Every year, the transition from school to tertiary study or work marks a thrilling milestone, and a vulnerable one.
For many matriculants, leaving home means stepping out of a familiar support network into new freedoms, pressures and temptations.

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But at Lifeway Community Church on 12th Avenue on January 25, a Sunday service to celebrate eight of its matriculants made clear that faith communities can play a significant role in helping young people navigate this risky passage.

The ceremony had parents wearing graduation gowns, which served as a public affirmation that education matters in faith spaces and a reminder to the learners that the end of high school is the start of a longer journey of learning and character formation.

Church leader Reverend Lionel Malebana said of the eight learners, six passed with bachelor’s passes and two earned diploma passes, necessitating the Sunday celebration. “We wanted to congratulate the matriculants and pray for them to get bursaries at the universities.”

Beyond celebrations, the church sought to give the learners good counsel to sustain them and their faith as they venture into independence as young adults. “When they leave their parents and the church, we told them that they must try by all means to live a good life, and not adopt the life of drugs and other things,” Malebana added.

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His advice is based on the fact that independence can remove daily supervision by adults, expose youth to peer pressure, and sever the informal safety nets that once guided decisions. But Malebana’s church is trying to prevent this rupture by keeping ties alive. He said the church intended to maintain contact with the learners even as they headed to universities. “There are two women who will ensure that they communicate with the students regularly.”

For the learners, the church’s recognition mattered. Karabo Makgoba, a former East Bank High learner who earned a bachelor’s pass and hopes to become a chartered accountant, appreciated being celebrated. “I feel so happy because it was so unexpected, being appreciated even at church means a lot.”

Kamogelo Ntjie, who now holds a bachelor’s pass with three distinctions, also feels joy and enthusiasm at the journey that now awaits her. She credited prayer and church support for her resilience. As she now plans to study Information Technology at the University of Johannesburg, she believes they will carry her through.

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