background preloader

All About South Africa

All About South Africa
Jun 08, 2010 Seeing as the 2010 FIFA World Cup happened in South Africa, we thought it’d be cool to learn a bit more about the beautiful country, which has definitely been through its fair share of tough times. South African Kids Of all the countries on the continent of Africa, South Africa’s the most diverse in terms of its territory. Map of South Africa Early History South Africa is a beautiful country. A couple hundred years later, when gold was discovered in South Africa by the British, wars broke out between different European settlers who wanted to gain control of the country for themselves. Apartheid Apartheid in South Africa In 1948, Apartheid was introduced to South Africa: a set of laws that legally and physically separated different racial groups from each other. Nelson Mandela In 1918, a boy named Rolihlala Mandela was born in South Africa. Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela Freed Nelson Mandela continues to support a variety of causes, particularly the fight against HIV-Aids. Safari Lion Related:  South Africa

The School System | South Africa A child may begin schooling with grade 0 (also called reception, or grade-R) from the age of four. Grades 1 to 9 are compulsory and classified as General Education and Training (GET). Grades 11 and 12, Further Education and Training (FET), are non-compulsory; qualification at this level with a matriculation certificate is required to enter tertiary education. Some schools offer a post-matric/sixth-form level which allows students to sit for A-level exams. The three-tier system of education is as follows: Primary school: Grade 0/1 to grade 6/7 Secondary school: Grade 8 to 9 (compulsory); grade 10 to 12 (non-compulsory) Tertiary education: Universities, technical colleges This system is also referred to in phases: Foundation phase: Reception to grade 3 Intermediate phase: Grades 4 to 6 Senior phase: Grades 7 to 9 Further Education and Training (FET): Grades 10 to 12 (matriculation certificate) Higher Education (HE) Pre-Primary/Preschool Compulsory education begins at grade 1. Primary school

Differences Between American and British English By Kenneth Beare While there are certainly many more varieties of English, American English and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL/EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is "correct" however, there are certainly preferences in use. The three major differences between between American and British English are: Pronunciation - differences in both vowel and consonants, as well as stress and intonation Vocabulary - differences in nouns and verbs, especially phrasal verb usage Spelling - differences are generally found in certain prefix and suffix forms The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. Use of the Present Perfect continue reading below our video Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. I've lost my key. In British English the above would be considered incorrect. British English:

Elections in South Africa In elections of the National Assembly, every South African citizen who is 18 or older may vote, including (from the 2014 election) those resident outside South Africa. In elections of a provincial legislature or municipal council, only those resident within the province or municipality may vote. All elections are conducted by the Electoral Commission of South Africa, which is an independent body established by the Constitution. History[edit] At the Union[edit] In the Transvaal and the Orange Free State the vote was limited by law to white men over the age of 21. Enfranchisement of white women and poor whites[edit] At the next following general election in 1933, Leila Reitz was elected as the first female MP, representing Parktown for the South African Party. Segregation of black voters[edit] In 1936 the Hertzog government enacted the Representation of Natives Act, which removed black voters from the common voters' rolls and placed them on separate "native voters' rolls". Notes: See also[edit]

Mandela in the Movies: 10 Films About Apartheid A few weeks ago, the first black President of the United States saw a movie about the first black President of South Africa. Aside from that White House screening for Barack Obama, only four theaters are currently showing Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, which goes into wider release on Christmas Day. So viewers curious to see how the movies have portrayed Nelson Mandela — the lawyer, outlaw and convict who compelled the Boer government to give equal rights to its black majority — must forage through Netflix or Amazon.com for older films. Perhaps no other historical figure could have seen his screen self played so favorably, and by such distinguished actors: Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Danny Glover, Terrence Howard, Idris Elba, Dennis Haysbert and, in a supporting role in the 2009 Endgame, Clarke Peters. The burden of Mandela movies is that almost all of them could be called 95 Years a Saint. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 2013 Keith Bernstein / The Weinstein Company Invictus, 2009

Education in South Africa According to the Bill of Rights of South Africa's Constitution, all South Africans have the right to a basic education, including adult basic education and access to further education. The state has an obligation, through reasonable measures, to progressively make this education available and accessible. South Africa has one of the highest rates of public investment in education in the world. At about 7% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 20% of total state expenditure, the government spends more on education than on any other sector. Three bands of education South Africa's National Qualifications Framework (NQF) recognises three broad bands of education: General Education and Training, Further Education and Training, and Higher Education and Training. Structure and responsibilities Since 2009, the national Department of Education has been split into two ministries: Basic Education, and Higher Education and Training. School statistics Higher education and training Spending and challenges

English-speaking countries: Canada - Learning English Online Geography Canada is a country occupying(to fill either time or space) most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world. Canada's capital city is Ottawa. It is the fourth-largest municipality(a district with a government that typically encloses no other governed districts) in the country with a population of 1,130,761. Society and culture Canadian culture has historically been influenced by British, French, and aboriginal(original or indigenous to a place) cultures and traditions. Population Canada's total population in July 2010 was estimated to be 33,759,742 people. Languages Canada's two official languages are English and French. Religion Government and politics Economy

History of South Africa (1994–present) South Africa since 1994 transitioned from the system of apartheid to one of majority rule. The election of 1994 resulted in a change in government with the African National Congress (ANC) coming to power. The ANC returned to power in the subsequent elections in 1999, 2004 and 2009. Citizens born in this period are known as the born-free generation, and those aged 18 or older will be able to vote for the first time in the 2014 general election.[1] The TRC operated by allowing victims to tell their stories and by allowing perpetrators to confess their guilt, with amnesty on offer to those who made a full confession. In 1995, South Africa hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In 1999, South Africa held its second universal-suffrage elections. While the ANC grassroots held Mbeki in far less affection than the beloved "Madiba" (Mandela), Mbeki proved himself a shrewd politician, maintaining his political pre-eminence by isolating or co-opting opposition parties.

Apartheid in South Africa Racial segregation in South Africa began in colonial times under Dutch rule.[6] Apartheid as an official policy was introduced following the general election of 1948. Legislation classified inhabitants into four racial groups, "black", "white", "coloured", and "Indian", with Indian and coloured divided into several sub-classifications,[7] and residential areas were segregated. From 1960 to 1983, 3.5 million non-white South Africans were removed from their homes, and forced into segregated neighbourhoods, in one of the largest mass removals in modern history.[8] Non-white political representation was abolished in 1970, and starting in that year black people were deprived of their citizenship, legally becoming citizens of one of ten tribally based self-governing homelands called bantustans, four of which became nominally independent states. Precursors of apartheid[edit] In the days of slavery, slaves required passes to travel away from their masters. Institution of apartheid[edit]

South Africa Map / Geography of South Africa / Map of South Africa Archeologists report evidence that humans have inhabited Southern Africa for more than 100,000 years. Over many modern centuries assorted African tribes moved steadily south to populate the country we now call South Africa. Bantu peoples began migrating across sub-Saharan Africa from the Niger River Delta around 2,500 years ago, and arrived in South Africa in small waves setting up small villages. By 1200 AD a trade network emerged, and the premise of a sacred leadership took hold. However, it wasn't until 1652, a century and a half after the discovery of the Cape Sea Route, that the Dutch East India Company founded a station at what would later become Cape Town. The Dutch used the port primarily to transport slaves from India, Indonesia and Madagascar to be used as laborers for the colonists. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, Cape Town soon became a British colony. Since the end of apartheid, unemployment has been very high.

The British Education System - British Culture, Customs and Traditions With dictionary look up - Double click on any word for its definition. This section is in advanced English and is only intended to be a guide, not to be taken too seriously! England Education in England may differ from the system used elsewhere in the United Kingdom . Basically, there are two systems: one covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland and one covering Scotland. Education in Wales Nowadays education in Wales differs slightly from the system used in England. The school years in England and Wales In general, the cut-off point for ages is the end of August, so all children must be of a particular age on the 1st of September in order to begin class that month. In some regions of England, pupils attend a Lower (Primary) School before going to, a Middle School between 8 and 12 or, more commonly 9 and 13, and then a High School or Upper School. Education in Scotland Education in Scotland differs from the system used elsewhere in the United Kingdom . The school years in Scotland Life

Related: