Master of Education student Mr Luthando Molefe presented results from his study on Research Ethics at the Mindful African Initiative Compassionate Integrity Training (CIT) for African Educators 2021 online event.

The programme was held in collaboration with Life University’s Centre for Compassion, Integrity and Secular Ethics.

CIT is a multi-part training programme that cultivates basic human values as skills for the purpose of increasing individual, social and environmental flourishing. It also focuses on and builds towards ‘Compassion Integrity’- which is the ability to live life in accordance with one’s values with a recognition of common humanity, basic orientation to kindness, and reciprocity.

Molefe participated in the three-month training course – facilitated in India – once a week with the programme comprising three sections: self-cultivation, relating to others and engaging in systems.

‘The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the economies of most African countries to become unstable, exposing social inequalities at all levels,’ he said. ‘In the education sector, it has caused teachers across the continent and the globe to framework compassion and resilience so that they are able to adapt to the “new normal” and ever-changing transforming education system. Attending the training helped me cultivate necessary skills and knowledge that will enable me to face the reality in these times of uncertainty.’

His presentation on Research Ethics was influenced by: Ethically Significant Moments in Stirring up Memories. Molefe argued that ‘while in a process of addressing ethical issues, we may discover very significant moments that include even changing the lives of those we engage with, it is important that we do more good than harm when working with our own selves and the significant others in research.’