Matebese quits teaching and starts aftercare facility
The aftercare offers snacks to all learners.
After quitting teaching in 1999, the job she loved with all her heart, Jeanette Matebesi of Mailula Section in Vosloorus decided to keep the light of teaching burning even after retiring.
On retirement, she opened what she described as affordable aftercare in 2000. This, she said, was to help her community. She started off with four children who lived in the neighbourhood.
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“But the numbers have since increased to 30. This is because of a good working relationship I have with my community, and the results I produce. Some of the learners are referred to me by their teachers,” she said.
Matebese uses an open space in her yard to run her Mama Jeans Aftercare. She helps learners in Grade One to Grade Seven to write their homework. She also helps learners to improve their reading and study skills, and how to prepare assignments.
She also helps learners with learning difficulties.
“It is easy to give them attention here because they are fewer than in their classrooms. It makes me happy to see them pass even though their teachers call them slow learners.
“Working with children from township and suburbs schools has never been easy. You need to bridge the gap in their understanding of the syllabus. But I try to bring about the balance,” she said.
She added: “What makes me even happier is to see some of the children I helped graduate, especially those who were regarded as slow learners – getting tertiary qualifications such as certificates, diplomas and degrees,” said Matebese.
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The aftercare operates between 2pm and 5pm, from Monday to Thursday.
Matebesi thanked her assistant teachers – Nandi Mazibuko, Penny Mazibuko and Ntswaki Radebe – for their help.
Matebese can be contacted on 082 218 5004.
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