{"id":42935,"date":"2026-09-15T12:48:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=42935"},"modified":"2026-09-15T13:20:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:20:20","slug":"universities-are-raising-eagles-as-chickens-prof-ralarala-warns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/universities-are-raising-eagles-as-chickens-prof-ralarala-warns\/","title":{"rendered":"Universities are raising eagles as chickens, Prof Ralarala warns"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Prof Monwabisi Ralarala challenged universities to rethink teaching and learning, urging academics to create environments that unlock student potential and empower graduates to transform Africa.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

14 September 2026 | Story by: Sadiki Siphiwe | Picture:<\/strong> Keitumetse Mokgope <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nKeynote speaker Prof Monwabisi Ralarala addresses delegates at the VUT Teaching and Learning Conference Gala Dinner, urging universities to create enabling environments that nurture creativity, critical thinking and innovation while empowering students to realise their full potential.\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

South African universities risk limiting the potential of their students when they prioritise conformity over creativity, critical thinking and innovation, according to Prof Monwabisi Ralarala, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of the Western Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivering the keynote address at the closing gala dinner of the Vaal University of Technology’s Teaching and Learning Conference on 9 September 2026, Prof Ralarala challenged academics and higher education leaders to rethink how universities nurture student success and prepare graduates to contribute meaningfully to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of his address was a powerful parable of an eagle raised among chickens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story tells of a farmer who rescued an eaglet and raised it in a chicken coop. Over time, the eagle adopted the behaviour of the chickens around it, never attempting to fly and believing it was no different from the birds with which it lived. It was only when a biologist took the eagle to a mountaintop and reminded it of its true nature that it spread its wings and soared into the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Prof Ralarala, the parable holds an important lesson for higher education institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“African universities are filled with eagles that we are mistakenly raising as chickens,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Every student who enters our universities comes with the DNA of an eagle, with brilliance, creativity and limitless potential to transform Africa, but our teaching practices often place them in academic chicken coops where we train them only to memorise, to conform, to fear failure and to settle for mediocrity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He argued that universities cannot expect transformative graduates while relying on systems and practices that discourage independent thinking, innovation and intellectual curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A chicken coop can never produce an eagle,” he said. “If we want transformative graduates, we must create transformative environments that value critical thinking, African languages, indigenous knowledge and innovation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof Ralarala urged academics to rethink their role in the educational journey of students. Rather than simply maintaining existing systems, he said educators should become catalysts for transformation who help students discover and realise their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The role of the academic must shift from being a farmer who merely maintains and feeds, to being a biologist who transforms, who takes students to the mountaintop, turns them toward the light and reminds them of their true identity,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His message resonated strongly with the conference theme, which centred on building a future-ready higher education sector through innovation, inclusion and collaboration. He stressed that universities have a responsibility not only to equip students with technical knowledge but also to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

empower them to become problem-solvers, leaders and change-makers capable of addressing Africa’s challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting his remarks to broader debates about the future of higher education on the continent, Prof Ralarala called for African institutions to develop approaches to teaching and learning that reflect local realities and aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We must stop importing models that clip the wings of our students and instead craft a distinctly African recipe that allows our eagles to soar on their own terms,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His call echoed sentiments raised during the conference, where academics, researchers and industry partners explored issues ranging from artificial intelligence and student success to curriculum transformation and graduate employability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on behalf of conference sponsor Adapt IT, Group Managing Director for the Education Portfolio, Mr Luxolo Rubushe, highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration between universities and industry to ensure graduates are prepared for an evolving world of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is a persistent and urgent gap between higher education and industry. That gap must be intentionally bridged if universities are to produce graduates who are truly equipped for the evolving world of work,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that Africa’s future depends on developing solutions that are rooted in the continent’s own realities while leveraging technology to improve educational outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The destination is not technology. The destination is better learning, better opportunities and better outcomes for our students,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The significance of Prof Ralarala’s message was reflected in the response from delegates, who gave the address a standing ovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivering the vote of thanks, VUT Director of Academic Staff Development, Ms Elize Heuer, described the keynote as more than a closing address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We express sincere gratitude to Prof Ralarala for his inspiring, thought-provoking and deeply reflective address. His words were not just a closing keynote, but a calling,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the conference drew to a close, delegates left with a challenge that extended far beyond the event itself: to create learning environments that recognise the potential within every student and provide the support, confidence and opportunities needed for that potential to take flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Prof Ralarala, the question facing higher education remains simple but profound:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Are we raising chickens simply for the job market, or are we raising eagles to transform the continent?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catch the full experience on Flickr <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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