Durban - It has been back to school early for the matric class of 2015 at several top achieving township and rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal who started classes soon after new year in their quest for exam success at year-end.
Their goal is to finish the syllabus in core subjects like maths, physical science and life science so they can start revision for the exams they will write in October and November.
At Umlazi’s Velabahleke High School, senior classes have been in full swing since January 5 and the school is also accommodating pupils from surrounding schools which have not yet opened. These include Zwelibanzi High School, Menzi High School, Embizweni High School, and New Forest High School.
Other schools that have already started are J G Zuma High School in Inanda, Qhilika High School in Umlazi, and Velangaye High School in Nkandla. Public schools in KwaZulu-Natal are expected back only on January 21.
Maths teacher Sipho Ndlovu said when the school closed last year, pupils were told they had to report to school early.
“We do this to give them a head start and an overview of what they can expect during the year,” he said.
Ndlovu said the teachers had been amazed at the support from parents and the willingness of pupils to come to school every day in their uniform as if the lessons were part of the normal school calendar. He said the early start helped them cover a lot of topics included in the syllabus. The pupils then wrote tests and the first-term results indicated where they needed to improve.
“They give us direction so we can see if the learners are really grasping what they have been taught. Our aim is to have finished about 90% of Grade 12 work by the end of May and, in July, we start on revision,” he said.
“The scope of the work is huge. We need a lot of time for revision and we have to practise maths for the whole year, so they enter the exam with confidence,” he said.
Ndlovu said they focused on maths because pupils with poor maths results had slim chances of getting into a university. The school’s principal, Mbongeni Mtshali, said he was humbled by the dedication the teachers had shown. He said it was disappointing that the minister of basic education did not acknowledge the teachers who sacrificed their time for the pupils.
“The teachers do not get paid for this. It is important to acknowledge the work they do. If the teachers are to be blamed for the failure of kids, they must also be praised when they pass.
“When I listened to the minister of education when she released the matric results, I was very disturbed. They do not attribute the good pass rate in schools to the sweat and dedication of the teachers,” he said.
The Mercury