Some day we may be mining our landfills for the resources we’ve buried. A scary fact presented to the learners of IY’s Chesterville on their Operation Clean Up which was
held on the morning of Thursday, 28 June.
This was a new initiative piloting in Winter School in an aide to get our learners to give
back to the community that they’ve grown up in ( majority if our learners either attend
school within the Chesterville area and/or live within the area – or surroundings )
Durban Solid Waste and Ethekwini Municipality’s Parks and Recreation played a
major role in making this day possible. Thursdays activities started with the learners
taking a walk through the Education & Waste Minimisation Mobile Training Centre –
a bus which travels around various schools and communities within the municipalities
educating society about waste management and recycling through joint collaborations
between the municipality, Engen and the Association of Waste Management.
Mr Njebo, who is in KwaZulu Natal’s head office of Waste Management delivered a talk
about recycling and gave learners ideas on household waste they can recycle.
After all this, learners and tutors were separated into various groups and it was time to
walk around Chesterville to help clean up the community. DSW kindly sponsored gloves
as well as plastic bags which we would use to collect all the waste we found along our
way.
Our first stop was the local hospice where learners cleaned outside the premises, the yard
and gardens. Thereafter we took a walk down towards the St Anthony’s Church’s mission amidst
the support and cheers of local community members.
Arriving at the mission, we were greeted by a Parks and Recreation truck which was
there to deliver the tools sponsored by the department which would be used to clean up
the yard.
Once again learners were separated into groups and cleaned around the yard of the
mission as well as clearing the yard of weeds.
Learners enjoyed clearing up the garden and we are looking forward to hopefully return
to plant a few vegetables for the abused and abandoned women and children which this
mission houses.
After our Operation Clean Up, Chesterville learners returned to DUT for academic
tutoring. At this time, Umlazi learners, who had started the morning in the classroom,
began their Operation Clean Up with a presentation from Zanele, from the DSW
education department. The presentation focused on various aspects such as awareness of
pollution, waste management, different disposal areas in KZN and what effect waste has
on the environment.
Zanele futher empasised the importance of “the 3 Rs” (Reduce, Re-use, Re-cycle), in
combating the negative impact waste has on the environment.
Another important aspect which they touched on was the illegal dumping of waste
especially by our households when they miss the scheduled time of the municipal truck
picking up waste in the neighborhood.
After the insightful presentation, learners were taken to the beach, not to swim, but to
give back to their environment, by cleaning up the litter in the area.
Having Joy Olivier ( co-founder of IkamvaYouth ) and Zamo Shongwe ( IY’s National Coordinator ) join
The clean-up was an added treat for the learners. The amount of litter collected in the
few minutes that the learners were there (just under 30 minutes) was a real eye opener.
Learners really got to see just how bad the issue of pollution on our beaches actually is.
We hope that this is the start of a great initiative and that learners will be able to use all
the knowledge that they gained about taking care of their environment, within their daily
lives.
Last year the Makhaza branch had an opportunity to pilot a project with Education without Borders (EwB) who aims to provide improved educational opportunities and facilities in disadvantaged regions of the world. The program focussed on Grade 8s in aid to work through and understand basic math principles that highlight the simplicity of mathematics and emphasises the critical importance of foundational skills while acknowledging the complicated challenges and circumstances of life, which many of IkamvaYouth learners are coping with.
With the phenomenal results achieved in 2011 that you can read about here, the program continued with our new cohort of grade 8s. Beginning in January thus far they have completed two of the books in the program, and during winter school made headways into the third book.
Thus far, of the 20 learners who started the program at the beginning of 2012 in total, 3 were excluded because of poor attendance, 1 dropped out and the rest have begun to show the results expected looking at last years group. The group is a complete mix from 6 different schools in Khayelitsha.
Class Assessment
We have held two internal assessment tests during the first two terms. The first assessment test held in term 1 was based on work covered by Book 1. The second assessment test held in term 2 was based on the work covered by Book 2. The results of learners for the first two tests are shown below.
The chart above shows clearly the increase in math ability achieved by 16 of 20 Grade 8’s who wrote the assessment tests in the first two terms. Some learners were still finding it difficult to catch up with others as they still struggle to understand the basic fundamentals, however there is quite an improvement judging from term one school results.
Comparison of average percentage in Internal assessments vs. School results
It is clear that almost all learners scored higher in the internal test than their school results, not only does this program cover the basic fundamentals in basic math literacy, through the peer to peer learning and an environment created while attending tutoring sessions at IkamvaYouth that these students excel in many of their other subjects, as well as with their self confidence when approaching problems that arise and the means to approach them.
Learner performance
The learners who have be attending regularly showed great improvement and the results are showing improved confidence and with increased attendance the better the results, there has also been significant peer-to-peer learning and problem solving collaboration.
While most students show increases in results there have been 5 standout students who have excelled showing significant results with the internal tests administered as well as excelling in their school results.
|
Learner
|
Results %
Book 1 Book 2 School avg
|
|
A
|
98
|
76
|
80
|
|
B
|
96
|
74
|
79
|
|
C
|
81
|
70
|
77
|
| D |
83
|
64
|
75
|
|
E
|
65
|
70
|
70
|
Looking at the past Grade 8 group currently in Grade 9: *
Since this is the second year implimenting this program with our Grade 8s, it is also interesting to look at the results of the grade 9s and to compare those who were part of initial grade 8 group versus new students in grade 9 who began this year at IkamvaYouth. To do this a test was administered with the following results:
Existing Ikamvanites scored an average of 23.6/60 on the test versus new Ikamvanites who scored an average of 19.9/60
This test is one, imperfect, snapshot of the mathematical competencies. It could be criticised for being “too hard” and including many problems not yet covered in the syllabus. However, a very basic conclusion can be drawn that the existing Ikamvanites scored better than the new Ikamvanites and attained a higher average as a group.
* Many thanks to Andrew Einhorn for administering the tests and providing these results
Well done Grade 8s keep it up!!
Special thanks to:
Cecil and Ruth Hershler -funding provided through Education Without Borders
‘Yes We Can’ math books writen by Dr Rahael Jalan
Nicholas Mei – Grade 8 tutor
The hallway was buzzing and excitement filled the air as learners from Umlazi and Chesterville branches gathered outside Durban University of Technology’s ( DUT) passages of the library basements.
It was a mixture of old and new learners as well as old and new tutors all waiting in anticipation for the official start of Winter School. With the first half of the day dedicated to academic/tutoring activies and the latter to activities, fun and learning were definitely on the cards for the week.
This was the perfect opportunity to introduce our Reading Corner initiative, the brainchild of our Branch Assistant Cheryl Nzama. Having collected books from friends as well as a generous loan by the Umlazi AA Library ( where IY Umlazi is based ) we had a large box of books to spread amongst all learners from both branches. The aim of our book corner is not only to get learners interested in reading but also to enhance their English reading and writing skills.
Tuesday saw the arrival of the Answer Series books which IY learners over the years have used during Homework and Saturday Sessions as well as for preparation for exams. All this is possible through the kind sponsorship of The Answer , who provide these study guides for all our learners across the grades.
A lot of Grade 11 IY learners count Wednesday as their favourite day week 1. This is because Durban University of Technology‘s Chemistry lab ( through the assistance of senior Lecturer and Lab Assistant Mr Roy Nursagh donated half of the morning ( and some of their staff members ) towards doing various Chemistry practicals with learners – a great fete as most learners are in schools who are not equipped with Chemistry labs and only depend on their textbooks to study. Learners had the chance to do four different experiments as well as watch a presentation by Mr Roy for two other experiments.
The two branches went their separate ways on Thursday for Operation Clean Up, an initiative aimed at encouraging environmental awareness and offering the learners an opportunity to back to their environment . Early in the morning Chesterville learners met up at the Vuyani Nkosi Memorial Centre where IY Chesterville is based and cleaned up the Chesterville Hospice, the main road ( Mahlathi Road ) as well as the St Anthony’s Church’s Mission which houses old aged as well as abused women and children.
Through the assistance of Chesterville’s Area Based Management ( ABM ), Durban Solid Waste ( DSW ) donated plastics, gloves as well as an Environmental Bus and guest speaker for the event was Mr Njeba while Ethekwini Municipality’s Parks, Recreation and Culture donated tools used to clean up the yard. Both companies were also kind enough to sponsor 2 trucks and 4 municipal workers that picked up the litter collected by learners as well as the rubble from the mission.
Friday, learners were combined and then separated into 4 groups : Yellow, Green, Blue and Red which were The Peacemakers, Ingqungqulu, Blue Bullz and Umlilo respectively.
This was for our set to be annual event : Sports Day, an idea brought about by our Umlazi Branch Coordinator S’bonelo Cele.
Various games such as Soccer, Netball as well as 100m, 400m and 400m Relay races and indigenous games such as Hopscotch, Amagende, Sprite and uShumpu were played and saw The Peacemakers ( Yellow ) walk away as the official winners of the event having collected the most points. ABI were the proud sponsors of this event which they also dubbed their CSI Day. Read more about the day here.
Having begun in 2003 in Sinako High School in Khayelitsha, initiated by Joy Olivier and Makhosi Gogwana, IkamvaYouth now has 7 branches in 3 provinces across South Africa. Over these 9 years, we have touched the lives of thousands of learners, parents, teachers, tutors and staff.
#WhereAreTheyNow takes an indepth look at the lives of individuals whose lives have crossed with IkamvaYouth and the changes this brought about.
New faces join us every year and old faces make an appearance every now and then.
With this series of blogs and biographies, we introduce you to all those that believe we made a difference in their lives and those that return to be the difference. We also honour those who have helped IkamvaYouth grow and moved on to other pastures.
In our first interview, we take a look at the life of Buhlebakhe Ngongoma , a return tutor based at our Chesterville branch. He joined IY when it first begun in KZN in 2007 and is now preparing for his Board Exams while studying for his BCom Accounting at UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg Camp.
Take a look at the full biography here .
Winter school snuck up on us this year, and not in an unassuming king of way, kind of when a loud bang goes off next to you when you least expecting it kind of way Yes… just like that!
160 learners, 40 tutors, 3 busses and loads of enthusiasm, excitement and passion charged their way down the N2 to UCT Middle Campus for 10 days of learning, discovering and fun.
It’s hard to believe what we work so hard to plan for months before all ends seemingly faster than when it began! And with SO many amazing workshops, challenging tutoring times and passion from all the volunteers and learners it’s hard to give an overview of what happened this year, but I’ll try!
– Grade 11 and 12 chemistry workshops in the UCT Chemistry Labs – facilitated by Thobela Bixa, check out his incredible achievement here
– Tutoring for all the grades working through past exam papers and Answer Series books. With over 40 volunteers we achieved a ratio today of 1:4 learners per tutor! Talk about an intense time!
– PSH (Peers in Sexual Health) ran self-awareness workshops, while Sunstep got involved making alarms and facilitating other experiments with physics students.
– Rose, a volunteer from Stanford is working this week on a photography workshop, while other students got involved in deep debate.
– Andreas and his team from ERM, and Matthew from Cape Leopard Trust made sure the students got to grips with our environment, learning about how to make their immediate environment more sustainable, going for walks in Tokai forest finding a few wild animals along the way..
– Capitec ran some financial literacy training workshops, have a read about how they went here
– Nadia ran a very creative workshop where learners molded their own pots from clay (a little messy, a LOT of fun)
– Nkuli and the guys from Live Magazine were back this year for some photo shoot action, as well as creating content for their YouTube channel
– South African Astronomical Observatory ran workshops about what’s happening in our solar system, while the week ended off with Joy from UCT Wellness Centre putting our students through their dramatic paces presenting various health issues
Not to forget while this is all happening the Grade 11 & 12 students all ran through Operation Fikelela, a computer literacy program, while tutors set projects, homework and feedback sessions for all the grades.
Tuesday (26 June) in the first week also marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Mphumzi Klaas, our friend, our confidant and a huge part of the Makhaza branch. We began the very emotional day with a very moving memorial service with a few people speaking, a video being show and most poignantly the choir singing moving the room to fresh tears as if one year ago was yesterday. And while the Ikamvanites once again balance grieving and all the madness that winter school brings, they did this instead of with incredible sadness and heavy hearts, but with a spirit of tenacity and perseverance they threw themselves into tutoring and workshops, with a renewed commitment to making this the best winter school possible, to show that through adversity and sadness, good can come, that people when united can make the impossible happen.
WOW! With so much happening, the biggest winter school IY has ever had finished with bang, and almost as fast as it arrived it was all over, classrooms packed up and cleaned, busses full to bursting on a day with some of the biggest downpour Cape Town has seen this winter, I can only begin to think of all the fun and excitement we can expect next year! Only after a loooooooooooong rest though…
A huge Huge HUUUUUGE thanks to ALL the workshop facilitators, tutors and learners – Your passion, commitment, excitement and leadership shown over these two weeks make this one of the best winter schools ever! Also to Lolita, Deidre and all that UCT for availing the space to us, BIG UP!!!
While all the Makhaza students enjoy the last week of their winter school holidays, taking a much needed break from the intense focused energy needed for winter school, the Western Cape matrics have given up their entire holiday to continue with tutoring, mentoring, exam preparation, and tertiary applications.
This week sees intensive academic writing and bursary application writing workshops being run by Rose and Francisca, two volunteers from Stanford university, as well as each matric filling out at least 5 application forms for tertiary. It’s only Wednesday and so far everyone has applied for UCT, TSiBA, UWC, CPUT, Northlink and a few for Stellenbosch University. All this interspersed with tutoring, tutoring and more tutoring (with the odd test thrown in..)
Big up matrics!! The end is nearly in sight, by giving up your holiday for this last gasp of intensive tutoring and mentoring it’s setting yourself up for a spectacular finish at the end of the year!
There are only a few days left, if you are interested in tutoring or mentoring the matrics, please email liesel@ikamvayouth.org, alternatively call Zukile on 021 362 6799
Lloyd Lungu