The South African education system has been under a great deal of pressure in recent months. The sorry state of this year’s matric results has given rise to many wondering whether or not our Department of Education has failed this country’s learners. According to an article published in Mail and Guardian, a staggering 217 355 Grade 12 students failed the exam and will not receive a National Senior Certificate. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga promised that “in 2010 we shall strengthen our interventions to ensure that the class of 2010 shows a significant improvement.”
If government has made it a priority to implement measures to improve the education of South African pupils, shouldn’t we as a community try to lend a hand to their endeavours? Listed here are helpful ways that parents, teachers and community members can encourage learners to value their education and believe in their future.
For teachers:
- One of the primary goals of a teacher should be to be a mentor, a supporter and a giver of knowledge. In this vein, you should care about your students and their progress in your class.
- You should have the student’s or their parents’ contact numbers. So, if your student is lagging behind in class and you know that they could do better, you could first contact the student or their parents, and enquire why they are not coming to class.
- If that doesn’t get a response, try to take the student aside after class and have a talk. Set up a meeting with them so they can discuss their concerns and problems with you.
- Try to discuss any problem areas with your students, and how you can help them, rather than what’s going to happen to them if they don’t make the grade.
- Always try to make yourself available for the student so that you know what’s going on in their lives. They might have many other stressful things happening, besides your class, so try to be caring first, and then, when you find out that’s not the case, be more firm.
- Try to highlight an underachieving student in class, help them participate more and especially encourage them to talk more and to do more when they are in class.
For Parents and Community members:
- Schedule regular family/group visits to the library — even if the student doesn’t seem interested in taking out books.
- Involve yourself in the child’s education by regularly asking what they learned at school.
- Offer to help with school projects or homework.
- If you notice the child is facing difficulties in a specific subject like maths or science, approach a learning institution that gives extra classes on weekends or find a tutor.
- Be up to date with school programs and events to check if your child is taking advantage of all opportunities given by the school or institution.
- Praise children for their reading when appropriate. For example, praise the child when a long or difficult homework assignment is completed.
- It’s important that children have hobbies or interests. Help your children develop such interests and make sure they have or seek reading material about their interests.
As guardians of future leaders, parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, older siblings and community leaders should come together and find ways to encourage learners to achieve their dreams. It is in our hands.