What have you done to help a matric pupil?

IN JUNE last year, I wrote an article focusing on the impact of adults’ actions on the youth. I asked: Are our actions touching the youth in a positive way? I want to revisit this question, seeing that our Grade 12 pupils will be sitting for their final exams soon.

In the article I also asked other questions such as: Do we tell them to take advantage of the opportunities available but often offer little assistance? Do we encourage them to obtain tertiary education without proper guidance? Are we diminishing the value of education by letting them study disciplines that don’t open opportunities for them but instead increase the pool of unemployed youth?

The questions were meant to move us to think about how our actions affect our youth. The year is almost over. As adults, we should assess whether we have done the class of 2015 a good service. Have we been there for them? Have they seen, heard and felt our support? Have we given them a sense of hope for the future – the country’s future and their own – as they complete their secondary education?

We had 12 months to offer the pupils the best they deserve, which is our support – be it intellectual, emotional, financial or spiritual. If we haven’t done enough, what can we do to close the gap with so little time left before the exams? A number of things come to mind, like presenting a united front to give them hope that we are all concerned about their future, or giving them study support. What is vital though is for each pupil to have at least one person who will be their number one supporter.

These are people who will commit themselves to being there for at least one Grade 12 pupil. By being there I mean continue to make the pupils believe they are capable; help them to remain focused; encourage them to challenge themselves to continue trying harder; make them see the positive side of their circumstances; make them see possibilities; and help them to develop a positive self-talk.

I challenge all adults who know at least one Grade 12 pupil to pledge to be a number one supporter. Choose your child, a relative or a pupil from your child’s school. Be the hand that gives for the class of 2015.