Horison-based night school wants to give dropouts a second chance

The education system in SA is in dire straits, with over 40% of learners not making it to matric. According to Census 2022 statistics, over 18.5 million adults in the country did not complete their secondary education.

The Bonamelo Night School in Roodepoort is one of the many schools in the country that challenges this status quo and gives students who dropped out and working adults a second chance at their basic education. Recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training, this school has been operating for the past 25 years and has registered students from levels one to five.

Levels one to three are all the students who are beginners and still need assistance when it comes to reading and writing. Level four is equivalent to Grade 10 and 11 high school content, and level five is matric.

Bonamelo is under the Morakapula Santho public adult learning centre, and has satellites (also known as campuses) over Gauteng, with its head office in Soweto. Roodepoort’s satellite supervisor and teacher Ruth Rantao says this school aims to give a second chance to learners who dropped out, mainly because they end up in crime and drugs.

She says they also offer adults from the Bantu Education Department an opportunity to get their certification.

“We have subjects in economics, business studies, English, auxiliary health care, early childhood development, wholesalers, and life orientation,” she said.

Even though the school currently has a shortage of teachers, which results in learners dropping out, they produce good results every year, and some of their former learners are in university and some are working.

“We currently have a shortage of teachers. Sometimes we have to send learners to Meadowlands for those subjects that don’t have teachers on campus. My wish is that we get more students enrolled so that they don’t close this satellite. We encourage people in Roodepoort to register and study with us.”

You can contact Ruth on 083 662 3337 or 066 519 0295. They are based at 52 Cutten Street, Horizon Methodist Church.