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Matrics have taught us what our leaders can’t
Excuses from load-shedding, to lockdown to possibly even family members passing away were available to matrics, yet they forged ahead.
2021’s top matric pupils pose for a photo at a breakfast held by the Department of Basic Education at the Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg, 20 January 2022. Picture: Neil McCartney
Take a bow matrics! You’ve done it! There will be those who worry about the adjustments. There will be those who are concerned about the low thresholds for a pass. There will even be those who try use you as fodder for their political gain. Whatever. Sure, take heed of what they say but…
Let nobody take this away from you.
For generations, we developed a schooling system where we dangled the matric carrot in front of pupils. You would go through all the stuff from grade 1, being told how awesome your matric year will be – privileges, parties, growth, learning, the lot!
In 2020, that carrot kinda rotted. Most of you were in grade 11 being told how important your grade 11 marks were for university applications. You were also faced with uncertainty about how the world would look. Suddenly your dreams were dealt questions nobody had answers to. Then, in 2021, you had to go through most of that again.
No generation since the 1940s has had to endure what you’ve had to. Sure, there were moments of difficulty in history. I doubt anybody would claim they were as sustained as the ones faced in the last two years… and yet, here you are. You did it.
Some of you may not be satisfied. Some may not have crossed the line. That’s okay. It happens every year and say what you want about the education system, it does have awesome ways of catching you up if need be.
Looking at individuals is obviously vital but today, let’s congratulate you as a class.
Visit The Citizen’s matric portal to view your results and see who South Africa’s top performers are.
Over the last two years, we’ve burned through R500 billion in Covid grants and well, that’s not gone amazingly well, but you… you lot …with limitations on sanity and resources, you pulled it together and delivered results. People will say they could have been better but then again, they always could be better. Those people didn’t have to do it the way you did.
Over the last two years, we’ve seen businesses close, government departments blaming Covid for everything but Bafana’s loss to Ghana. We’ve had excuse after excuse why Covid has caused such inability for our leadership to function. Everywhere we look, the lockdown has caused devastation but then we look to you. There you are, having gotten on with the task at hand, adapting, moving, learning! You shine brightly as a hopeful example that excuses are inexcusable and that it is possible to do anything, even when we have to do it in circumstances we were not prepared for.
As you rise from your bow, turn to your parents, grandparents or whoever kept you going and thank them for their sacrifices. When you return, turn to your teachers and thank them for taking on the stress of a home life and this new intimidating way of teaching. It takes a village to raise a child and you have made the South African village proud.
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I’m certain that there isn’t a governmental leader anywhere in South Africa who would volunteer to endure what you’ve been through. I’m certain because while you were getting on, they were spinning reasons why they weren’t.
For one thing, you knew that you had to get to the other end of this. You knew the importance of acquiring the matric knowledge and making it through your exams. You did what you needed to do.
I’m happy to say that you’ve set the bar high and I implore you not to let it end here. You’re told basically every day that you are the next generation of leaders… whatever that means.
What you really are is the next generation.
If you’re going to make things better than the stuff-ups of our lot, remember this moment, what it took. Remember that you had every chance to give up but you pulled on the resources you had and made it work. Remember that while excuses from load-shedding, to lockdown to possibly even family members who passed were all available to you, you ignored them and forged ahead.
May you be the generation that looks excuses in the eye and treats them as a welcome challenge to overcome to reach further greatness.
This, I believe, is the greatest lesson for the matric class of 2021 and a lesson I wish generations before you had learned!
Enjoy the party this weekend because the work that lies ahead is going to challenge you. What you’ve shown us though is that you’re up for the task! Best wishes!
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