Durban — The matric class of 2022 has been applauded for their resilience having gone through the Covid-19 pandemic, July unrest, floods, load shedding and more.
“Having come this far says that they’ve got something, they have resilience and grit, so they shouldn’t be discouraged if the outcomes are not as expected,” said Mancosa’s principal Professor Magnate Ntombela.
“Going through the critical years of their education under such trying circumstances makes them special. They should cherish the experience and use it as a platform for greater achievements,” said Ntombela.
“… the disadvantaged schools feel it more because it’s the poor families that bear the brunt of all of these hardships.”
Last year, KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Mbali Frazer said the province aimed for an 80% pass.
Ntombela said one should remember that in the 80%, a lot was hidden. For instance, if you dig deeper, you may find that the subjects important for skills improvement and access to sought-after courses, like maths, accounting and so on, were written and passed by a small percentage of pupils.
“So, even though the pass percentage may be high, my concern is it may not address the crisis in the country in terms of skills and youth unemployment.
“Another contentious issue around the figure of 80% is that in some subjects the pass mark is as low as 30%…”
Ntombela said that the lack of support for pupils who do not pass was a reflection of weak community systems because “we all rally together as parents and communities and actually support and motivate the kids”.
“Even though they do not make it, it’s not necessarily an accurate definer of their abilities. With some kids, it takes longer to achieve certain things. This should be accepted as part of life. Unfortunately, we do not have enough counselling systems to prepare those kids for all eventualities.
“One hopes that, for those learners who do not get a university entrance pass, the government will continue to strengthen TVET colleges so they will have many avenues to pursue and have worthwhile experiences developing their skills, thus addressing the high unemployment rates.
“Failing matric does not and should not signal the end of the road for any learner,” Ntombela explained.
Ntombela touched on unemployment, saying part of the problem was that pupils were taught to get employment and not to create employment.
“We should be moving in the direction where some of our graduates can be employed and others can create employment for themselves and others. That requires higher education institutions to strengthen service learning and work-integrated learning, so that by the time somebody finishes a degree, they’ve had some work experience in some area of interest or in the community.
“This will not only enhance their community consciousness but will also develop them into useful, responsible and employable members of communities,” Ntombela said.
The ANC in eThekwini believed it was the resilience of pupils and teachers in the face of ravaging floods that destroyed socio-economic infrastructure that saw them through.
Spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize said: “We congratulate schools in uMlazi District for obtaining 82.8% and schools in Pinetown District for recording 80.5%.
“We pay tribute to the learners for their determination.”
Daily News