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This year has been a difficult yearfor learners like Noluvuyo Somacala, a student from Finetown Secondary School (a school in Finetown, east of Johannesburg). She is a grade 12 learner that shared her experience of having to prepare for her final examination during the time of COVID-19. Somacala was emotional when talking about the pressure, as she repeatedly said she does not want to repeat Grade 12.
Somacala blames the pandemic for their poor academic performance this year because they are expected to goto university next year. But that still remains to be seen as they only started with final examinations on Thursday, 5 November 2020.
The South African Government has put in place the Standard Learning Strategies for this year due to pandemic. But the question is, is it enough because most learners did not have resources to access these programs?
It is not just first time grade 12 learners that are not confident about this year’s final examination. Adult students who were attending the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) lessons, spoke about the difficulties of preparing for their final examination.
Kenny Mpengesi said,”it has been tough. Life Science is the worse” Mpengesi was speaking about how he is not going to write Life Science.
ABET students like Mpengesi only attended school for four months this year, and there was no time to catch up.
On the other hand, Manana Mofokeng has been trying to study at home to a point where she felt that the government must just give 20% for all the students who will attempt to write their final examinations without any proper preparations.
Mofokeng added that, ”It is not fair, and it is not our fault. We want to be able to write, but this year has been stolen by COVID-19. God only knows if we will get the best results at the end of the exams.
The year has been a nightmare for most of the students that have been looking forward to final exams. Now they fear for their future, and are just hoping for the best despite all the challenges.” She concluded.
This article was submitted on 4 November 2020. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
Sisanda Lwana Kulima is a Community Healthcare Worker and Advocates for social justice in society. She is also an Activist who believes in the inevitability of socialism.
Lwana-Kulima currently writes for the Forum News and Karibu in her capacity as a member of the Forum of Activist Journalists.
