AS Grade 11s head into the final quarter of the year after the holidays, they are advised to use the coming months before they start their final year of school to implement a strategy that will smooth their matric journey and ensure maximum success.

Education expert, Senior Head of Programme: Faculty of ICT at The Independent Institute of Education Wonga Ntshinga, said there are some surefire ways for pupils to ensure they finish their school career successfully, and set themselves up for higher education and a fulfilling career.

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‘The only certain thing at this stage is uncertainty,’ said Ntshinga.
‘So it is crucial to use times of relative calm to fortify yourself and your academic career by paying attention to those matters within your control. The last quarter and the December holidays provide you with this opportunity to get in the right frame of mind by finishing the year strong and considering your future path without the pressure next year will bring,’ he says.

Wonga advises Grade 11s to invest in their future now by taking the following steps:

1. Shoot for the stars during Grade 11 finals
Any higher education institution will make a provisional offer based on a learner’s Grade 11 performance. This means learners can get time-consuming higher education applications out of the way early in the year. Additionally, if they don’t perform optimally in matric, good results in Grade 11 provide them with something to fall back on.

2) Use holidays to work on subjects requiring attention
By investing a few days during the holidays, learners can significantly strengthen their foundation going into matric.

3) Plan the year ahead
During the holidays, draw a calendar outline of next year and note important dates

4) Take time to consider future plans
‘If learners are undecided about their education plans going into 2023, now is the ideal time to consider the matter – before going into matric,’ said Ntshinga.
During downtime, spend some time looking at the websites of respected higher education institutions, both public and private, and reach out to current and former students to hear about their experiences studying there – particularly during lockdown.

5) Form some good habits
Even if the world returns completely to pre-Covid times, what the pandemic experience has shown us is that we need to work on building good and healthy habits, and work on maintaining mental, physical and emotional well-being.
‘So starting right away, if you have not yet done so, introduce small, positive new habits into your daily life, and work on leaving behind those habits and behaviour that no longer serve you. By building your mental, physical and emotional resilience little by little each day, you will be rewarding yourself with the best possible chance of attaining future success.’