Cape Town - South Africa’s disaster relief organisation, Gift of the Givers, on Wednesday said it had wrapped up its education programme in Vuwani, Limpopo and was confident pupils would be able to continue learning, this despite the repercussions of recent volatility in the area.
In response to the flare up of violent protests in late April to May – which were allegedly in response to municipality demarcation disputes – Gift of the Givers began an education support programme for pupils whose schools had been burned down, who were too afraid to return to their schools, or were without teachers.
In the second week of the programme, the number of pupils attending per day were between 50 and 87 with the most joining on Monday and the least on the Friday after Youth Day, which many South African schools take off.
On that Friday, well-known South African soapie star Gabriel Temudzani visited pupils, “motivating and encouraging them to do well [and] be the drivers of their own lives and [to] succeed”.
In the classes, pupils were able to receive assistance in English, Life Science, Geography, Agriculture, and History.
These classes took place in Venda Chief Livhuwani Matsila’s conference room where the organisation had access to projectors, internet, laptops, and online resources such as content created by the non-profit Mindset to help pupils catch up with work and prepare for examinations.
As for the matrics who participated in the programme, those who grasped the content with greater ease have been coached on how to assist peers who may be struggling. For a week, the matrics will have the venue, where the Gift of the Givers conducted the programme, to themselves where they will be able to make use of old exam papers and additional learning resources, including stationery packs donated by the organisation.
“Chief Matsila himself is ensuring that this happens during the course of this week,” said the organisation.
Two “replacement educators” have also volunteered to assist in furthering the Gift of the Givers’ programme. However, the organisation said that more assistance is needed from Accounting, Maths, Business, Economics, and Physical Science qualified educators.
“We are certain the learners will keep motivated and carry on with their studies. We wish them the very best for the exams and hope that the Department of Education will be able to confirm a writing date for them soon,” said the Gift of the Givers.
African News Agency