Vuyisile Msila
Johannesburg - It has been the worst of times and the wickedest of times – Charles Dickens could have painted this bleak picture writing about schools and the year 2020 around the world.
Like all sectors, education has been hard hit by the scourge of Covid-19 and the Grade 12 learners who will start their examinations next week face this hurdle during these worst and wickedest of times.
In South Africa we know that 40% of those who start in Grade 1 never get to Grade 12. Therefore, we have learnt the sad fact that from 100 learners who started Grade 1 in 2008, it is only a mere 60 who will write exams this year to complete their school career.
Latest research, though, states that these figures are slightly improving for drop-out rates are now dwindling and more girls are likely to complete Grade 12 than boys.
But Covid-19 will change these figures in 2020.
Over the years what has been happening is that the drop-out rates increase as learners move up the grades. Drop-out rates have been exacerbated by a number of situations which include grade repetitions, socio-economic status of parents, bullying, violence, child-headed homes and health problems.
It is frequently difficult to pin these challenges on one reason because children may be affected by more than one at any given time.
The Covid-19 has presented countries with a number of challenges that may impact on Grade 12 examinations preparations and results. Many learners who did not have opportunity for remote learning or no adequate support at home may feel that they are behind the syllabus, hence they are likely to feel despondent.
Some learners from indigent families may have found ways to help their families during the unpredictable times of Covid-19 and could have valid reasons for not going back to school, including that they are now putting bread on the table.
What is terrifying about the dropout rates is that countless of those who do not reach matric are more likely to burgeon the cycle of poverty.
In fact, communities need to focus more on the Zero Dropout Campaign which aims to lessen the school dropout rate by 2030.
This should be an initiative that should permeate all grades because we tend to emphasise Grade 12 thus giving the impression that other grades do not really matter.
We should, however, applaud the small pockets of success of initiatives by the Basic Education Department. There have been several interventions to improve maths, science and English.
One also hopes that the experiment of introducing indigenous languages as languages of teaching and learning is worth a try because some experts have found that language plays a crucial role in the examinations for second and third language speakers.
All of us should look at the Eastern Cape’s initiative of giving learners the option to write their examinations in isiXhosa or Sesotho with a huge interest.
The Eastern Cape has consistently been the last or second last in the overall performance when compared with other provinces and it will be interesting to observe where the province would be after writing in indigenous languages.
Despite the numerous challenges, we should wish the Class of 2020 well.
It is good for every learner to aim for a bachelor pass but it is not only through university that learners can progress in life.
Learners should understand that diplomas from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are as important as other qualifications. Schools should impress upon the young people how critical it is to get that matric certificate. Postschool qualifications help and TVET programmes bring more necessary expertise in the society.
As our children go to sit for these examinations next week, we should realise that our society depends upon their success in fighting many of the current ills.
As a society trying to redress the past anomalies, education is key in the fight for social justice and the fight against inequality.
Young people should attain these qualifications so that they can be more likely to participate in the economy.
Covid-19 has made many learners not to be certain what would happen and they foresaw the bleak future of schooling hence they consciously decided to move away from school until normality returns.
Yet our fight for the completion of Grade 12 is the first step in averting unemployment and the cycle of poverty that faces many who come from indigent families.
We should applaud those who will face the examination with the necessary equanimity and diligence. Quite a number of learners have bad memories about schooling this year, as they came back to school for the first time after the lengthy lockdown, some of their teachers had departed.
In one school, two experienced science and technology teachers had died from Covid-19 and the learners continued teaching one another in their absence. There are also many who have never been taught this year because in some schools the year starts much later due to a number of challenges. Yet, we do not want to discourage all those who will go to chart their future by sitting for the Grade 12 examinations. There is still hope despite the worst of times the society has experienced this year.
The Class of 2020 is facing an uphill that has never been experienced before. In the past pupils have met challenges when they wrote exams after months of uprisings and student activism.
There were so many challenges against the apartheid government where hundreds of learners learnt to be activists while still at school.
When they moved past their matric, their next big task was to attain social change, specifically fight for the freedom of the oppressed.
The Covid-19 virus has brought with it the mother of all struggles, it has been a huge teacher. While the Class of 2020 will be writing mathematics, history and tourism, we expect them to also know more about the ignorance in society, the need to have genuine leaders for social change.
We cannot forget teachers who tried against all odds; against an ogre that they could not just wish away. The class of 2020 will one day tell their grandchildren of the struggles they encountered in their last year at school and yes, if they overcome this hurdle, they will victor many hurdles in their lives.
We wish them well.
* Vuyisile Msila works at Unisa. He writes in his personal capacity.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.