Becoming the best there is

The world is changing so fast that the skills that were good enough yesterday, need to be better today. Just like top athletes, we need to sharpen our skills to help us become the best that we can be.

Up to now, the focus has been on getting the policy and the education system “fit for learning”. Now the time has come to build our skills so that we can take advantage of the new system, which will help us deliver the dream of creating a better future for all.

There are so many options for building our skills that it is sometimes difficult to decide where the best place is to start. And sometimes, this stops us from making a decision. To help you make the right choice, the best places are profiled over the next few pages. There are contact numbers and some information to help you make your choice.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

- Jimmy Dean

Where to go to improve your skills? UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN They offer an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) and a range of short courses. These courses offer a combination of in-service training, mentorship and engagement with research. Tel: 021 650 3368 | Fax: 021 650 5330 www.sdu.uct.ac.za/apply/courses UNISA The UNISA school of education has 4 departments: primary, secondary and further teacher education and educational studies which focuses on in-service training. Tel: 011 670 9000 or 0861 670 411 www.unisa.ac.za AIMSSEC The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Schools Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC) offers free, professional development courses for teachers. www.aimssec.aims.ac.za STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY They offer an advanced certificate in education (ACE), which offers a combination of contact and distance education. www.academic.sun.ac.za/education/faculty/undergrad.html   UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG They offers a range of courses, including diploma and certificate courses at the Department of Educational Management. www.uj.ac.za/eduman/home/ NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY They offer an advanced certificate in Education (ACE). www.uniwest.ac.za/faculties/edu/programmes WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY They offer advanced diplomas and certificates in education, with a range of ACE programmes ranging from educational management, English language teaching, Mathematics, General Science, Environmental education and others. www.wsu.ac.za/faculties/education