Alex leaders, youth organisations, teachers and district education officials called for divine intervention to help this year’s matric pupils in their final year examinations which start this week.
This from a background of poor results in the past years which, last year, saw three of the five secondary schools being placed under the government schools improvement programme. The other two schools also performed below many provincial schools, which continue to reach the desired 90 to 100 percent pass mark.
Speakers expressed hope that the prayers held at Sankopano Community Centre would change the fortunes of the pupils, but if only they committed to their studies from day one of the first term, applied their capabilities to the fullest and abstained from the usual shenanigans such as substance and drug abuse and sexual activities which led to teenage pregnancies and a lost future. This after the department of education earlier in the year revealed that thousands of schoolgirls drop out to be mothers with no parenting skills and swell the ranks of grant recipients, becoming a burden to the State.
Urging the hundreds of students, Joburg East district director Mnyamezeli Ndevu, said their families looked to them to help lift them out of poverty. “You are their pride and hope, and the department and schools gave you ample support to achieve 100 percent pass marks, provided you were diligent throughout the year. It’s now a case of heaven or hell and up to you to seek Divine help,” he urged.
In a bid to get youngsters to study, Ndevu said those who lost out through pregnancy or other anti-social behaviour should be asked for matric certificates when they seek to benefit from State grants. Ndevu also encouraged those who do not qualify for tertiary studies not to despair, but to get into Further Education and Training (FET) institutions which will give them skills for employment and to support themselves.
He advised them to be punctual for every test, to be calm and to answer the questions they knew first. “This will give you confidence to answer the rest of the questions,” he said.
Ndevu requested stakeholders to engage in dialogue with the government on the 30 percent pass mark, said to make them appear mediocre. “Lobby government on this, as it maybe one of the problems causing you not to advance in life. Also, lobby the government to amend employment regulations to only require a pass certificate for new job entrants so to avoid youths being asked for work experience.
Ndevu further urged FET colleges to be used more as they gave much-needed skills. This he said in reference to the migrants who are said to flood the job market because of their better education and technical skills.
