Passing Grade 12 and obtaining a National Senior Certificate is a rite of passage and a stepping-stone between childhood and adulthood, writes Panyaza Lesufi.
Johannesburg – Graduation from high school happens only once in one’s life. Passing Grade 12 and obtaining a National Senior Certificate is a rite of passage that has a special meaning, a special emotion, a stepping-stone between childhood and adulthood.
Graduation is a time to celebrate everyone’s completion of high school, a time of gratitude and farewell.
It may be hard for many of us to remember what it was like finishing grades 5, 8 or 12, but that’s all the more reason to make that memory a little richer for our young people by celebrating their achievements.
Gauteng has once again achieved significant milestones in respect of national performance and we have many reasons to celebrate.
The Gauteng Department of Education congratulated the Class of 2016 for achieving a provincial pass rate of 85.1% – an improvement from the 84.2% achieved by the Class of 2015. While the performance was up by 0.9%, I remain convinced that we can do better.
What was more important, perhaps, than our 85.1% pass rate are the detailed indicators showing the increasing quality of the teaching and learning. Gauteng contributed the highest number of candidates qualifying for Bachelor studies at 37582 or 36.2% who wrote qualified for admission to Bachelor studies. This is up from the 35.8% in 2015. Nationally, we contributed 23% of all bachelors achieved.
We are encouraged by the fact that more pupils passed with a Bachelor or diploma pass – 73% compared to 70% in 2015. The trend is clearly upwards.
Increasing high school graduation rates ensures that pupils can proceed to tertiary level. This is a good investment for young people, preparing them to enter the world of work.
We need to celebrate the above achievements because the post-apartheid curriculum was designed to prepare pupils to acquire a variety of skills and to apply them in everyday life.
The curriculum moulds pupils from an early age to see the world from a more encompassing point of view and includes rather than excludes diverse viewpoints, and embraces democratic values, social cohesion and becoming an active citizen. Why not celebrate this achievement?
Watching Gautengers applaud the Class of 2016's accomplishment might be just what our children need. Celebrating it motivates them to reach for greater heights and to realise that it's up to them to unleash their full potential. It boosts their self-belief and confidence as they begin to set new goals for the future.
Each pupils has a personal story to tell about the journey to success, the hard work, the perseverance and the focus. Each pupil needs to reflect on this with pride and take stock of the lessons learnt and the key ingredients of success. The art of self-mastery starts with you. Always be a master of your game.
Passing matric almost coincides with the end of adolescence for most pupils. This transition can evoke anxiety. It's difficult to leave high school, not only because one has to face the challenges ahead, but also because one is expected to leave one's youth behind and start portraying a sense of maturity. When you look at the faces of the young people who aren’t kids anymore, you get the feeling that there's something special we can remind them to connect to – a new reservoir of enthusiasm, creative thinking and energy. Guide them to have meaning as they try to define who they are and what their purpose in life is. Encourage them to visualise the future and set realistic goals.
As parents and teachers, we are too familiar with the pangs that come with watching our best and brightest move away to reach for new opportunities.
The road to passing is long and, in some cases, filled with obstacles. That's why we honour the successful students, and their families who provided support.
There's an array of feelings that go with this milestone from a parents’ point of view. There’s the joy of knowing your child has made it this far. There's the hope that you have instilled in your child the values and guidance that will carry them well through to the adult stage. Ultimately, it’s up to each child to make the right choices.
Then there’s the anxiety and fear. Will our children reach their life’s goals? Will they be able to cut it at tertiary institutions? Will all their dreams and hopes be realised?
We all know that a parent is only one piece of the puzzle in raising a child, albeit an important one. Educators, peers and even society have played a part in moulding this person.
The celebrants are overcomers. They’ve reached a peak that has required enormous work and deserves enormous celebration.
To the Class of 2016: Congratulations. Be proud of yourselves for what you have accomplished. Use that to create new goals for the rest of your life.
Finishing high school is a rite of passage. Celebrate it but tomorrow you realise that it’s time to think about what’s next. Not knowing what the future holds can be daunting, but know you can reach for the stars.
Your life is a lesson. If you learn nothing, you don't grow. Be open to new things and new people. Don't snub those who you think are different from you, for you may have more in common than you think.
Celebrate your achievements. Follow your heart and your dreams, and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do what you want to do. Promise yourself that you’ll never stop learning or striving to improve. The sky really is the limit as long as you believe in yourself. Here’s hoping you do great things.
* Panyaza Lesufi is Gauteng MEC for Education