prayer for learners
20 September 2007
As MEC for Education and the person charged with ensuring that all our
children receive the quality education needed to lead fulfilling and productive
lives, I wish to harness all of the positive energies prevalent in our
communities and focus this to benefit our children as they enter a period of
examinations at the end of the year.
Earlier this year a group of teachers arranged a prayer for education at
Saint Cyprians Church in Retreat to mark the opening of the 2007 academic year.
Many teachers and learners from the Southern Suburbs attended the service and
from that I was inspired by the sense of unity and common purpose evident at
that event.
I then suggested to our teachers that they initiate a similar prayer in
support of our matrics towards the end of the year. I believe that a provincial
wide initiative across all our faith communities will assist in focussing our
spiritual energy on the education of our children in this province.
We need to place education at the heart of all our endeavours. It is not
just about our matrics of 2007 but indeed for all those involved in teaching
and learning, learners, teachers and parents.
The circumstances and environment under which our learners receive their
education are often more challenging than we think. The Department of Education
needs partners to ensure that we grant our learners the best opportunities
possible, which would enable them to make a success of their schooling.
It is within this context that I have called on all religious leaders across
all faiths to dedicate a special prayer and message of hope and support for all
our teachers, learners and parents as they prepare for the end-year
examinations.
I am happy to announce that during a Weekend of Prayer for Education which
will begin from Friday, 28 to 30 September 2007, different religious
institutions, within their normal hours of worship, have agreed to focus on the
need for support for all of our children.
On Friday, 28 September 2007, from 11h30 to 12h30, the Saint George's
Cathedral will host an inter-faith service, with all religious groups present.
In addition, Western Cape Education Department inter-faith events at various
venues in Khayelitsha, Retreat, Worcester and the Southern Cape have also been
arranged. This will take place on Sunday afternoon, 30 September 2007.
The prayer dedication would focus on instilling peace and calm amongst our
young people during this often stressful time, especially our matriculants.
Parents and family members need to support and encourage learners as they busy
themselves with study and revision of work.
This message of hope and support should also find resonance with
communities, as they to observe and experience the seriousness with which
learners undertake their tasks. This would serve to place the spotlight on our
young people and motivate them to do their best.
The education endeavour is accompanied by many unwarranted challenges, such
as the safety of learners, vandalism, drug abuse, incidents of sexual and
physical abuse, etc.
Every effort is being made by government to combat these social ills. We
know, however, that there is a direct relationship between the success of our
learners and a supportive home environment.
Thus we pray that our learners be blessed with a safe environment and that
their homes and family lives are attuned to them making every success of their
opportunities.
I wish to express my gratitude to the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum,
representing the faith communities of the province, whom I have consulted on
this initiative and who have expressed their unequivocal support. It is an
historic fact that over the years religious institutions have played an
important role in the provision of education.
I do believe that the Education Department needs to work more closely with
faith communities as partners to realise the holistic education of our
children. I gather to support this initiative, and that this prayer for
education and for our young learners will reverberate throughout the province
next weekend as we enter the period of examinations.
The key messages that we wish to bring across to our learners are the
following:
Believe in yourself
You would not have been given a place on the course if you did not have the
ability to do it. Therefore, if you prepare for the exams properly you should
do fine, meaning that there is no need to worry excessively.
Do not try to be perfect
It is great to succeed and reach for the stars, but keep things in balance.
If you think that "anything less than A+ means I have failed" then you are
creating mountains of unnecessary stress for yourself. Aim to do your best but
recognise that none of us can be perfect all of the time.
Take steps to overcome problems
If you find you do not understand some of your course material, getting
stressed out will not help. Instead, take action to address the problem
directly by seeing your course tutor or getting help from your classmates.
Do not keep things bottled up
Confiding in someone you trust and who will be supportive is a great way of
alleviating stress and worry.
Keep things in perspective: The exams might seem like the most crucial thing
right now, but in the grander scheme of your whole life they are only a small
part.
What can Faith-based organisations do to support our learners and
schools?
* keep them in your prayers all the time
* make your buildings available to learners for study and homework
purposes(especially between 14h00 and 18h00 during the week which is a very
vulnerable time for our learners) and over weekends
* arrange after school tutoring with volunteers
* supply learners with some nourishment after school
* get involved with the infrastructure projects of the school (school
libraries, caretaker cottages on school premises, school halls)
* establish learner support groups from the congregation
* become aware of learners suffering from undue stress symptoms
* offer knowledgeable persons to address the learners on certain topics
* offer courses in Life Skills
* invite WCED officials to speak to congregants about parenting skills, bursary
and career information
* encourage the youth to attend youth meetings at the organisation
* establish a bursary fund or support existing funds
* offer schools the services of a religious leader to deliver sermon at the
normal school assemblies
* identify children who need help
* encourage members of the congregation to establish past pupils associations
at their old schools or support existing associations (especially at high
schools) * support the local creche/ecd centre
* make contact with local district office WCEF (Western Cape Education
Foundation) if you need assistance in getting project going.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Cell: 082 550 3938
E-mail: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
20 September 2007
