Is there enough psychological support for matric pupils?
Matriculants across the country are writing their final examinations. Many people expect them to do better than the 79,3 percent pass rate which was obtained last year.
The Tembisan moved around the township asking people whether there is enough psychological support for them?
Well-known performing artist and director, Oupa Malatjie said, “Matriculants are not given enough psychological support, especially in Tembisa. It is not enough, because supporting them psychologically does not need one person. It needs members of the community to organise prayer meetings, bringing motivational speakers to the schools and organising role models to talk to pupils. Giving psychological support needs dedicated people and time, people tend to concentrate on their own issues and leave the children on their own.”
Businesswoman Mpho Manyala said, “It depends on parents and sometimes on individuals. There are very few matriculants who receive psychological support these days. I have realised that a lot of parents no longer care about the education of their children. They think teachers are the only ones tasked with educating their children. As long they buy them books, parents no longer care about what happens next. Pupils need the support of parents, teachers and members of the community to do well. It is important we give them psychological support.”
Local running sensation, Sello Ramaloko, feels there is not enough psychological support given to matriculants. “I only saw one article in The Tembisan about a motivational speaker talking to matriculants at Berthary Private School. There are a lot of motivational speakers in Tembisa, but local schools and the community at large are not utilising them. I think they are afraid of contacting them as some charge a lot of money, but we have to do something to motivate pupils psychologically,” he said.
Miss Tembisa Production Manager, Pearl Manzi said, “We visit schools and give them psychological support every year. We always tell them to have their own role models. We encourage them to take education seriously and to read hard to match, or even go a step further, than their own role models in the community. We also teach pupils how to behave in and outside school, and to be disciplined. Last year we visited a lot of schools, but because of our hectic programme, this year we only visited seven schools.”
The general secretary of the Tembisa Local Taxi Association, Peter Ntsoane said, “We give moral support in whatever the pupils do. We talk to pupils all the time to give them psychological support. We also teach them to accept their situation if they are from poor communities and to work hard in order to be responsible adults in the future. As a priest, I also encourage them to seek the Word of God, and to never commit suicide, whatever problems they might be facing.”
