Say it as it is: Matric pass rate expected contribute to unemployme...

Say it as it is: Matric pass rate expected contribute to unemployme...: " Before I begin I’d like to send special congratulations to my br..."

Matric pass rate expected contribute to unemployment figures?

 Before I begin I’d like to send special congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law who both passed matric. Well done, you overcame the challenges of school but now that your exams are over, don’t expect fresh air and roses. You’ve just graduated into the real world.

67.8% of matriculants passed their 2010 final papers. This result deserves praise and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga should be congratulated for the hard work and dedication she showed to the learners in 2010. 

Before we all get caught up in the celebration let’s consider the fact that only 23.5% of learners managed to get university entrance. An even smaller percentage of these learners will not actually have the opportunity to complete their degrees due to financial restraints. 

The learners who passed overcame significant challenges like the extended holidays of the World Cup and the ridiculously long teachers strike. However, what impact did this have on the quality of education they received in their final year? 

Back in the day when the world was flat and I was writing my matric finals, I remember attending extra classes, studying till late and cancelling most of my extra curricula activities just to make sure I passed. 

I realise that I wasn’t the sharpest knife in the kitchen but it took a lot of hard work to get a university exemption and even more encouragement to further my studies. My mother pressured me to apply to universities, which I eventually did. 

In fact, she gave me an ultimatum... “Aiden you have a choice. Either you go study and I pay for it, or you move out and find a job.”

Needless to say I studied. 

According to an article I read on IOL this morning, the trade Union Solidarity estimated that six out of 10 matric learners will not find jobs. “This translates to a backlog in job placements especially with a high rate of unemployed graduates still on top of the government’s list of challenges to overcome.”

My heart goes out to these young learners who just finished school under the worst circumstances and now have to fight tooth and nail just to get an income to support their families. Let’s face it... for many of these learners it would probably have been better for them to fail their exams, stay in school and get a free cooked meal every day. 

Alright... before you throw your shoe at me for making that statement – think about it! The majority of South Africans live in dire poverty. Simply finding food to eat becomes a survival situation and many schools offer learners a cooked meal which, for many, is the only meal they’ll have all day. 

Also, the majority of South Africans, that fail a subject as simple as woodwork, will definitely not build a successful political career for themselves. Times have changed and it’s no longer enough to have been a victim of apartheid to get anywhere. 

Drive through townships like Galeshwe in Kimberley or take a drive through rural areas of the Eastern Cape or Limpopo. In fact, pick a province – poverty exists and it is absolutely disturbing to think that those learners who managed to buckle down and pass will still not have access to further education. 

Yes, South Africa is a beautiful country but with this beauty comes reality. The reality is despite poverty, unemployment and our political vomit South Africans are resilient. We’ve already survived the worst global economic downturn with a smile on our faces. We’ve just hosted the largest sporting event in the world.

So at the end of the day my message to the 2010 matriculants is this... 

Live the South African dream! It might not be easy but it teaches you the value of hard work. Take a lesson from your 2010 matric year, despite the challenges you faced, you made it!

Oh and by the way Angie. In the 18 schools where no learners passed, fire the teachers and the principle and employ individuals who are willing to work and make a success of this country. Please don’t follow the regular political ploy of assessing the problems, mentoring the principle and taking two years to turn the school around. 

There are thousands of qualified unemployed teachers out there. Zero pass rate in unacceptable! 

Just putting it out there...

Nomsa Dube needs a science text book – Any givers?

In the wake of seven deaths caused by lightning strikes in KwaZulu-Natal, MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs, Nomsa Dube asked the national department of science and technology to investigate the causes of lightning. 

Fantastic! When I first read this on Times Live I seriously thought it was a joke. The sad reality is that I was wrong. Every word of it was true. 

This type of action from our MEC deserves both praise and criticism. 

Criticism: Let’s face it. I think we all know the cause of lighting and many of us already have lightning rods attached to our home to mitigate this risk. However, it seems that Dube wasn’t able to put two and two together and was unable to make this connection. 

Praise: We always complain about the government’s inability to take action. Dube heard about the deaths and actually did something proactive to overcome the tragedy.

Unfortunately, I just can’t help thinking back to school where we were taught about the causes of lightning.

Moral of the story: The next time a flood hits South Africa and people die, we should seriously investigate the cause of precipitation. 

Just, putting it out there...

Running Scared for Sacred Safety

As 2011 kicks off, the global economy is struggling along, South Africans are moaning about government, traffic lights are still not working, AIDS is still a reality and crime dominates the papers. 

I heard some disturbing stories of a woman belonging to a popular charismatic church in Johannesburg while I was on holiday. Her husband was in jail for committing a serious crime, her family was in desperate need for financial support and she turned to the church for support. 

Unfortunately, her new found faith in the church was short lived. She was destitute, financially crippled and the only thing she had was the clothes in her cupboard and the house she lived in. The church insisted that she sell all her furniture and everything she owns and donate the money to Jesus. 

Let’s be realistic here. Jesus died a long time ago and does not need the money of a poor and destitute woman to spread His word. Christianity is the largest and richest religion on the planet so a couple of thousand rand from a destitute follower is not going to make a massive dent, unless it ends up in the preacher’s pockets. 

Needless to say the woman fell for the ploy and as a result, she has no home, lost her family and lives on the streets of Johannesburg. 

Now someone please tell me... Does religion feed on the fear of the masses to make a quick buck? Well, it certainly seems like it.

I believe that there is value to be found in religion. However, I also believe that churches that fool the underprivileged into buying their faith should be shut down. 

Just, putting it out there...