The Thusa Ngwana campaign has urged the public to volunteer to help Grade 11 and 12 pupils to apply to institutions of higher learning during the June school holidays.
Thusa Ngwana - or help a child - is a campaign by the SA Students’ Congress (Sasco) designed to reach even the remote areas to conduct career expos and give guidance and assistance to pupils wanting to apply to universities and colleges in Gauteng.
Sasco will be working with the Congress of SA Students (Cosas) on the campaign.
Provincial secretary Buthanani Ngwane said pupils in remote areas did not have access to wi-fi or information about the many courses offered in institutions of higher learning.
The campaign is therefore a way to ensure education is accessible. “We are extremely obsessed with the future of the African child; we want African pupils in remote areas to feel they are also important. People must know that the time we spend in education is no longer a privilege.”
He said that in 2006 the organisation began a national campaign called Operation Siyabangena, and now Gauteng students want to rejuvenate it through Thusa Ngwana.
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“You would find a kid who wants to do engineering in college but is doing totally wrong subjects for that course; we want to tell them about the admission point score needed to enter university, what to expect when they enrol for college or university and the importance of applying early.”
Most importantly, Sasco wants to communicate to young people the seriousness of education, explain thoroughly the various financial aids and institutions so no learner would say they did not go study because they did not have the correct information.
Ngwane said students returning home for the holidays had to take along some prospectus and application forms with them. “We want to create responsible young students, we want to plant a seed of helping each other within these communities. Most importantly, we would appreciate support from society. The private sector could help by providing internet because most of the time learners don’t have access to the internet,” Ngwane said.
Those willing and able to participate have been asked to send their details to [email protected]