Cape Town – My last-born son, Nqobi Mbolo, 5, will start shaping his future when Western Cape schools re-open on Wednesday.
He will be in Grade R, and if he does well, he will complete his final year in 2027.
I have my concerns about all this. School means Nqobi will have more responsibilities, like homework and studying for tests. And it means I need to be hands-on and assist him with school work.
He is a daddy’s boy. He is outgoing, hyperactive and loves playing outside. He is also fond of toy cars. He loves his little life and enjoys playing with the neighbourhood kids.
I have mixed feelings after I watched the national matric results on TV for the class of 2016. I think the country is putting too much pressure on these youngsters, with the result that some even decide to take their life if they don’t make it. I think we need to stop applying this kind of pressure because it’s killing our kids.
I am scared of losing him to the street because he is going to be exposed to a lot of things at school – like sex, drugs and bullies. These bullies will take chances because he will be a qhwetsa (newcomer).
As a parent, the first grade classes are the ones that determine the destiny of a child, well before matric. But at the end of the day, he needs education.
* Mbolo is a staff photographer