The Makhaza Branch on IkamvaYouth has started the year sprinting! This year we have grown staggeringly to over 200 people with 170 learners and over 30 tutors, extending tutoring times to every day of the week including weekends!
Already the new year has begun with some exciting projects, Khan Academy is in full swing with two Grade 9 groups participating, as well as the programme being extended to grades 10 and 11. Education Without Borders ‘Yes We Can’ maths project has also begun with the new group of grade 8s. We expect the same incredible successes as last year. English programmes have also been implemented at the younger grade levels, as well as regular tutoring and mentoring for the older grades.
Matrics have begun their year with sessions identifying where they would like to be shadowing tutors in their classes later in the year as well as which institutions they’d like to come chat with them about their options. Last year’s matrics are also in the process of being places in various institutions and making sure no one is left behind this year.
Last Saturday we had our first parents meeting of 2012 with an amazing turnout, the hall was packed to capacity where there was a distinct feeling of excitement and hope for the year to come. Of all the students who made it in 4 were turned away, and waiting lists are at an all time high.
Meeting the parents
We also have two new interns helping us out with tutoring, admin work and setting up databases for the new students. Claire Fisher and Tumisang Madigele are both currently attending the Stanford University study abroad program in Cape Town for their winter term and volunteering at IkamvaYouth.
“Hi! My name is Claire Fisher, and I am from San Francisco, California in the United States. I am a third year student at Stanford University studying political science with concentrations in political theory and American politics.
I am also very passionate about education reform, but my academic and experiential background pertains mostly to education in the United States. I am taking a class here on schooling and education policy in South Africa, so hopefully that will give me a better understanding of the context. I am excited to work at IkamvaYouth to learn more about education in a hands-on way, and I love tutoring, especially in algebra, English, and history! I am already impressed by IkamvaYouth’s incredible reputation, success rates, and mobilization of its students to return to the organization. I also am a huge fan of Khan Academy and am inspired by its ability to use technology to broaden access to quality lesson plans, and so the fact that Ikamvanites use it is amazing.
I wanted to come to Cape Town because of its urban cityscape and beautiful mountains, and I find the cultural complexity of the city due to its historical legacy both challenging and fascinating.
Thanks for having me, IkamvaYouth!”
And Tumisang says, “Hi, my name is Tumisang Madigele and I am from Botswana. I am doing my third year in International Relations at Stanford University. I am interested in working within African communities, especially with organizations whose goal is to empower youth. I am excited to be tutoring kids and helping out at Ikamva. It’s great to work with motivated youth!”
Tumisang and Claire
We are also calling for more tutors this year. Tutoring schedules are as follows:
Grade 8&9 – Monday and Wednesday 3:30pm-5:30pm, and Saturday 9-1pm
Grade 10-12 – Tuesday and Thursday 3:30pm-5:30pm, and Saturday 9-1pm
If you are interested please email Liesel:
liesel@ikamvayouth.org
079 885 4372
Good luck all our Makhaza Ikamvanites!
For the first time ever the Nyanga Branch has had the opportunity to experience the growth and development of the Grade 11 class of 2010 who were our very first Grade 12 class of 2011. We take joy in sharing our achievement of the 2011 Grade 12 class, who have obtained us a 93% Grade 12 pass.
Today we are proud to say, we too have seen the fruits of hard work and that the Future begins now!
Benfilda Mwindi (on the video clip) is from Zimbabwe and came to South Africa in 2008, because she had no one to look after her back at home, while her mom was very sick and her father had come to South Africa to find employment.
She is really courageous and hardworking and has surprised us time and again. Last year she lost her mother and was not able to attend the funeral in Zimbabwe, after she had been sick for a very long time but this has never been a reason for Benfilda to give up.
Anathi Malindi
At Oscar Mpetha High, Asanda Nanise and Anathi Malindi looking at his results.
Anathi has been the true evidence that hard work pays and today his mom says “I am so relieved and happy that his future is bright”. Ananthi is in the Branch Committee and also has been the Grade Head in Grade 11 at the Nyanga Branch, he is ever eager to work harder and do more for the Branch. He has assured us that this year he will be tutor of the year.
He received great news just before he received his good matric results that he has been accepted at the Cape Town University of Technology for Analytical Chemistry and his classes commence on the 17 January 2012.
Anathi received a Bachelor pass.
Yesterday her expression of joy and disbelief filled our small home with warmth.
“Ow sis’Nombu I just can’t believe this!” these where her very first words as she walked into the Nyanga office hugging her accounting tutor (Asanda Nanise, our Branch Assistant).
Benfilda passed with a Bachelor!
Masande Ndongeni
Masande’s achievement brought tears to his mom’s eyes today. On the 21 October 2011, a day before Masande’s Business Studies exam his home was burnt down to untraceable ashes while he was in the Nyanga Library studying. Everything was burnt and all they were left with is the clothes they were wearing and the books that where in his bag. His Accounting books got burnt and he had not written accounting then. With so much determination Masande never gave up but he worked even harder. His mom today expressed how grateful she is to God saying “even though our year ended so badly but I know there is hope for my family”.
Masande received a Diploma pass.
We as the Nyanga Branch are very eager to work even harder and make it our mandate to deliver the vision of Ikamva Youth to the community of Nyanga East. We have learnt that the struggles of the black child are never an excuse to not achieve his or her dreams.
A BIG thank you to all our tutors who have been the biggest supporters of the Nyanga Branch. The year has been very rocky and with never ending challenges but tutors made it their responsibility to make it to the Nyanga Library and help the Nyanga learners and today the Nyanga office would love to thank all of you and hope that we will continue the good work.
Vuyiseka Melani “it’s not just the tutoring that makes us keep on attending at Ikamva but the support and the love we receive from all tutors”.
2012 WE ARE TAKING OVER!!!!
IkamvaYouth learners from township and rural schools achieve 85% pass rate; 42% of which are bachelor passes.
“Today my life begins and I’m so happy” – Anathi Malindi, Grade 12 learner from Nyanga.
Speaking on SAFM on 4th January, Graeme Bloch said that “you have to go to a model c school if you want to do well in matric”. And although the country is celebrating the 70.2% national matric pass rate, analysts agree that this figure masks the inequalities in achievement and access to tertiary study. With learners at township and rural schools severely under-performing, it appears that the higher the school fees the better one’s chances of academic achievement.
Yet IkamvaYouth’s volunteers and learners have once again shown that excellent results are possible, irrespective of which school one attends. There were 100 Grade 12 learners enrolled at IkamvaYouth in 2011, and of the 85% that passed, 42% obtained bachelor passes. This is remarkable given that only 24.3% bachelor passes were achieved nationally; the far majority by ex-model c schools. Two Western Cape branches with their first grade 12 classes did particularly well (Masiphumelele achieved 96% pass; Nyanga 93%), and the Ivory Park branch led the pack with a 100% pass rate). Overall, 70% of learners have achieved the bachelor or diploma passes they need to access tertiary education.
Matriculants at Makhaza Branch, Khayelitsha
IkamvaYouth sets no academic pre-requisite for enrollment in the programme. Most learners join with abysmal academic results and are from impoverished homes with unemployed caregivers. During their time with IkamvaYouth, learners dramatically improve their results, access tertiary education, and as Portia Dlamini’s mother in rural KZN hopes, will be able to “carry the family out of poverty”. Many ikamvanites excelled (25 distinctions overall) and – most importantly – many showed significant improvement. “When I joined IkamvaYouth, my third highest mark was 64%, and today I’ve achieved 5 distinctions”, said Shelton Chadya from Ivory Park. Tshepo Lesejane effectively doubled his maths literacy result (39% when he joined; he matriculated with distinction).
Gauteng Branch celebrating Matrics with Branch Coordinator Joe Manciya
Although celebrating the results, IkamvaYouth’s work with the class of 2011 is far from over. 80% of the learners who failed are eligible for supplementary exams, and tutors will ensure that they’re ready to succeed in these exams in March. While many of those who passed have already been accepted by the country’s top universities, there is still work to be done to ensure that none of the class of 2011 become unemployed. The next step is ensuring that all these learners access tertiary education, training, internships, learnerships or employment. “IkamvaYouth will continue to support all our 2011 matrics as they access quality post-school opportunities and become tutors; enabling the following years’ learners to do the same,” says director Joy Olivier.
The tutors who help the learners to reach these heights are all volunteers. Most are university students and many are ex-learners from IkamvaYouth. They’re also the organisation’s greatest benefactors: next year, ikamvanites will be delivering the equivalent of over 3 million rands’ worth of tutoring time to learners in seven communities in three provinces. The result of this phenomenal investment is an intensive, high quality programme that offers ongoing individual attention and support to learners for under R4500 per learner per year.
As well as our volunteers gratitude must be extended to our funders and donors. In particular IkamvaYouth is especially grateful to the DG Murray Trust, EMpower, the Raimondo Trust, the Potter foundation, the Answer Series, ABI, Hatch, African Bank, Cato Manor ABM, AME Africa, the Anglo Chairman’s Fund, SEF, TSiBA, UWC, DUT, Department of Libraries and Information Science, Learning Trust, Bertha Foundation, Dietschweiler Stiftung, the Foschini Group, iKineo, Education Without Borders, World Teach, Zonke Monitoring Systems, and Capitec Bank for their vital contributions this past year. A great shout big shout out also goes to the countless individuals whose time and money has ensured that IkamvaYouth not only continues to operate in challenging economic times, but can grow and expand its reach and impact.
When announcing the results, the Minister of Basic Education pronounced the eradication of inequality a national priority. IkamvaYouth invites everyone to get involved in transforming our nation, one shining future at a time. IkamvaYouth has branches in the Western Cape (Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Masiphumelele); KZN (Chesterville and a new branch opening in Umlazi) and Gauteng (Ivory Park, and a new branch opening in Ebony Park). IkamvaYouth has maintained a matric pass rate of between 83 and 100% each year since 2005, and true credit for these results must go to the learners, volunteers, the branch teams, and the donors.
Congratulations Class of 2011!
With Wednesday 4 January 2012 fast approaching, hundreds of thousands of 2011 matriculants are anxiously waiting for their final results to be revealed. Last year we predicted we’d see an increase in the overall matric pass-rate despite the disruptive public servant strike and it is therefore too much of a temptation to resist the urge to stick our neck out once more and see if we can call it right again this year. So, although part of this is fun, we must warn you if you’re still in holiday mode that most of this still makes for thoroughly depressing reading (except for the IkamvaYouth results of course which will make you smile).
We’ll start again then with two predictions for the 2011 matric results:
- The first prediction (and one we make with a reasonable degree of confidence based on 5 years of consistently good results) is that Ikamvanites will once again excel despite the incredible obstacles they encounter in their schooling careers. The IkamvaYouth Matric group will once again be an inspiring example of a group of township-based individuals taking their futures into their hands though hard work, collaboration, dedication and commitment. As a result, many more township school learners will access quality post-school opportunities and many more will return to IkamvaYouth as volunteers to help others do the same.
- The second prediction (and this is once again mostly a hunch) is that, at worst, the overall matric pass-rate will stay roughly the same but is likely to improve by a percentage point or two or more. There are a number of reasons for this, not least of which is that the department is getting better at teaching matriculants to write exams (the merits of which is highly debatable) but perhaps most significantly there are very nearly 50 000 fewer fulltime learners writing matric this year than last year. Yes, thats right, FIFTY THOUSAND!!! The mind boggles and it seems the best answer to the question of where these learners have disappeared to is, “Goodness knows”. Straight into thin air it would appear.
There is, however, one possible answer (albeit somewhat cynical) in that this is really a bit of a pattern. There is more than enough evidence in the township schools that IkamvaYouth works with to suggest that these schools routinely inflate their matric results by excluding learners from matric if it appears they are unlikely to pass their final exams. As a case in point: at School A, nearby our Gauteng IkamvaYouth branch, 400 learners are accepted into Grade 8 to begin their high school careers but only 134 learners make it to write their matric exams (and of these just over 50% pass each year). Or, worse, at School B, also very near our Gauteng branch, 350 learners start Grade 8 but only 90 learners make it to matric and of these only 62% pass each year.
Nationally, the situation is even worse. Approximately 1 million learners start Grade 1 around the country each year but only 512 000 full-time learners registered to write matric in 2011. So, even though the class of 2011 is likely to achieve close to a 70% matric pass rate, the real matric pass-rate is actually 38%. Now if that doesn’t spoil your holiday mood then nothing will. Or wait, we could also go further to consider the stupendous tertiary level drop-out rate (roughly 2 out of every 3 students fail to complete their degree) or the FET pass rate (between 10-12%) but the true magnitude of this would probably cause our brains to melt or explode. All of which is fuel for Jay Naidoo’s prediction of an SA “Egyptian moment“.
The bottom line is that in 2011 we have continued to shuffle deck-chairs while the titanic is sinking – no wait, SUNK – the SA schooling titanic has never ever actually been sea worthy and we’re doing ourselves a massive disservice to assume that it has (outside of former model-C or private schools of course). We really have to stop asking the salvage question that goes, “How do we fix education in South Africa?” and instead take a step further backwards and ask the desperately more urgent question “How do we make it fixable?” because right now it isn’t fixable and it isn’t working for 73% of South Africa’s youth.
While IkamvaYouth offers part of a solution it remains only a small part and making the inroads we so urgently need is not something that a handfull of NGOs and individuals can achieve on their own. We can however start in the meantime. All of us who have been priviledged to receive a decent education can make a real, lasting and tangible difference in an individual’s life by investing in their education (and time is at least as good as money). There is no better moment to start than now. We’ll even send you all the pointers you need to get started if you just drop us an email.
.
As for this Wednesday 4 January 2012, on the one hand we will wildly celebrate the SUCCESS of our amazing Ikamvanites, yet at the same time, we will continue to be moved by the annual loss of learners who leave school with limited future prospects and be inspired to do all that we can for as many as we can each year. Why don’t you join us in 2012 if you haven’t done so already?
.
Want to make a difference or help us expand? Then sponsor a learner or IkamvaYouth branch today? Or Volunteer.
IkamvaYouth is offering you a unique opportunity to join us at one of 5 branches across South Africa on the morning of 4th January from 11am, when the matric results are announced. Watch the action unfold with IkamvaYouth staff, volunteers, parents and learners. Witness what we hope to be another matric miracle.
IkamvaYouth is a youth-led educational NGO striving to redress the inequalities and inadequacies that exist in the South African education system. 5 core programmes are offered after-school and on Saturday mornings to hardworking, committed high school youth all over South Africa.
In a country where less than 10% of all youth access tertiary education (SAIRR study, 2009), and 41.6% of 18-24 year olds are not in education/training or employment (CHET,2009), IkamvaYouth is constantly battling against the odds.
However, since its inception in 2003 IkamvaYouth has enabled more than 400 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to complete high school and have continually achieved un-expected results.
IkamvaYouth’s matric classes have achieved pass rates of between 87 and 100% each year since 2005. More than 70% of the last three grade 12 groups have gained access to tertiary education compared to a township average of approximately 5%.
In 2011 there have been a number of setbacks and problems that have threatened to throw learners off course, yet they have persevered throughout the year and will gather on the 4th January to see if it pays off and if the Ikamvanites once again exceed their own and society’s expectations.
These results determine the futures of these young people. Without a matric pass learners are less likely to access employment and if they do so they will on average earn 5 times less than their graduated peers. Passing matric is the first step for learners on the path to further study, employment and for those from disadvantaged backgrounds it is a rare chance to lift themselves out of poverty.
This is the moment we see if it is possible for the matrics of 2011 to succeed when everything is pointed against them.
We look forward to having you there to speak to learners, volunteers and staff, as the action happens.
Contact: Zoe Mann, 0798854388
www.ikamvayouth.org
Please note that IkamvaYouth is closed from 16 Dec – 4 Jan. Happy Holidays!
At the beginning of every year, 1.3 million children begin school in Grade 1 but only 550 000 write Matric. Of these, only 68% will pass. And of these, 25% scrape through with 30s and 40s.
The effective Matric pass-rate in South Africa every year is thus actually closer to 29%.
And this is before we even begin to look at university retention rates and the spine-chilling FET college pass rates. I often say to people that as bad as you think the education landscape in South Africa is, it’s actually worse.
Which brings me to the conclusion that if this is not a YOUTH ISSUE then I don’t know what is.
There is surely no more pressing concern for young people across this country than the dismal state of education that every year systematically robs them of their futures.
How is it then that education will barely feature at this weekend’s ANC Youth League elective conference as representatives of the most influential youth movement in the country meet to discuss their plans for the next four years? Can we not see that the chains of poverty are firmly entrenched in the dysfunctionality of our schools? Do we not realise that the failure of our education system is causing as much damage as the race-based policies of old? Are we so blinded by our personal agendas so as to be unable to distinguish between what will alleviate poverty and what will entrench it?
The ANCYL is absolutely correct and justifed to point out that we need more equitable and more workable solutions to the massive problems of land reform, to righting past injustices and to creating broad-based economic inclusion in this country (you would have a hard time arguing against this) but without the provision of quality education any/every solution will be temporary at best and exascerbating at worst. We simply cannot end poverty without the access to quality opportunities that decent education provides. This is the bottom line and it is a mantra we should repeat over and over again until we are blue in the face – we should NEVER grow tired of saying this.
I guess what is especially puzzling is the assertion that nationalisation and wholesale land redistribution on its own is a solution to poverty. Any potential solution that is not also forward-looking and does not include improving education is tenuous at best. The hard truth is that there are not too many examples around the world, if any, where nationalisation has actually lessened the suffering of ordinary people. At best, the status quo remains the same and all that changes are the ‘elite’ at the trough. But on the contrary, there are countless examples of quality education acting as a springboard towards a better future not only for individuals but for an entire country – look no further than Singapore.
But we don’t even need to look that far, at IkamvaYouth we discovered that the average first pay-cheque of a learner who joins IkamvaYouth, who improves her school marks, who gets into university and who graduates after three years will be 5 times the collective income of her entire household when she first joined IkamvaYouth. It’s as simple as that. In 5 years the cycle of poverty in a family is broken and it’s broken on the back of decent education.
We really need more creative and imaginative thought from our leaders and especially from the ANCYL as the problem of dismal education is a YOUTH problem. The empty platitude that everyone is entitled to quality education is clearly not going to cut it. This really is thus nothing short of a desperate plea on behalf the voiceless hundreds of thousands of young people to make this the number 1 priority in all programmes post this year’s elective conference.
Finally, as this is Youth Day, June 16, we cannot but think of the young people of Soweto of 1976 who so courageously took to the streets and chanted slogans like “Liberation before Education” in front of an intimidating and ruthless foe. Today however, our minds must be unalterable in confronting a foe at least as intimidating and ruthless as before and we ask you to join us in declaring that now is the time of “Liberation through Education”.
Please consider volunteering at an IkamvaYouth branch near you.
Or if you can’t volunteer please consider a financial contribution towards ending poverty.
Or at the very least, please spread the word that we simply cannot end poverty without the access to quality opportunities that decent education provides and let’s hope that this finds traction in the corridors of influence.
* Photo: IkamvaYouth learners picket with Equal Education outside the Union Buildings in April 2011.
Lloyd Lungu