This morning, Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant launched the ‘Own YOUR future” campaign at Manyano High School in Khayelitsha.

The campaign, “Own YOUR future. Own YOUR success. Study hard to pass YOUR matric” is part of the WCED’s plan to improve the Grade 12 pass rate in the province and encourages learners to put maximum effort into their studies in the remaining months of their school career up to their final National Senior Certificate Examinations.

“We are determined to ensure that as many Grade 12 learners as possible pass their examinations in 2010,” said Grant.

“Therefore, this administration is determined to offer any available form of assistance so that each learner will put in the maximum effort to study hard and pass their matric.”

Grant said that passing matric will allow our Grade 12 learners to determine their own future and to reach their full potential, be it in the form of further studies after school or in entering the formal job market.

“I cannot emphasis enough how we need to treat the class of 2010 as the most important people in the province and I encourage all of the citizens of the Western Cape collectively to ensure that they are kept motivated, prepared and supported until they write their examinations.”

Grant said that in order to help more learners pass Grade 12 the WCED were, for the first time, putting significant resources into the provision of additional assistance to Grade 12 learners and were embarking on a major public information campaign.

“We have already set targets for each of our schools in the province, and have developed detailed plans for schools that need our support. Interventions include the strict monitoring of teacher and learner attendance, intensive management support from our district offices, subject specific support for schools with historically low pass rates and the delivery of 15 000 additional textbooks in our top-up programme for Grade 12 learners in critical subject areas,” he said.

“In the second term we are intensifying our efforts with the launch of this campaign which includes: increasing the support given to all schools with passes below the provincial average by providing a tutoring programme for complex areas of the syllabus, a principal mentorship programme that will provide much needed support to our underperforming schools, the roll-out of past examination papers, additional textbooks and after school, weekend and holiday classes.”

Grant said that an Interactive Telematic Teaching programme, using satellite technology, the internet and cell phones would also be rolled out, which will see 120 schools benefit from expert tuition in subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences and Accounting.

“I am particularly excited about our “Tips for Success” booklet, which we are also launching today. This type of booklet is a first of its kind in the history of the South African education system and will help our learners with their examination preparation, provides them with information on how to plan their revision programme, tips on how to study, how to remember what they have studied and how to write examinations successfully,” he said.

“It also provides subject specific study guides and tips, motivations from learners from previous years that have succeeded, information on how to obtain bursaries and a copy of the final NSC exam timetable.”

Grant said that the booklet would be distributed to all Grade 12’s throughout the province in the coming weeks.

“There are only 195 days to go before the NSC examinations and we need all our learners to ensure that they schedule their time properly and to allocate enough time for their studies,” he said.

“The first tip to success is time management through proper planning.”

Grant distributed the booklets to the learners of Manyano High School and wished them Good Luck with their exam preparation.

“We believe in you, the class of 2010, and we are fully behind you every step of the way,” he said.

“But ultimately, it is up to each and every one of you to now own YOUR future and to own YOUR success. To do this, you must all study hard to pass YOUR matric.”

For enquiries, contact Bronagh Casey:  072 724 1422 or brcasey@pgwc.gov.za.

Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za