These are the people that South Africa need.
This is according to Dr Jaco Deacon, CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS), in reaction to the announcement of the matric results. Against all odds there was a slight increase in the pass rate of the matric class of 2021.
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Percentage-wise it is only a small increase but it represents something that is anything but small. Here we have a group of people – learners and teachers – who managed to improve on previous performance despite two years of extensive disruption.”
Deacon said to grasp the real extent of this achievement it is important to keep in mind the challenges faced by these learners over the past two years.
“We should also not forget the emotional trauma of illness and death, job losses, poverty and other challenges brought about by the pandemic. The resilience of this group of matriculants is remarkable. And resilience – that unique ability to bounce back from any setback – is one of the most importance skills in achieving success.”
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The teachers also deserve to share in the accolades.
These dedicated teachers faced the same challenges as the learners. The physical and emotional challenges of the pandemic were also their reality. Yet they went out of their way to put in extra work, time and effort to ensure that the learners are able to complete their school careers.”
Deacon said learners and educators of independent schools should also be congratulated.
“This year’s matric results of public and independent schools are really a ray of light in a dark time. There will always be work to do in order to improve the education sector but for these results all those involved deserve a distinction for character and perseverance.”
“Without supportive school communities schools will not exist. And without schools our country has no future. We should therefore celebrate these matric results for what it represents: a beacon of hope.”
*FEDSAS is a voluntary association of school governing bodies of public schools and supports quality education in these schools. More than 2 000 public schools are already members of FEDSAS.
