Children in Diepsloot benefit from Tomorrow Trust programme
DIEPSLOOT – The programme helps underperforming learners improve their school performance.
Sixty Gauteng Grade 8 and Grade 10 learners, from areas including Diepsloot, have benefited from the Tomorrow Trusts Saturday and holiday school programme.
The programme is funded by Datatec Group’s education and technology foundation. The high school learners benefit from a holistic daily programme including self-mastery workshops, career guidance, digital literacy, motivational talks and leadership development. The Tomorrow Trust is a non-profit organisation that supports orphaned and vulnerable children throughout their educational journey, focusing on academics and life skills.
James Donald, CEO of the Tomorrow Trust explained that the Saturday and holiday schools programme isn’t intended for top-performing individuals. “Rather, it’s aimed at those who are performing at averages of 40 per cent or less, with a focus on helping them become top-performing.”
The Tomorrow Trust also runs the Shift initiative, which equips learners to meet some of the challenges specifically associated with the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), including digitised tuition in digital literacy, coding, gaming and robotics. The Datatec Foundation funded a key component of the new Shift programme this year – the roll-out of the Grade 10 online Siyavula Mathematics Classroom Programme.
The success of the Saturday and holiday school programme is evident among Grade 10 to 12 learners too. Over the last eight years, the programme has assisted 602 learners to complete their National Senior Certificate. The overall pass rate has been 98 per cent with 78 per cent of learners achieving a bachelor pass rate.
The Tomorrow Trust runs several other holistic education programmes throughout the year at various host-partner venues, including a junior holiday school programme aimed at Grades R to 7, a tertiary programme and an alumni programme. Juniors are given tuition in English, literacy and numeracy, as well as fun workshops for self-growth and understanding. Meals, transport and stationery are provided.
Group marketing and communications manager for Datatec, Wilna de Villiers said, “What’s heart-warming for us is how the learners are blossoming with the extra support. We love Tomorrow Trust’s holistic approach, we see how learners’ academic performance dramatically improves as a result of them feeling supported, encouraged and understood. Learners on the programme are the most vulnerable in society and yet they make the most of the opportunities given to them.”
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