As matric trial exams began this week, pupils throughout the grades at Moses Mabida High School in Kirkwood were despondent about their preliminary prospects, with matric candidates not having completed the maths and science syllabus.
The only high school in the Moses Mabhida informal settlement was closed on Friday by the school’s almost 600 pupils, who say they have been poorly prepared for the thirdterm exams due to the school being five teachers short.
Grade 11 pupil and the pupils’ council head Siyabonga Kondile, 17, said matrics were missing critical subject teachers in mathematics and science while the lower grades were in need of Xhosa home language, life orientation and English teachers.
When a reporter arrived at the school on Monday, officials from the department of education were locked in a closed meeting with the acting principal regarding the situation.
All declined to comment apart from a school governing body member who simply said, “the staffing situation is fixed now”.
However, matric pupils were vocal about their concerns, with trial exams having started on Monday and computer applied science and the first major exam, English P3, taking place on Tuesday.
Matric pupil Luthando Nodongwe, 20, said: “What difference does getting teachers now make to us as matrics?
“We are already in exams, poorly prepared and expected to perform.
“While I don’t do science, I do feel for my fellow matrics who were banking on pursuing careers in that field.
“The science pupils haven’t had a class the whole term – it is going to be very difficult for them to understand the work, never mind do well in it.”
Luthando’s sentiments were echoed by classmate Sinovuyo Thys, 20, who said he was feeling disappointed and anxious.
“It’s very disheartening – imagine going to school for so many years, then in the last six months before you’re supposed to finish, it crumbles before you.
“We haven’t finished the science or the mathematics curriculum,” Sinovuyo said.
“We are very nervous about the exams.
“We have been taught by a tutor supplied by the department. But the tutor is still learning to teach, so how are we expected to learn?
“This matric year has been one of the hardest, and not because of academics.”
While most of the matric pupils agreed the resolution made no difference now, Siyabonga said he hoped it would assist the younger pupils in avoiding a similar situation.
“We should have been ready by now for these exams, particularly the matrics. But it’s too little, too late for them.
“But that’s why this fight was so important, to shed light on our situation,” Siyabonga said. “After [the protests] on Friday, the department arrives on Monday.
“This is to make sure that the younger pupils in the lower grades don’t have to suffer the way the matrics did this year.”
Education department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said: “There are four vacancies. The district director has given permission to appoint three educators.
“His office is assisting the school to recruit suitably qualified educators otherwise, the trial exams are in full swing in the school.”
Matrics will write business studies and Afrikaans P3 on Wednesday, followed by history P1 and Xhosa P3 on Thursday , and design P1 and consumer studies on Friday.