While the majority of Nelson Mandela Bay’s matric pupils are feeling confident little more than a week into their final exams, it has taken a tremendous effort for some of the less privileged schools to have got this far.
Crime and construction are just two of the elements which pupils at Thamsanqa High School in Kwazakhele and David Livingstone High in Schauderville have had to contend with – both during and in the lead-up to their final exams.
Thamsanqa High principal Justice Tutu initiated a turnaround strategy for the school’s 29 matrics at the end of August, moving them to the Humewood military base to enable them to prepare for exams away from the criminal elements in the Kwazakhele area.
The school was the worst performer in the Bay in 2017, managing only a 4.3% matric pass rate.
However, pupils such as Lukhanyiso Tshume, 18, are determined to leave a lasting impression as they remain on the base until the end of finals, working towards their 60% pass rate target.
Tutu had previously said he held one-on-one sessions with each matric pupil to establish how they could help them. He said the current school environment was not conducive for learning, prompting the move.
“People don’t realise the severity of crime that takes place at the school and in the area. On an almost weekly basis, we are victims of crime at the school – break-ins, robbery, you name it.
“It is impossible to focus on your studies when you fear for your life,” Tshume said.
“Moving to the base has definitely provided us with a good opportunity to turn the entire situation around and make people in our area realise that through working hard at your education, you can escape the cycle of crime.”
Tshume was echoed by classmate Bulelani Zono, 19, who said: “We are under a lot of pressure as the Thamsanqa class of 2018 as we are the first who moved out of the area to do our matric.
“We have to prove – not only to the community but our juniors – that our circumstance does not define what we can achieve.
“We miss home but know that we are here for our future and the future of our schoolmates to ensure they don’t become victims of crime or participate in it like so many of the pupils before them.”
At David Livingstone High, the school’s 85 matrics have had to endure the sweltering heatwave which matric pupil Aletha van Wyk, 17, said felt amplified as a result of them being housed in prefab classrooms while construction was ongoing at the school.
“The heat has been intense, but fortunately I learnt from my trial exams and chose a seat away from the window where the sun is really bad.
“But I hope some fans are installed before the heat gets worse,” Van Wyk said.
“It hasn’t been too bad for me but I know it affects the concentration of my peers during exams.”
The crime which Thamsanqa High pupils spoke of, was experienced first-hand by a Herald reporter who arrived at the school on Friday, only to be the victim of an armed robbery on the school premises.
The armed robbery is one of several incidents which have taken place at the school – as frequently as twice a month – in 2018, according to New Brighton police responding to Friday’s incident at the station.
Despite the alleged frequency of the events on the premises, it has done little to improve the reaction time of police, who after more than half an hour had failed to arrive at the school premises.
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge could not be reached for comment on Monday despite several telephonic attempts.
This week, matrics tackle mathematics P1, maths literacy P2, visual arts, geography, first additional languages, history P1, economics P1, physical and technical sciences P1 and religious studies P2.