Gift Masina says he took a gap year last year because he needed to decide what he would be studying.
He says during his gap year he did casual jobs and gained interpersonal qualities.
According to a parent from Kwatsaduza, Sindi Mahlangu, her daughter had to take a gap year because her husband passed away and the policy only matured later this year.
She says luckily her daughter got a job in the meantime and has received an internship at work to further her studies.
Principal of MOM Sibone Secondary School says he encourages learners to proceed with their studies after matric.
He says they try and acquaint the learners with companies who have training and learnerships programmes and not just to rely on bursaries from the government.
According to Youth Village South Africa these are the advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year:
Advantages
1. A chance to mature before entering university – in secondary school, you probably need to learn a fair bit about how to be a good student.
2. Gap years can provide students with a chance to learn responsibility on a different level.
3. The experiences you gain can make you better prepared for university, both academically and socially.
4. A break psychologically for some students is mentally healthy before heading to varsity.
5. Money issues – it’s no secret how expensive funding a university education can be therefore a student and parents can start saving.
Disadvantages
1. Losing momentum for some students away from the classroom experience, so you might be a bit rusty when you return.
2. If you want to travel or take part in an organised gap year programme, it could be expensive.
3. There may be changes to your course or your student finance package during your year off.
4. If your friends from home are all going to university, your social life could dry up.
5. Unless you revise, you can forget a lot in a year that would be useful to your course.
The essential part before a student should take a gap year decision, needs to be strategic so it can be regarded as a productive gap year.
