research and spurred the development of new treatments, for example for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Mary E. Brunkow Fred Ramsdell Shimon Sakaguchi
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025
Susumu Kitagawa
Richard Robson
Omar M. Yaghi
Their molecular architecture contains rooms for chemistry
The Nobel Prize laureates in chemistry 2025 have created molecular constructions with large spaces through which gases and other chemicals can flow. These constructions, metal–organic frameworks, can be used to harvest water from desert air, capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases or catalyse chemical reactions
Susumu Kitagawa
Richard Robson
Omar M. Yaghi
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences
in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2025
Joel Mokyr
“for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress”
Philippe Aghion
“for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction”
Peter Howitt
“for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction”
They show how new technology can drive sustained growth
Over the last two centuries, for the first time in history, the world has seen sustained economic growth. This has lifted vast numbers of people out of poverty and laid the foundation of our prosperity. This year’s laureates in economic sciences, Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt, explain how innovation provides the impetus for further progress.
The wheelharp is a musical instrument with bowed strings controlled by a keyboard and foot-controlled motor, a keyboard-operated string instrument for continuously sounding strings by rubbing the strings with spinning wheels, powered by a treadle controlled by one foot of the musician.
According to the Wall Street Journal, it “looks and works like a cross between a harpsichord and a hurdy-gurdy: a motor driven wheel spins, rubbing against strings when the player depresses a key
Mad man Martin Molic, member of Wintergatan and inventor of the Marble Machine, unveiled his custom music box in 2016.
Besides the unbelievable woodworking and musical prowess involved, what makes this thing amazing is that it’s powered by a hand crank that continually passes 2,000 marbles through it. They dump in at the top and gravity does the
rest, plinking strings, tinking off a xylophone, hitting MIDI drum pads, and more. There are countless paths for the marbles to take that play various melodies.
Instruments made of long tubes aren’t rare, but the Nellophone sets itself apart from being gigantic and being able to project multiple pitches loudly. This octopus-looking device is constructed of 30 pipes, each tuned to a specific note in various octaves.
By slapping paddles across the openings of the tubes, the player standing in the center can play an eerily electronic sounding melody. The entire Nellophone is 12 feet wide and long by 15 feet high.
Close has run the strings almost 1000 feet across canyons and connected to mountains and more.
Earth harp
Invented by William Close, the Earth Harp can be transported and reinstalled into any architecture or landscape. “The theater becomes the instrument. The audience experiences the music from inside the instrument.”
It’s played by coating special gloves with violin rosin to generate symphonic tones, which are captured and amplified by microphone.
Sure, it’s gimmicky, but it takes the gimmicks to the next level.
t’s movie
Rebirth
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, Earth’s environment has largely proven inhospitable to dinosaurs. The surviving creatures now reside in remote, tropical locales, reminiscent of the environments where they once flourished. Zora Bennett, a covert operative, is recruited by a pharmaceutical company to collaborate with paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis and team leader Duncan Kincaid on a top-secret mission.
Already showing
movie time!
movies are HOT on my radar of NuMetro
Gabbys Dollhouse:
The Movie
Gabby goes on a road trip with her grandma GiGi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco.
But when Gabby’s dollhouse, her most prized possession, ends up in the hands of an eccentric cat lady named Vera, Gabby sets off on an adventure through the real world and work together to get the Gabby Cats back together and save the dollhouse before it’s too late.
Already showing
November
International STAND UP to Bullying Day is a special semi-annual event in which participants sign and wear a pink “pledge shirt” to take a visible, public stance against bullying.
The event takes place in schools, workplaces, and organizations in 25 countries around the globe on the third Friday of November to coincide with Anti-Bullying Week, and then again on the last Friday of February.
The first International STAND UP to Bullying Day took place in February 2008. 236 schools, workplaces and organizations representing more than 125,000 students and staff registered to take a STAND against bullying by signing and wearing a special pink pledge shirt.
Participation in the STAND constitutes the signing and wearing of a special pink pledge shirt. The color of the shirts is based on a campaign started by Travis Price and David Shepherd, two students who took a stand for a fellow student who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.
You gotta love Welsh and Gaelic tales. Some should come with a warning, like this one:
Calan Gaeaf is the name of the first day of winter in Wales, observed on 1 November. The night before is Nos Galan Gaeaf[ or Noson Galan Gaeaf, an Ysbrydnos (“spirit night”) when spirits are abroad. Traditionally, people avoid churchyards, stiles, and crossroads, since spirits are thought to gather there.
On Nos Calan Gaeaf, women and children would dance around a bonfire and everyone would write their names on rocks and place them in and around said fire.
When the fire started to die out, they would all run home, believing if they stayed, Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta (a bad omen that took the form of a tailless black sow with a headless woman) or Y Ladi Wen (“the white lady”, a ghostly apparition often said to be headless) would chase them or devour their souls.
The following morning, all the stones containing villagers’ names would be checked, and finding one’s stone burned clean was believed to be good luck. If, however, a stone was missing, the person who wrote their name on the absent stone would be believed to die within one year
We need writers!
Hola MaHigh-School is YOUR magazine. That is why we would love to see students writing for students about student life and everything of importance to a student in any grade10-12 across the country.
What is required? That is easy:
You have to be in grade 10-12somewhere
Impeccable in your preferred language-and that might not be English. We try to be more than just English.
Passionate about your topic of choice - no dull articles here.
Do you get anything out of it?
Well, not money, sorrry. BUT if we publish your articles you will have:
Your bio in a commercial magazine A photo of yourself
You can put it all on your CV you can use us as a reference
My name is Rofhiwa and I love to write. I have used my skills to express my thoughts on international dealings of the world which have been published in Hola MaHigh-School. It has paid off, not only is my work printed for young people in the country to read, but it also contributed to me gettng a bursary from CNBC-Africa to do my post-graduate studies. Would be a lot harder to get by if I didn’t have a platform like Hola MaHigh-School.
Next Time...
Coronavirus Protect yourself
Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds
How long is 20 seconds?
Hum the first verse of our national anthem: Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika
