The Postgraduate Office of the Faculty of Management Sciences (FMS) recently engaged in the second edition of their Thatha Ulwazi Community Engagement Initiative-Taking Information to the People, in KwaMaphumulo, north of KwaZulu-Natal.
First introduced in 2023, this initiative aims to raise awareness among teachers in remote areas about the postgraduate study opportunities offered at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
The delegation, led by Mrs Phindokuhle Khoza, the Postgraduate Staff and Students Development Coordinator, included postgraduate administration officers, as well as staff members from postgraduate finance and communications. Despite the heat, they dedicated part of their day to engaging with teachers and students at Umphumulo Primary School and Amaphupho Esizwe Secondary School.
Providing an overview of the visit, Khoza said although the Postgraduate Office calendar for 2024 was packed with events, it needed to ensure that this visit took place.
“This initiative was realised during a boardroom meeting in early 2023 and holds significant importance to our team as it aligns with DUT’s ENVISION2030 engagement strategy. It has been a long and busy year but the trip to KwaMaphumulo had to happen because we are dedicated to ensuring that DUT continues to be an actively engaged institution,” said Khoza
“Many of us on the FMS Postgraduate team come from schools in remote areas that helped shape who we are today. This initiative is also our way of expressing gratitude to the teachers who imparted knowledge to us despite having limited resources. Supporting their academic aspirations and goals is a small gesture of thanks for their impact on our lives,” she continued.
Ms NR Zungu, Acting Principal of Amaphupho Esizwe Secondary School, expressed her gratitude for DUT’s visit, describing it as an eye-opener for their students who lack information about the possible opportunities to enroll in higher education institutions as they are from the rural areas. “We were excited to have DUT with us today, and we hope that the words of motivation that they have shared with our students will reflect in their results and push them to do well,” said Zungu.
She added that they would like DUT to visit again next year and that they have a good working relationship with the institution.
Umphumulo Primary School Principal Ms Nonhlanhla Msibi conveyed their appreciation for the valuable information they received regarding postgraduate studies offered by DUT indicating that some of the teachers will be taking up these opportunities to further their studies.
DUT’s Phindokuhle Khoza stated that the plan is to incorporate these visits into the Postgraduate Office’s 2025 calendar, to schedule school visits each semester.
“This recent trip reminded us of the pressing need for both teachers and students to have access to information. While our original plan for this initiative was to focus exclusively on engaging with teachers, schools increasingly request that we include matriculants in our day’s programme, as they also lack critical information. To maximise the impact of this initiative, we aim to commit ourselves to regular community engagement visits in 2025. It’s entirely possible and would benefit the community greatly,” said Khoza.
Khoza shared that her vision for 2025 is for the team to reach the deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
“The plan is to go to places like Msinga, KwaMhlabuyalingana, and Nquthu. We hope to reach as many schools as possible,” shared Khoza.
Pictured: The Postgraduate’s team with teachers from Umphumulo Primary School.
Photography: Nondumiso Sibiya
Thulasizwe Nkomo
