The University of Zululand (UNIZULU) Writing Centre, a unit under the Teaching and Learning Centre, appointed a group of 17 student assistants in January 2020 to augment the day-to-day services provided by the staff in the centre.

Of the total number of assistants, 15 will service the KwaDlangezwa Campus while the remaining two will service the Richards Bay Campus.

To ensure an effective execution of the student assistants’ duties, the Writing Centre recently ran a two-day workshop for them at the KwaDlangezwa Campus. The two sessions were facilitated by Dr Gift Mheta, Writing Centre Coordinator at Durban University of Technology.

The training was held to assist the assistants to execute their roles at the Reading and Writing Centre with full understanding and efficiency; be able to manage their time; be able to guide students in academic writing in a manner that produces independent writers and critical thinkers; and be able to solve any problems that may arise during consultations.

“We believe that well-equipped assistants will contribute towards the enhancement of the academic performance of all students through academic writing,” said Mbalenhle Ngema, Writing Centre Coordinator.

About the Writing Centre

The Writing Centre was established by the University’s Teaching and Learning Centre in 2014.  It was initiated with the understanding that academic literacy constitutes an essential part of teaching and learning in the higher education. Since the majority of students of UNIZULU derive from rural disadvantaged schools, there was therefore a need to provide guidance in academic literacy in order to enhance their academic performance. The centre offers students an opportunity to enhance their graduate attributes; academic development; reading; writing and communication skills; presentation skills; cognitive development; and work-place preparation.

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The newly-appointed student assistants with the Teaching and Learning Centre staff and the guest facilitator Dr Gift Mheta.