Online School, Brainline, says it is encouraged by the excellent results of the class of 2023. Amongst those several excellent academic performers have emerged. The Independent Examination Board (IEB) and the Department of Basic Education will release their results today, Thursday, 18 January 2024. Brainline, who is IEB recognized, has received an 88.2% pass rate. This is an increase of 5% from the 2022 academic year. Brainline CEO, Coleen Cronje says the matric learners showed their steel during the final exams and achieved 119 distinctions overall. She says the results are a testimony to the continued tenacity and dedication of the Class of 2023. ‘We are extremely proud of all our Grade 12 learners who managed to achieve exceptional results overall. While the majority have been home schoolers for several years, some only joined our online school from 2020, when their own schools closed during the country-wide school lockdown. As a virtual school, we were able to provide these learners with a safe and uninterrupted alternative and our results speak for itself,’ Cronje explains. Brainline students were among the 12 000 IEB students who completed the 2023 matric exams. Two learners, Keyur Lakha and Marguerite Prinsloo received 7 distinctions each, while three students, amongst them Stephanus Kritzinger and Caro Rademan, walked away with 6 distinctions each. In addition, three Brainline students received 5 distinctions, one received four, and another seven received three distinctions respectively. Cronje says the consistent performance by these learners is a testimony to the efficacy of online learning when combined with the self-discipline and focus of learners who study from home. ‘We are exceptionally proud of this, as Brainline does not discriminate against learner enrolling with us, based on subject combinations or academic record. We believe that every learner must be afforded the opportunity to write the final exams on successful completion of the …
Brainline Clarifies Misunderstandings Regarding Registration and Accreditation of Online Schools
Brainline, a leading online school operating in South Africa, seeks to address the confusion surrounding the registration and accreditation of online schools. It is important to clarify that online schools in the country are not recognised or regulated by the current legislation governing traditional brick-and-mortar institutions, but that this does not affect the validity of the qualifications provided by legitimate online schools. While the current legal framework for schools in South Africa pertains specifically to physical institutions, it is crucial to note that Brainline is registered with the Independent Examination Board (IEB), which is in turn registered with Umalusi. This registration ensures that Brainline adheres to rigorous academic standards and assessment practices, offering accredited and high-quality educational experience for students. Brainline acknowledges the importance of addressing the evolving educational landscape and recognises the potential benefits that online schools could offer South African students. We are actively engaging with policymakers and relevant stakeholders to explore the development of appropriate legislation and regulatory frameworks for online schools. Our objective is to ensure that any future regulations align with the best interests of students, guaranteeing quality education and safeguarding their rights. We urge all stakeholders, including policymakers, educators, parents, and students, to exercise caution when considering or making claims about the legitimacy of online schools. While there is potential for the growth and development of online education, it is crucial to establish the necessary legal frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms to protect the interests of students and ensure educational excellence. Brainline remains committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to create a robust and inclusive educational environment. We will continue to advocate for the advancement of online …
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Digital brand hijacking gets real
Digital fraud and brand hijacking are serious and growing threats to companies in South Africa and abroad. Over the past three years, incidents have increased with the grand-scale eruption of online social networking and eCommerce. The evolving digital landscape is fertile ground for cybercriminals who siphon millions of rands from unsuspecting brands and people every year. Estimates are that cybercrime costs the world about $6 trillion annually. The real toll is likely much higher because most exploits go unnoticed or unreported. “A brand’s reputation is often shaped by its digital footprint, which is not easily controlled. It extends from eCommerce shops and social media to blogs, forums and direct messaging platforms that serve as customer-facing fronts through which consumers engage with and do business with brands. “Conversations and transactions are happening in a dynamic and multi-directional environment where online reputation is influenced by third parties. When these are not monitored and there is no active engagement by brands in these transactions and discussions, it is impossible to control them,” says Charl Ueckermann, Group CEO at AVeS Cyber Security International. According to Ueckermann, AVeS has worked with several companies to recover hijacked digital brands and restore lost data. For one business, an insurance company, the ripple effects are still being felt two years after a loan scam effected via WhatsApp and Facebook cost millions of rands in legal fees and damage control. Consumer complaints on social media as well as reports to authorities and regulatory bodies were the first signs of the scam. By that stage, numerous people had already been scammed out of money and untold damage had been caused to the company’s brand. The story is not unique. On average, it takes security teams 287 days to identify and contain a data breach, according to a report by IBM and Ponemon Institute. In a landscape that is rapidly shifting, with new …
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Look at leadership to drive digital transformation
Successful digital transformation depends on engaged leadership which has the power to influence the people who must adapt to changes and how they perform their jobs. With at least 70% of digital transformation projects failing due to employee resistance, the key to improving project outcomes lies in equipping leaders with the skills and mindset to lead their organisations through uncertain, ambiguous, and sometimes volatile changes. Operationally focused leaders should start putting people first to achieve the efficiencies and productivity improvements promised by digital transformation. Importantly, leaders need to understand their influence and how they can contribute to the project’s success. Self-aware leaders are better at leading Self-awareness has become a critical characteristic and a foundational requirement for effective leaders. It is this which is often lacking in leaders that are ineffective at steering their organisations through transformational changes. Self-awareness in leadership means understanding your strengths and weaknesses, character, behaviours, and motives, and how these impact your leadership abilities. It also helps you to see what type of leader you are, what leadership and communication styles your employees respond to, and how to adapt these to get employees to embrace the changes that need to happen. Self-aware leaders are better at understanding their emotions and motives and how their conduct affects the people around them. This allows them to tap into their personal strengths and better manage relationships to support and guide teams through changes. “We have seen first-hand how developing self-awareness in leadership dramatically improves the success rate of ambitious digital transformation and change projects,” - Isabel Adams, People Enablement Director, at AVeS Cyber International. Capitalising on strengths improves outcomes Finding out how your leadership team is enabling or thwarting digital transformation …
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Press Release: News reports about failure of online schools misleading
Online school, Brainline, has described recent news reports that online schools have failed learners who have accessed online learning, as misleading and disheartening. Weekend newspapers suggested that many learners, who joined online schools due to Covid, have fallen behind academically and will have to go back to lower grades to catch up should they wish to re-join traditional schools. Brainline CEO, Coleen Cronje, says it is not accurate nor fair to judge online schooling based on the experience of a few. ‘The truth of the matter is, not all learners fit into traditional schools. The same holds true for online schools. That, however, does not mean that online schools should be side-lined as being only “supportive”, as the results for Brainline Matriculants over the past five (5) years have been consistently higher than that of the National Pass Rate from the Department of Education. This is a clear indication that matriculants who engage with online learning, are successful and can access tertiary education with confidence,’ Cronje says. Cronje says online schools are years ahead of traditional schools when it comes to using technology and preparing learners for the 4th Industrial Revolution. ‘Online schools are using current technology and numerous other education innovations to provide access to education for Grade R – 12 learners, where there is a dire need. It is estimated that 40% of learners who enter Grade 1 at traditional schools, never make it to their final Grade 12 year due to numerous factors. It is, therefore, clear that alternative schooling options are essential to ensure these learners do not fall off the grid’ E-learning has already been embraced by schools and universities around the country and the world. Cronje says it is estimated that 31.18 million South Africans have access to the internet, while there are 28.9 million active mobile users. She says it is therefore of the utmost importance that access to online classrooms enjoy …
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Digital brand hijacking gets real
Digital fraud and brand hijacking are serious and growing threats to companies in South Africa and abroad. Over the past three years, incidents have increased with the grand-scale eruption of online social networking and eCommerce. The evolving digital landscape is fertile ground for cybercriminals who siphon millions of rands from unsuspecting brands and people every year. Estimates are that cybercrime costs the world about $6 trillion annually. The real toll is likely much higher because most exploits go unnoticed or unreported. “A brand’s reputation is often shaped by its digital footprint, which is not easily controlled. It extends from eCommerce shops and social media to blogs, forums and direct messaging platforms that serve as customer-facing fronts through which consumers engage with and do business with brands. “Conversations and transactions are happening in a dynamic and multi-directional environment where online reputation is influenced by third parties. When these are not monitored and there is no active engagement by brands in these transactions and discussions, it is impossible to control them,” says Charl Ueckermann, Group CEO at AVeS Cyber Security International. According to Ueckermann, AVeS has worked with several companies to recover hijacked digital brands and restore lost data. For one business, an insurance company, the ripple effects are still being felt two years after a loan scam effected via WhatsApp and Facebook cost millions of rands in legal fees and damage control. Consumer complaints on social media as well as reports to authorities and regulatory bodies were the first signs of the scam. By that stage, numerous people had already been scammed out of money and untold damage had been caused to the company’s brand. The story is not unique. On average, it takes security teams 287 days to identify and contain a data breach, according to a report by IBM and Ponemon Institute. In a landscape that is rapidly shifting, with new …
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Online learning the solution to challenges of learner placements in schools
As thousands of parents and guardians await the news whether their children have been placed for the 2023 academic year or not, online school, Brainline says online learning remains a viable and reliable solution for learner placement challenges. This month, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi revealed that a total of 764 062 applications were submitted and processed for both Grade 1 and 8 and the department have 332 477 learners to place. Brainline CEO, Coleen Cronje, says the uncertainty of the future can get the better of some families. ‘Earlier this month, parents and guardians in Gauteng have started to receive SMSes with placement offers, which will only conclude by the end of November. Until then, many families remain under severe stress and uncertainty over the future of their children’s education. Many face the reality that their children might miss school if not placed by the start of the new year,’ she says. (Ref: https://ewn.co.za/2022/10/02/placement-offers-for-gr-1-and-8-to-be-sent-from-monday-lesufi) The Gauteng education department’s online admissions portal was launched in 2016 to streamline the process. After applications for the 2023 school year opened in July, the portal received its highest number of applications ever. Parents applying for their children were able to join an “e-queue” at five schools at the same time. But less than half the learners have been placed in their first-choice schools because of limited spots available and based on the placement criteria. Cronje says with online learning, parents and learners are not subjected to second, third or fourth options. ‘Innovation has paved the way for an alternative form of education and, with the latest technology, Brainline is bridging the gap to accommodate the digital age. Our teachers present online classes in innovative ways, challenging the status quo of blackboard teaching. These online classes are essentially breaking down the invisible walls of traditional teaching, by …