MAKING TIME FOR PLAY
THE Department of Basic Education is to host the international Africa Play Conference in Pretoria next month.
Education stakeholders from around the world will converge on the city for this conference to explore how play-based learning can be better used in classrooms.
Play-based learning means the learner has space to initiate activities, while the teacher plays a supporting role.
Education Minister Angie Motshekga said: “In an increasingly complex, changing, competitive, and interconnected world we all want to ensure that our children gain the life skills needed to be successful in life. Experts worldwide acknowledge that today’s children need more than the traditional three Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic) to prepare for 21st century opportunities.
“We are preparing our children in the four critical areas; namely the four Cs: collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking, and communication,” Motshekga said.
The three-day conference will feature exhibits and contributions from speakers.
John Goodwin, chief executive of the LEGO Foundation said: “For the past 10 years we have worked closely with the Department of Basic Education and Unicef in South Africa to bring the transformative power of play into children’s lives.”