A big day for the 2019 matric class

TOMORROW marks a big day for the matrics of 2019 as Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is due to announce the outcome of the exams.

This period often marks a time when thousands of pupils who sat the National Senior Certificate exams will know whether their hard work has paid off.

It also marks an anxious time for many parents who will now have to figure out how they will get their loved ones through the university years.

Over the next few weeks, the universities and technical and vocational education and training colleges will be flooded with desperate prospective students hoping to secure a place to further their studies.

The crisis that is usually faced by institutions of higher learning at this time of the year is always heartbreaking.

Lest we forget the death of a mother a few years ago who perished during a stampede at the University of Johannesburg after waiting for hours in the hope of securing her son a place at the institution.

May we also not forget the hundreds of students mostly from disadvantaged backgrounds who leave their homes only to stand in lines for days and weeks without success.

By November, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme had already received 287 769 applications for 2020 funding with the number expected to grow at the end of its December deadline.

Some students had last year complained of not receiving their funds on time, starving nor being able to purchase the necessary items to pursue their studies. For many, this meant they were delayed in catching up with their studies.

To make matters worse, higher learning institutions cannot accommodate all students who are unable to afford the tuition fees.

A major problem with the current system is that these sorts of challenges only get dealt with at the 11th hour.

It is only during this period that we raise alarm at the crisis that our higher education and learning faces.

The status quo needs to change. Planning, debates and solutions need to be discussed during the year and not every year in January.

If the status quo is upheld, we as a society will surely continue to fail our children.

Let’s hope 2020 brings a fulfilling experience for our Grade 12s who have made it this far and wish to study further.