Wits School of Education honours women in education
- Wits University
Annual event spotlights the exceptional achievements of women shaping the future of academia.
The Wits School of Education (WSoE) reaffirmed its commitment to gender equity with its second annual celebration, themed Sistas Are Doin’ It for Themselves in the Space Frame Foyer, Education Campus, on Friday, 20 June 2025.
Hosted by Professor Juliet Perumal, Head of the WSoE, the gathering recognised women in academia, researchers, students, and supervisors whose contributions continue to break barriers and redefine excellence.
“This event is not only a gathering, but also a gesture of gratitude, recognition, and collective power,” said Perumal. “We see you, we celebrate you, and we thank you”.
Perumal highlighted the structural barriers women face such as gender bias, pay disparities, and underrepresentation, and praised those who rise above these challenges. “It is not through entitlement, but through effort,” she added.
The women who got awards include Professor Eunice Nyamupangedengu (received the Afretec Inclusion Champion Award in recognition of her dedication to inclusivity and diversity within STEM fields), Dr Madira Thetso (received the 2024 African Languages Award and is also the Chairperson of the Southern African Folklore Society (SAFOS), Dr Ntsoaki Mokala (received a Via Afrika Award for an Emerging Researcher and NRF Y-Rating), Dr Jenny Glennie (Honorary doctorate in Education from Wits), Dr Ana Ferreira (UKLA Academic Book Award for Language Narratives and Shifting Multilingual Ped-agogies: English), Professor Belinda Mendelowitz (UKLA Academic Book Award for Language Narratives and Shifting Multilingual Ped-agogies: English), and Matsie Mabeta (recognised as Excellent Research Administrator at Faculty Awards ceremony in October 2024).
Delisile Mahlangu, the Student Excellence awardee, received the Head of School Award for exceptional commitment to multilingual education and translanguaging and the award from the National Association of Professional Teacher Organisations of South Africa (Senior and Further Education Training- IsiZulu).
“This means so much to me. It signifies endless possibilities, and I wouldn't be here without the people who truly pushed me—my family, teachers, and lecturers. For that, it truly means endless possibilities."
Representing the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof. Mucha Musemwa was Prof. Nomfundo Moroe, who commended the women for their achievements. Reflecting on the once gendered workplace, Moroe said:
“We come from generations where our parents, grandparents did not have opportunities. But they planted trees, knowing very well that they may not sit under the tree and enjoy the shade, but that did not stop them from planting those trees. So, this is about being empowered as one woman but in the process, bringing along everyone around you.”
The celebration not only honoured individual achievements but also echoed a collective call: that true transformation in academia happens when women rise together, planting seeds of change for generations to come.