81% access to post-school opportunities for IkamvaYouth’s class of 2010 More than half return as tutors and mentors for the next generation
Above: Happy matrics from the Gauteng celebrate their registration
Less than 10% of all South African youth access tertiary education (SAIRR study, 2009), and 41.6% of 18-24 year olds are not in education/training or employment (CHET,2009). It is no doubt largely those children living in poverty and attending under-resourced schools, as opposed to middle class children, whose reality is largely reflected in these statistics.
Yet 81% of IkamvaYouth’s passing matriculants have accessed post-school placements in 2011. This is despite the fact that the far majority of IkamvaYouth’s learners’ caregivers are unemployed, disabled or deceased. They have not let poverty and challenging home environments prevent them from enrolling at institutions including UCT, Wits, UKZN, UNISA, DUT, UWC, CPUT, to study fields such as Environmental Science, Electrical Engineering, Psychology, Business, Nursing, Computer Science, Social Science, Journalism and Physiotherapy.
68 learners from Khayelitsha, Ebony Park, Cato Manor and Molweni sat the examinations at the end of last year and 59 passed. Here are the matric results per province:
· 85% pass in Western Cape (of whom 48% achieved bachelor and 39% diploma)
· 85% in KZN (of whom 50% achieved bachelor and 45% diploma),
– 94% in Gauteng (of whom 63% bachelor and 25% diploma).
42% are now at university, 38% at colleges, 6% at technikons, and 6% have been awarded learnerships. These figures exclude the learners who failed and one learner who we are struggling to make contact with. Each of the 9 learners who failed will remain in the programme and retake their grade 12 exams, together with an additional 3 learners who have chosen to retake and improve their results.
IkamvaYouth instills a culture of learning which fuels the desire to achieve. It also encourages these learners to pay-it-forward and 51% will be volunteering at their branches to inspire the younger learners to emulate their successes. “IkamvaYouth has instilled a sense of determination and self-belief, and young people from township communities are truly being the change”, says Thobela Bixa, an ex-learner who is studying for his Masters in Chemistry at UCT. He pays-it-forward at the Makhaza branch and now sits on the organisation’s board of directors.
Ikamvanites all over the country are taking their future into their own hands. A person with a degree can earn almost five times more than someone without matric (CHET, 2009), and Mandela was spot on when he said “It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.”
IkamvaYouth is thrilled to report that this year its two newest branches – Nyanga and Masiphumelele – will have grade 12 cohorts for the first time, and is looking forward to achieving similarly excellent results with many more learners in 2011 and beyond.
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NATIONAL FIGURES
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Number of students
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Percentage
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Students who sat matric
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68
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Number of passes
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59
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86.76
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|
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Number of fails
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9
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13.24
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|
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Students that can’t be traced
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1
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1.47
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|
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Students retaking at the end of the year
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13
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19.12
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No placement
|
7
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10.29
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Placements
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47
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81.03
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Matrics excluding un-tracables and failed matrics
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58
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Post-school placements exc non-traceables and failed matrics
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81.03
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|
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Of those students who have post-school placements
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|
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University
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20
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42.55
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Technikon
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3
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6.38
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College/ institutes
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18
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38.30
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learnership
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6
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12.77
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Paying-it-Forward
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Students returning to volunteer
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35
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51.47
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Lets compare…
More than a week has passed since Ikamvanites along with their fellow Grade 12’s received their matric results. Whilst Ikamvanites are busy with registration and sorting out their accommodation etc we have taken the time to make some stark comparisons with the results achieved by our Ikamvanites and those achieved by the schools that they attend.
This is the first comparison of individual schools compared with IkamvaYouth’s results, and is for the Western Cape province. Firstly, this comparison helps to highlight that the IkamvaYouth pass rate in the Western Cape is 21% higher than the national average and 12% higher than the provincial average.
These figures are even more impressive when one takes into account that the provincial average is based on all schools, including well-resourced schools demonstrating 100% pass rates. If we isolate the schools attended by Ikamvanites (under-resourced schools), the difference is revealed even more starkly.
In every single case the IkamvaYouth pass rates far exceed the school pass rates. For instance, the majority of Makhaza learners attend Chris Hani Secondary School which performed poorly, with only 44% of matric students passing. However, all the Ikamvanites that attend Chris Hani passed. Such a disparity between school averages and IkamvaYouth’s results speak for themselves.
In addition if we break down these results into Bachelor, Diploma, and Higher Certificate passes, IkamvaYouth triumphs again by exceeding both the national and provincial averages. Furthermore the same pattern is displayed when comparing to individual school results; IkamvaYouth’s 37% BA pass rate smashes Chris Hani’s 11%.
So, when these learners are directly compared to the local schools, and compared directly within their context they are achieving overwhelmingly good grades. They are breaking the cycle they are escaping the trap that so many youth fall into because they fail to get that academic and social support that they need.
Please have your say about these results and comparisons.
| |
Western Cape IkamvaYouth |
National Ave |
Provincial Ave |
Chris Hani |
Sizimisle |
Sinako |
Harry Gwala |
Isilimela |
| No. of Learners who wrote: |
27 |
537543 |
|
245 |
108 |
206 |
166 |
202 |
| No. of Learners who passed: |
24 |
366072 |
|
107 |
68 |
73 |
75 |
125 |
| Overall Pass Rate |
89% |
68% |
77% |
44% |
63% |
35% |
45% |
62% |
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| Bachelor Pass |
37% |
24% |
31% |
11% |
19% |
2% |
10% |
14% |
| Diploma Pass |
33% |
27% |
30% |
18% |
25% |
18% |
19% |
19% |
| Higher Certificate |
15% |
17% |
15% |
15% |
19% |
15% |
16% |
29% |
| Fail/Supplementary |
15% |
32% |
19% |
56% |
37% |
65% |
55% |
38% |
It gives us great pleasure to report on the 2010 matric results for the Ivory Park branch of IkamvaYouth. Our first ever matric group benefitted tremendously from the collective efforts of a great group of volunteers through the countless hours of tutoring, career guidance and mentoring. The end result is that these Ikamvanites achieved a remarkable 94% Matric Pass Rate and 82% of the class of 2010 are eligible to access tertiary education this year.
We’re celebrating these results for so many reasons not least of which is confirmation once more of the replicability and effectiveness of the IkamvaYouth model. But perhaps even more importantly, these results show what is possible when a group of dedicated individuals intent on making a positive difference get together with minimal resources but bucket-loads of commitment and enthusiasm. Hats off to all of you who contributed last year and especially to our regular volunteers as your contribution will be felt for many years to come.
There are also individual achievements to be celebrated, and we congratulate Brighton Dube for scoring an incredible 5 distinctions and being awarded the KPMG Bursary for his Accountancy studies this year. Equally impressive is Matthew Mlahleki who arrived at IkamvaYouth with 43% for Maths and 45% for Science but matriculated with 5 B’s (including Maths and Science). We expect Matthew to be studying electrical engineering at Wits this year (we are awaiting final confirmation from the university). Overall it is not just the pass-rate that pleases us but also the quality of the passes with 59% of our group attaining bachelor level passes and 23% diploma level passes.
Once again, thank you to all of you who played a part in this success (big or small) and we hope you feel proud of what you have helped to make a reality. We’re especially grateful for the contributions from our supporters: Datatec, Transnet, Hatch, Resolve, Nashua Mobile, Schneider-Electric and Calvary Methodist Church and we look forward to what 2011 has in store.
We will be holding an Open Day for interested learners and parents on 22 January with final applications due on 5 February. The first tutoring sessions are due to begin again on 12 Feb. Sign up here to receive weekly schedule updates from the Ebony/Ivory Park branch.
For the full results of our other branches, click here: https://ikamvayouth.org.www518.jnb1.host-h.net/blog/2011/01/07/wow-we-did-well-ikamvanites-achieve-excellent-results-yet-again
So Andrew’s matric result predictions were both spot on! While analysis and discussion on the second point will follow next week, today we’re celebrating the first: that ikamvanites will once again excel 🙂
Ikamvanites have shown, once again, that transformation is possible, despite the odds. The great news is that 78% of the class of 2010 is eligible to move from township schools to tertiary institutions next year!
It has been a difficult year for matrics across the country, with much of the school year lost to the World Cup and public sector strikes, and learners in township schools have been hit especially hard. Yet ikamvanites achieved an 87% pass rate, with 52% Bachelor passes and 38% diploma passes. 36 distinctions were awarded. We’re producing results comparable to the country’s top (and highly resourced) schools in our mission to redress inequality in South Africa: Well done to everyone who’s ensured that our matric pass rate has been between 87 and 100% since 2005!
Each branch has achieved excellent results:
- 85% pass in Western Cape (of whom 48% achieved bachelor and 39% diploma)
- 85% in KZN (of whom 50% achieved bachelor and 45% diploma), and
- 94% in Gauteng (of whom 63% bachelor and 25% diploma).
Of those learners that failed 70% are eligible to write supplementary exams, and we need all hands on deck to ensure they get the support they need.
While we are very proud of our learners and these achievements, the real measure of IkamvaYouth’s success is our ability to help learners access post-school opportunities. Achieving these results is a first big step, yet many obstacles need to be overcome in the next few weeks, including actually being accepted, finding money for registration fees and navigating the bureaucracy of institutions and financial aid. Some of our learners have already received confirmation of university placements and scholarships, but there is work to be done to meet our target of at least 60% enrolling at tertiary with the remainder securing learnerships or employment.
The young social entrepreneurs (i.e. the rockstars Khona, Joe & Andrew, Winile, Nombu, Nico& Zoe&Sue) that run IkamvaYouth’s branches have successfully leveraged the power of volunteerism and strategic partnerships (with local universities, public libraries, NGOs, companies and foundations) to replicate the IkamvaYouth model. Together with their awesome volunteers, they ensure that learners receive the information and support they need to succeed despite the challenges of township school education. These results are possible thanks to the learners’ and volunteers’ hard work and the rallied support of diverse stakeholders. The fully sponsored Answer Series Study Guides were no doubt a big boost in assisting our learners. IkamvaYouth garnered support from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) last year, and hopes to partner with other Education Departments in 2011.
Many learners jumped 2-3 symbols since joining the organisation, and there have been excellent individual results. Brighton Dube, a Gauteng ikamvanite, received five distinctions. Simphiwe Ndzube, a committed Ikamvanite at the Masiphumelele branch achieved 94% in visual art and has been accepted at UCT’s Michaelis Art School. He says “What made me focus; I had a dream, a goal to get into university, which motivated me to work hard, study every day, and I was aided by the supported from my family, friends, teachers and IkamvaYouth mentors. Wow, I did well! UCT here I come! I am proud of myself!” Thabisile Cele, an ikamvanite in KZN, had to overcome the challenge of her parents not understanding why she studied late into the night. Her parents were often unhappy with her “wasting electricity” while studying at night (her father is disabled and unemployed). Encouraged by her sister (a former ikamvanite) not to give up, Thabisile saved up some money and bought candles. Her family is celebrating her Bachelor’s pass and acceptance to study Environmental Studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN).
Matthew Mlahleki celebrates his 5Bs and 3Cs with tutors Fulufelo Tshigomana and Clement Shai at IY Gauteng
“We are thrilled that the class of 2010 has achieved the results to make this change happen for themselves and for others”, says IkamvaYouth KZN director Khona Dlamini. Winile Mabhoko, the Khayelitsha branch coordinator, expects that most of these matriculants will return as volunteer tutors and mentors, as has happened in previous years. Class of 2010: Please pay-it-forward and register as IY tutors!
We’re welcoming new learners in grades 8-11 into its programmes. Interested learners, parents and volunteers should make their way to their nearest branch on 22 January for IkamvaYouth’s Open Day, to find out how to become an ikamvanite.
Lloyd Lungu