News 11:00

BULLETIN 6 January 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# An Education activist says schools should disclose the qualifications of the teaching staff to parents
# The government will monitor the respiratory virus outbreak in China
# And tennis: Barbora Krejcikova pulls out of the Australian Open over a back injury

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta is calling on schools to disclose the qualifications of their teaching staff. An alarming trend has been identified where some independent schools employ student teachers to teach learners, even though the South African Council for Educators stipulates that student teachers are not supposed to earn a salary. Makaneta says this practice not only contravenes professional guidelines but also raises serious concerns about the quality of instruction provided to learners:

Meanwhile the MK Party’s Student Movement says South African education still faces inequalities and injustices from apartheid and class antagonism. Spokesperson Mfundo Khubisa says with the 2025 academic year to start soon, the movement has adopted the Jacob Zuma Student Mandate for Free Education Campaign. He says this campaign will focus on the current predicaments and misfortunes of the South African education system:

# Government says it is closely monitoring the situation in China using its event-based surveillance and continually looking for updates on the situation. China is experiencing a rise in respiratory illnesses, particularly the flu and human metapneumovirus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, and a severe cough. The Department of Health spokesperson, Foster Mohale says it is the normal respiratory season in China but with a later start than expected:

# The fate of two killer whales is uncertain following the closure of a marine zoo in France on Sunday. New animal welfare legislation, which bans the use of dolphins and whales in marine zoo shows, was passed in 2021 but comes into effect next year. Marineland Antibes near Cannes currently keeps two killer whales – the 23-year-old Wikie, and her 11-year-old son Keijo. Most experts agree that releasing the two Icelandic orcas into the wild would not be suitable as both were born in captivity and would not have the skills to survive.

# Tennis: Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova pulled out of this month’s Australian Open over a back injury. The 29-year-old Czech will also sit out this week’s Adelaide International. Krejcikova won the Wimbledon title last year, three years after lifting the French Open trophy. She has also won seven Grand Slam doubles titles including two at the Australian Open, and three major mixed doubles titles, all at Melbourne. The Australian Open begins on January 12.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-76-cents and the euro at 19-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-34-cents and Bitcoin trades at 99-thousand-265-dollars-7-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-631-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-23-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….