FunDza’s board is expanding with the addition of three new board members: Mmatsetshweu Ruby Motaung, Rayelene Govender and Brian Mbanga. We are so grateful for their expertise and support.
We’ll be introducing them to you one by one… so this is a warm welcome to Mmatsetshweu Ruby Motaung! Ruby was asked to provide us with some background information and then to answer some questions. Here’s a little more about her.
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Tell us about your background.
I have a strong educational background and extensive experience in Education and Early Childhood Education. I worked for Khululeka Community Development, Eastern Cape Education, Department of Education and with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for many years. In my previous work amongst other key critical roles I passionately worked very closely with Department of Social Development serving in the National Interdepartmental Committee (NIDC ECD) which is a structure that is working towards the implementation of the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy 2015 that I was also part of developing and advocating through national training. I am also serving in the ECD Intersectoral Forum that serves as the mouth piece of the community to DSD in policy implementation. The forum is a platform upon which the Government and the Non-Government Sector engage in ECD service delivery.
I managed the project* PIECCE which is the Project for Inclusive Early Childhood Care and Education. This is a multi-sectoral teacher education project that is contributing to the professionalisation of the ECCE-birth-4 sector through the development of a standardised framework for the training/ qualification of practitioners working in Birth to Four. This project is a product of the policy I developed and gazetted in 2017 (Policy on Minimum Requirements for Programmes Leading to Qualifications in Higher Education in Early Childhood Care and Education (Birth – Four) for Educators and Practitioners working with all ECD stakeholders. I was also a National Trainer for Department of Basic Education for National Curriculum Framework for birth-4. I represented the DHET on Outcome 13 which is focusing on an inclusive and responsive social protection system where it is a response to the South Africa’s NDP 2030 that accords a central role to social protection in addressing the critical challenges of eradicating poverty and reducing inequality.
I further worked with VVOB in developing a gender-responsive pedagogy (GRP) toolkit that seeks to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on education and gender equality. VVOB and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), in collaboration with Ministries of Education in South Africa, Rwanda and Zambia, have developed this toolkit to support ECE teachers and school leaders.
My accomplishments over the many years of service include being a District, Provincial and National Trainer and have certificates of acknowledgement. I developed National Reading Strategy for National Department of Education. I developed and Gazetted a policy on a professional qualification in Early Childhood Education (ECD) from birth to 4 years of age. This policy marks the first time in history of ECD (Birth to 4 years) in South Africa that a formal set of professional and post-professional qualifications from Birth to 4 years has been formulated as a national policy. I trained this policy to all 9 provinces. Additionally, I have served on various committees such as SADC ODL Steering Committee, DHET Evaluation Committee, SACE Endorsement Committee, and National Interdepartmental Committee for ECD and the Intersectoral Committee and serving in the latter structure. I have been part of the development of the National Integrated Policy for ECD (2015) and part of National Training of Trainers to train all provinces support Department of Social Development. Training of Trainers for the National Curriculum Framework for Department of Basic Education. I am serving on the ECD Policy & Legislation Sub Committee.
Recently presented Toy Making in the Africa Play conference held in Pretoria recently. I am currently serving in the Board of Director for National Early Childhood Development Association NECDA.
I have Bachelor of Honours Degree in Education specializing in Whole School Evaluation. I have a collection of certificates and awards.
What did you want to do when you were little and why?
Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher and or a Social worker- Simply because I always aimed at making a difference.
Why FunDza – what excites or interests you most about our work?
If I Read and you Read and we all Read the world will be a better place to live in. The reading challenges in 3 our country has been my concern and my interest. I wanted to be part of the solution, FunDza is focussing on developing love for reading to the most vulnerable groups in our society.
What is one of your favourite books and why?
One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 days and 40 Nights Towards Spiritual Strength and Personal Growth by Iyanla Vanzant. It took me on a journey of self-discovery.
And finally: what have you missed most in lockdown?
I miss travelling and networking.
Thank you, Ruby, for joining FunDza. We know that you come with much wisdom and expertise gleaned from so many years of contributing to the education and social sphere in our country. Your contribution is valued.