Education

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has always been a pioneer in providing quality education to its students and the wider community. This year, they have taken an innovative step towards achieving this goal by extending its summer school initiative into local communities. This included a series of lectures as part of its 73rd-anniversary celebrations, which were open and free of charge to the Kensington community and took place at SHAWCO’s Kensington Centre.

The Summer School Lectures:

The summer school lectures consisted of, one-, three- and five-day lectures and were a huge success. The participants of these lectures were awarded certificates, which they can use to prove their participation and commitment to learning. SHAWCO’s Executive Director, Prof Jackie Stewart, was invited to give a legacy lecture at UCT. She, together with Christian Tereze and Amahle Gantsho, reflected on SHAWCO’s current activities as well as dreams and visions for the future. 

Jackie’s Personal Experiences with the SHAWCO Programme

Most of the participants of the summer school at UCT were alumni of the university, so Jackie took the opportunity to share with them the plans for the university’s 73rd-anniversary celebrations and to give them an update on the progress of the university’s flagship programme SHAWCO (The Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation). Jackie, a former participant of the SHAWCO programme, shared her personal experiences and how the programme has impacted her life.

SHAWCO’s Impact on Students

The education president for SHAWCO, Amahle Gantsho, explained the various programmes that were implemented last year, including the digital literacy programme, the mental health programme, and the student unity programme. She spoke about how these programmes have helped the students of UCT and positively impacted their lives.

Clinics for Health and Well-Being

SHAWCO Health’s 2022 President, Christian Tereze, also spoke about the various clinics that were held during the year, including the mother and baby clinic. He shared how these clinics have helped the community and positively impacted their health and well-being.

Well-Attended Event and Publicised Event

The lecture event was well-attended and was even published in the local newspapers, demonstrating the significance and interest in SHAWCO. The event was a testament to the dedication and commitment of SHAWCO to providing quality education and support to its students and the wider community.