On Thursday, August 20, USAID Southern Africa Mission Director Cheryl Anderson joined University of Johannesburg (UJ) Vice Chancellor Dr. Ihron Rensburg, the EU Ambassador Roeland van de Geer and Bernadette Moffat, the Executive Director of ELMA Philanthropies to launch the newly expanded and renovated Funda Ujabule campus. 

 

Funda Ujabule is a teaching school based at the UJ Soweto campus that offers a unique opportunity for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education to observe high-quality teaching and gain practice in teaching throughout their four years of study.

 

During her speech Ms. Anderson remarked that the United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is committed to working with South Africa to improve learning outcomes for South African learners. USAID is delighted to support the University of Johannesburg in its efforts to offer aspiring teachers a unique combination of theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience in the classroom. She further mentioned that USAID is excited to partner with UJ and the ELMA Foundation to support the university’s pioneering work with Funda Ujabule, and to expand their teaching school approach to the University of Mpumalanga’s Teacher Education Campus in Siyabuswa to allow more aspiring teachers a unique opportunity to work with children in classrooms throughout their time at university.

 

Funda Ujabule was founded in 2010 and is the first school of its kind in South Africa.  The campus opened with two grade R (kindergarten) classes and has added classes with each additional year, presently offering classes through grade 5.  The National Department of Higher Education and Training and UJ have invested in the construction of the campus and, the European Union provided funds for the research and consultants to support the establishment of the teaching school. Together with ELMA Foundation, USAID is supporting a teacher development practitioner at Funda Ujabule as well as helping to expand the model by supporting a new teaching school at the University of Mpumalanga's Teacher Education Campus at Siyabuswa.