National Youth Development Agency congratulates the class of 2016 and announces the handing over to the Department of Basic Education its NSC Second Chance Matric Rewrite Programme
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) congratulates all successful matric class of 2016 learners for their performance in their final exams. We wish all learners well on their different journeys into the future. As a primary institution responsible for youth development we are strategically placed and hereby commit to walk alongside all young people says NYDA CEO Khathu Ramukumba.
“As the NYDA, we commend the matric class of 2016 for achieving an overall national pass rate of 72.5% in the 2016 National Senior Certificate (NSC) Examination, from a previous figure of 70%. Furthermore we commend the Department of Basic Education for recording the highest enrolment of Grade 12 learners in the history of basic education system in South Africa. We are more delighted to note consistent increased pass rate in Mathematics and Physical Science subjects. This will indeed enhance study of programmes focused on scarce skills required by the economy” adds Khathu Ramukumba.
Today also marks the release of the NYDA’s NSC Second Chance Matric Rewrite programme results, a programme spearheaded by the NYDA in partnership with the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA). The programme provides learners who have failed their matric exams or wish to upgrade their marks, with the opportunity to return to a school environment, receive free tuition and rewrite their exams.
This programme has been running for the past six years and recorded 20 934 participants to date. A total number of 4 735 learners received their results at various centre across the country today. Therefore learners who did not pass their exams should not be discouraged as there are a number of opportunities such as following the entrepreneurship route should they not want to further their studies or the NSC Matric Second Chance Rewrite Programme that offers them a second chance at reaching their full potential and reaching their dreams.
Top performing learner of the 2015 NYDA Second Chance Matric Rewrite Programme, Lwandile Mdiniso, achieved an 84% average, after he chose to rewrite Maths and Life Sciences. He is currently studying towards a BSc degree in Computer Science. Amongst top achievers for the year 2016 is Lakin Sadie Seconds who upgraded her marks in Mathematics, Life Sciences and Physical Science. She will be pursuing a career in medicine.
The NYDA is also at the service of youth to consider other avenues such as enrolling on skills programmes and becoming entrepreneurs. These are just only two of the many stories of how some of the learners on the programme had managed to turn their grades around and go on to achieve great things at university level. We hope that these examples will serve as an inspiration for the many young people who might be losing hope because they failed matric.
NYDA undertook to run the programme as a pilot to see how young people who had failed their matric and want to improve their results could be better assisted. From this year (2017 academic year), the matric rewrite programme will be handed over to the Department of Basic Education for the department to mainstream and upscale the programme going forward. This is in line with the undertakings of the Youth Employment Accord which was signed on 18 April 2013 by social partners from government, organised labour, business, and community and youth formations. As the NYDA, we are looking forward to working with the department to ensure the programme continues to be the great success which we have seen over the past years.
“We further advice parents and learners who have done exceptionally well who find themselves financially disadvantaged to apply for the NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund. Applications for the scholarship fund closes on the 15 January 2017 and more information can be accessed through our website www.nyda.gov.za or visit our nearest branches for more information “concludes Ramukumba.
For media enquiries contact:
Lerato Gambu
Tel: 011 651 7000
Cell: 071 897 2998
E-mail: Lerato.Gambu@nyda.gov.za
