12 May 2026
Volume: 14
Issue: 10
Dr Serisha Moodley’s PhD redefines how rural teachers are reshaping technology in education.

From Chalkboards to Clicks: Reimagining Rural Classrooms Through Technology

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The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education - places equitable access at the centre of global education. Yet in rural classrooms, the digital divide remains a stubborn reality, with learning often happening on shared devices and over intermittent connections.

In a powerful doctoral study, Dr Jennifer Vallen, pictured here with her supervisor, Professor Saras Reddy, exposes the painful gap between knowing consent and being safe enough to say ‘no’.

“I Say No, Listen to Me”: Girls Without Power to Refuse

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Adolescent girls know what sexual consent is. They can define it and describe what it should look like in relationships based on respect and equality. However, new doctoral research shows that knowing what consent means does not always translate into the ability to act on it.

Dr Ntombifuthi Nzimande eliminates the Higher Education training gap with purpose-driven teaching and lifelong learning.

A Journey of Growth, Resilience, and Purpose

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At the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Dr Ntombifuthi Nzimande’s academic journey reflects a powerful blend of professional commitment, personal growth, and resilience.

Sparking change! Dr Mark Sanjeevy powers the future of TVET electrical education in South Africa.

PhD Zooms in on Improving Teaching Practice in TVET Electrical Education

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South Africa faces a critical skills shortage, particularly in the electrical and renewable energy trades.

Dr Zime Mkhize’s PhD research advances the integration of digital technologies in Life Sciences education.

PhD Graduate Hopes to Advance Digital Learning in Life Sciences Education

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At just 28-years-old, Dr Zime Mkhize is redefining what is possible through discipline, purpose and a passion for education.

Touching hearts and transforming schools: Dr Olivia Mgeyane-Zondi’s PhD brings the human side of school leadership into focus.

From Policy to Practice in School Leadership

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Dr Olivia Mgeyane-Zondi’s doctoral study, ‘The Policy-Practice Interface of Principalship in South Africa: A Study of Public Primary School Principals’ has determined that while policy is often found in files, circulars, and compliance checklists, it is far less visible in the lived reality of classrooms. 

From leaking roofs to overloaded classrooms, Dr Rudolph Sibisi examines survival in small rural schools.

Inside the Reality of Small Schools Under Pressure

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Classrooms with leaking roofs, overloaded timetables and schools that function daily against structural limits are the focus of Dr Rudolph Sibisi’s PhD study, ‘Leading Teaching and Learning in Small Schools in the Context of Deprivation: A Qualitative Study of Principals’ Experiences’, supervised by Professor Phumlani Myende and Dr Vusi Msiza.

Ms Zainub Vawda graduates cum laude with her Bachelor of Honours in Educational Psychology.

UKZN Graduate Amplifies Learner Voices Through Educational Psychology Research

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Graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Education Honours in Educational Psychology, Ms Zainub Vawda is using her academic journey to highlight a critical yet often overlooked issue of bullying, and more importantly, the silenced voices of learners who experience it.
Adding up the effort, Dr Busisiwe Ndhlovu celebrates her PhD in indigenous mathematics education.

PhD Offers Vital Roadmap for Early Childhood Numeracy

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The building blocks of mathematics - counting, patterning and problem-solving - are already alive in children’s play.

Ms Phindile Dlamini graduates with a Bachelor in Education to make a difference in learners’ lives.

Education Graduate Inspires with 14 Merit Awards and 26 Distinctions

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Ms Phindile Dlamini’s graduation with a Bachelor of Education (Senior Phase and Further Education and Training [FET]) cum laude is a remarkable story of perseverance, discipline and determination in the face of adversity.

Dr Amanda Gumede’s Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education marks a key milestone in her professional growth.

New Academic Heights for Dr Amanda Gumede

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Emerging academic, Dr Amanda Gumede, has recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, marking a significant milestone in her professional development within the sector.

Dr Clydenia Stevens, Senior Lecturer in Law at UKZN, graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education.

UKZN Academic Deepens Teaching Excellence with PGDip Distinction

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For Dr Clydenia Stevens, a senior lecturer in Law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), graduating with a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDip HE) with distinction this year reflects her commitment to strengthening her teaching practice and academic leadership.

Dr Daphne Pillay, PhD graduate in Education, whose research explores postgraduate students’ experiences of online learning.

UKZN PhD Graduate Explores the Realities of Online Learning

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Dr Daphne Pillay’s PhD journey at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) began at a moment of global disruption, when the sudden shift to online learning reshaped Higher Education almost overnight. 

With determination and grit, Ms Shimyra Ouderajh achieves cum laude success.

A Promise Kept for Cum Laude Graduate

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It was not confidence speaking when cum laude honours graduate Ms Shimyra Ouderajh first made that decision; it was survival. A quiet promise formed in the middle of uncertainty, before achievement, before recognition, before distinctions gave shape to her academic identity.

Dr Dianne Soobbadoo and Mr Malibongwe Mnyandu who completed their respective PhDs under the supervision of Professor Sadhana Manik.

PhD and Master’s Unpack the Reality Check Facing Teachers Returning From Abroad

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For South African teachers, working abroad is often linked to better salary, wider social experiences and new career opportunities.