As an institution charged with representing the developmental interests of young people, National Youth Development Agency Board Chairperson, Andile Lungisa visited a number of schools around the country as part of the Back to School campaign aimed at encouraging learners to go back to school and take their education serious.
Lungisa kicked-off the campaign with a visit to the famous Morris Isaacson High School in Soweto during the national school’s opening on 13 January 2009. The January period is often categorised by an exodus of school going children going on their different journeys with some entering institutions of higher learning, while some are confronted with various challenges. Some of these challenges include financial constraints that may hinder the progress of financially disadvantaged, yet academically deserving students.
Meanwhile at high school level, learners are faced with challenges of having done badly in their final 2009 end year exams, which leaves them in distress with some even committing suicide. This year in particular, the 2009 pass rate for the national senior certificate stood at 60.7 percent compared to 62.5 percent in 2008.
Morris Isaacson is one of the schools that recorded a drop in the matric results this year, recording 53 percent dropping from a 66.6 percent it had achieved in 2008. The National Youth Development Agency has undertaken to use its mandate to lobby government to create an enabling environment for all learners in schools across South Africa to ensure they perform to their maximum. In return we expect learners to do their best.
“We can not continue to be complacent and accept results that are below standard when we understand very well that learners can perform better,” said Lungisa.
Following his visit to the Soweto school, Lungisa went to visit rural schools in various provinces beginning his journey in Tsomo and Cofimvaba in the former Transkei, where he visited Lower Qutsa Junior Secondary and Mahlathini Junior Secondary School on 14 January 2010. During the visit Lungisa donated R5 000 to each of the schools to assist towards the needs of poor learners.
On 20 January, the National Youth Development Agency chair accompanied by a delegation from KwaZulu-Natal provincial National Youth Development Agency branch visited Ngugwini High School, A Moolla High School in Ndwedwe and Tshelenkosi Senior Secondary School in Stenga, where he equally pledged a donation of R5 000 to the schools.
Despite the overall drop in the national matric results, KwaZulu-Natal is the only province whose result has improved. On the 27th, Lungisa visited Knysna and Percy Madlala Secondary School in the Western Cape. During the visits Lungisa interacted with both the school management and the learners, taking the time to understand some of the challenges faced by the schools.
Some of the issues that came out as challenges ranged from issues of lack or poor infrastructure, in particular in the rural schools. While some cited challenges with shortages of resources including science laboratories and computer labs, despite having to teach the subjects as part of the curriculum.
Lungisa committed his office to develop a report on the issues raised during the visits, so as to undertake a process of following during the year.
