NW GRADE 12 LEARNERS TACKLE WEEKENDS SCHOOLING AS AN INTERVENTION
The North West Department of Education in its efforts to assist the Grade 12 learners to pass at the end of the year introduced the intervention of weekend extra classes to teach learners on weekends.
These weekend extra lessons are a result of interruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic that affected schooling in 2020 as well other social factors like community unrests that was witnessed in areas such as Tlakgameng Cluster with 23 secondary schools in the Kagisano Molopo Local Municipality which were affected during the school reopening in January 2020, wherein learners could not return to school.
In February 2020 the department took the Grade 12 learners for 20 days catch – up programme held in Taung. The Tlakgameng schools are amongst the schools working hard in assisting the Grade 12 learners.
The department’s media unit took time to visit the schools and spoke to Ellen Mafora, a school principal for Pitso – Letlhogile Secondary school and a Centre Manager for one of the centres in Tlakgameng and she had this to say:
“We want to thank the department for giving us this opportunity to assist learners during weekends. I am very much hopeful that these learners are going to pass at the end of the year. Currently with this intervention we are busy helping learners with revision and also to prepare them for the papers that they are going to write next week”, said Mafora.
The media unit further spoke to Onkgomoditse Serapelwane a 17 year old, Grade 12 learner from Sebetwane Secondary school in Tlakgameng Village.
“This intervention has helped me to address the gaps l had in Life – Sciences and Physical Sciences. I now understand a number of topics better than when I was at my school. I like to thank our teachers who sent us lessons through WhatsApp when we were at home during the protests. I am optimistic that l am going to pass and proceed with my studies of being a teacher at the university of Sol – Plaatjie”, said Serapelwane.
The academic year for 2020 has been ravaged by the Covid-19 virus which affected the normal schooling time. Learners without access to virtual learning lost an estimate of 5 months of the teacher and learner contact time.
The Grade 12 learners have been extremely affected as their year-end results are a gateway to their tertiary education entry. Question papers have been long set and they are expected to write the entire syllabus. The syllabus for other lower grades have been trimmed due to the strain put by Covid -19 in the education sector.
The North West Department of Education MEC, Mmaphefo Matsemela emphasised that they are doing everything to assist all learners.
“As the North West Department of Education we are doing everything that we could do, to assist our learners especially the Grade 12 learners. I want to thank all our teachers for their unconditional passion and dedication to help the African child during this difficult time. Without our teachers we can never achieve anything within the education sector. This year our primary target is position one. I have realised that there are many learners who are going to give us positive results”, said MEC Matsemela.
The department is providing learners with transport and meals and compliance towards the Covid – 19 regulations is of paramount importance.
Mr Elias Malindi
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 072 1154 855/072 8928 399
