Our view: There are too many wrong role models in our society today
It is back to school for learners next week after another successful year as matric results were announced in Leroro last Friday.
Yours truly takes this opportunity to appeal to the entire community to take responsibility for ensuring that young ones take education seriously. Success doesn’t come from being advantaged children as such, but only from one’s dedication and commitment.
I watched with much appreciation as some of the matric achievers who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, received their awards last Friday. These children never allowed their poverty-stricken backgrounds to affect their learning prowess. They rose against all odds and achieved the best.
As a community, we should cease the tendency of allowing our privileged children to wander astray, not focusing on their schoolwork. Social media has proven in most cases to be a contributory factor in the failure by some learners not to grasp the subject matter.
You come across cases of learners who steal their parents’ data through hot spotting and delving into Instagram, Facebook and other sites, which are not beneficial to learning their subject matter.
Social media can be utilised for research, which some learners do, but most use it for the wrong reasons. These need to be closely monitored by parents, and learners need to exercise responsibility because this is about their future, no one else’s.
There are too many wrong role models in our society today. They flash material gains in the learners’ eyes in the form of expensive gadgets, clothing and cars. Pupils should take cognizance that they can obtain these when they lead successful lives gained through education.
Parents must cease this tendency of only concentrating on their careers and neglecting their children. No success can be obtained without a cordial working relationship between learners, educators and the entire community.
Let adults in all communities make a contribution to the growth of their own communities because with their individual skills, they can bring about meaningful change in society.
Much as there has been a 2,3 per cent decline in the pass rate in 2017, that can be turned around if all and sundry hold hands and work together towards a brighter future for all people. But it also needs government’s full commitment and the private sector, too.
Let’s not have structures that do not contribute towards youth development, but self-enrichment and growing egos.
The future of young people is in their hands.
