Left to right: SPU Student at the seminar presentation with Ms Monica Boland, Ms Kopano Rwasoka, Dr Harry Kuchah Kuchah, Mr George Moloi and Ms Vuyo Makubalo.
A four-week visit to Sol Plaatje University (SPU) by a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Lecturer in Language Education at the University of Leeds, UK, has provided SPU staff and students in the School of Education with exposure to some of the top global thinking on language-teacher education and continuous professional development, as well as language education in challenging contexts. Dr Harry Kuchah Kuchah was the School of Education’s (SoE) first ever visiting Fellow. From 19 April to 13 May he engaged in a range of activities at SPU, including sharing research expertise with academics in the SoE and the Human Sciences Department, especially with colleagues working in language teaching. He visited as the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) African Diaspora Fellow to the School of Education’s Human Sciences Department, with strategic focus on Language in Education. “Dr Kuchah Kuchah’s presence on our campus was of benefit to both the staff and the students he interacted with,” said Professor Amasa Ndofirepi, Acting Head of the School of Education. “His deep knowledge in the field of education not only broadened the understanding of our academic staff but also provided practical tips and skills that our students can immediately put into practice in the classrooms they will teach in across South Africa.”
Dr Kuchah Kuchah is a Research Impact Champion as well as Programme Leader for the MA TESOL (Young Learners) and MA Education programmes at the Leeds University School of Education. He has also been involved in a range of teacher education and materials development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
During his time at SPU Dr Kuchah Kuchah was involved in enhancing classroom practice and pedagogy. He took part in teaching selected content with staff members working in English-teaching. He also worked with SPU academics on feedback for students doing Work Integrated Learning or Teaching Practice as part of their Bachelor of Education programme, and provided invaluable input to help SPU strengthen its newly introduced Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching programme. His hands-on approach was well received by both staff and students. Third-year B.Ed EnglishTeaching students were introduced to a text-tased teaching approach, with Dr Kuchah Kuchah engaging them in a “Reading on the Run” activity, allowing student teachers the opportunity to put pedagogical knowledge into practice. The SPU community also participated in a seminar hosted by Dr Kuchah Kuchah on 5 May, in which he expounded on the topic “Ivory towers and grassroots: Making social science research count.” The central focus of his seminar was that much of the research that academics engage in tends to be insulated, separated, and far too removed from the realities of life. He urged academics to make social research count and emphasised the need for researchers to do research not for the sake of publishing a paper but rather to solve real-life problems, and in doing so generate impactful research that creates real-world change. He also advised academics to be upfront when talking about decolonisation and to engage with people outside academia more, in order to avoid old colonial patterns and “decolonising in rhetoric, while colonising in practice”. According to Prof Ndofirepi, “SPU’s School of Education values academic excellence and diversity. Paramount to the academic achievement and excellence in the School is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The School of Education boasts a strong team of staff dedicated to educating future contributors and leaders in the field of education. Students and staff are encouraged to foster a community free of intolerance and discrimination, and to promote a campus climate that is respectful, civil, supportive, and safe. “As the School of Education and on behalf of SPU, we are thankful to Dr Kuchah Kuchah for his visit and for sharing his world-class knowledge with us.” Prof Ndofirepi said. “We look forward to welcoming him back in the future, and hope this will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship.”
