Making Matric Matter December 26, 2008

Posted by Andrew Barrett in : Schools , trackback

The release of South Africa’s Matric results invariably ushers in all manner of mixed emotions.

For many learners this moment marks the beginning of an exciting journey into life ahead - it is a moment charged with hope, expectation and opportunity. Sadly, for many others, the opposite is the case. The vast majority of learners from our township schools are leaving Matric with results barely worth the paper they are printed on and their post-schooling options are overly narrow and desperately limited. The result is that the very tools essential for improving one’s personal and social circumstances remain distressingly out of reach.

Let us make no mistake about it: in our township and rural schools we are losing a whole new generation of kids due to the systemic failure of the schooling system to adequately educate and equip these kids for life after grade 12. Countless Matric students leave school struggling to read and write and do maths with any degree of fluency. For many, the 12-year schooling process is simply a warehousing exercise during which potential remains largely untapped and opportunity remains largely non-existent.

But lets us be equally clear about the following: HOW THINGS ARE IS NOT HOW THINGS HAVE TO BE.

There are three ways in which YOU can help turn this around:

  1. Log on to www.ppen.org.za and add your name to the call for public participation in education and a National Commission to tackle this crisis.
  2. Volunteer on Saturday mornings at Siyakhula. In 2009 we will support 100 high school kids from nearby schools with the aim to equip these kids for tertiary education – we’re looking for tutors in all school subjects (particularly maths and science) and computer literacy trainers. Volunteer Training will take place end of Jan/beginning of Feb.
  3. Learn more about our programmes at Siyakhula from our website. For example, learn about our ideas for improving early childhood development for a 100 preschool children from impoverished families by clicking here: www.wearegrowing.org/preschools.

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