Education minister urges matrics to take responsibility

THE MINISTER of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, encouraged matrics in Kimberley to take responsibility for their future.

She was addressing Grade 12 pupils from across the Northern Cape during the Second Chance Matric Support Roadshow held at Jim Summers Hall on Saturday.

Although Motshekga encouraged those who attended to ensure that they pass their matric the first time around, the roadshows are aimed at creating awareness around the options available for youngsters who are already out of school, but have not been able to meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate in order to obtain their matric.

“Pupils must use the resources and programmes we have developed for the Second Chance programme for their own examinations and work very hard. Those who did write and did not get their certificates must take this chance and rewrite. Our schools are overcrowded and we cannot accommodate pupils who have failed their matric,” Motshekga said.

“Pupils must do matric once and make sure they pass. Grade 12 is also a period where pupils need to learn how to study independently as many of them are heading to tertiary institutions after they have completed their matric. At tertiary we do not have the dynamics they had at school where teachers would pay individual attention to pupils.

“Lecturers at institutions have hundreds of students they have to give class to and it is up to the students to ensure that they are not left behind. Currently pupils have access to technology and they can study independently without having to rely on their teachers. Technology can assist them in passing all their subjects without having to repeat or rewrite.”

Motshekga also condemned recent reports that 30 Kuruman pupils fell pregnant. She said that although three teachers were implicated in the matter, the problem could not solely be blamed on the Department of Education.

“We cannot only blame the department for pupils getting pregnant. We, including the parents, need to educate our children. This is a societal issue and it is not just the department that needs to address this problem. We should take joint responsibility as a department, the community, parents and the pupils themselves.”