Matric marks don’t define your future, say psychologists

Matric is a big deal for South African youngsters – it condenses 12 years of school into one crucial National Senior Certificate. And waiting for the final results can be nerve-wracking and can take a toll on teens and their families.

It is this that determines success or failure. The pressure is real, with everyone believing having a matric certificate is the golden ticket to the future.

It is for this reason that Dr

Lauren Martin from the South African College of Applied Psychology suggests that parents use this time to teach their teens about resilience. “It’s important for parents to rethink how much weight they put on matric results because stressing too much about it doesn’t help,” she said.

“While matric results matter, it’s essential to broaden the perspective and consider other options and pathways.”

Martin recommends parents inform themselves about supplementary exams, matric upgrades, and higher certificate programmes for those without a bachelor’s pass. “The exams are done and what we need to be focused on is moving forward.

“It’s important to know that there is not one person whose entire future was defined by their matric marks,” she added.

Dr Jaclyn Lotter, the SA College of Applied Psychology’s academic dean, advises parents to keep communication open during this waiting period.

Creating a nonjudgmental space for teens to share their thoughts is crucial.

“It’s important to create a safe space for your child to express their thoughts and feelings, and to listen with full attention and without judgement. You may find it necessary to help manage expectations,” she said.

Managing expectations is key, Lotter emphasised, adding that success isn’t just about grades. She encouraged parents to discuss different paths to success.

“Parents should encourage exploring options and reassure their teens that one setback doesn’t define their future. Facing challenges builds essential life skills like perseverance, problem-solving, resilience and agility,” she said.

“We develop vital life skills during times when everything doesn’t go our way. We learn perseverance and use problem-solving skills, and we increase our capacity to be resilient and agile.

“Parents can help to encourage the exploration of other options and provide reassurance that one setback doesn’t define their future.”