Hout Bay high school learners embrace After School activities
16 May 2019
Two schools benefitting from after school programmes are Silikamva High School and Hout Bay High School are embracing After School activities.
All staff members at Silikamva High School provide after school activities, creating a culture of expanded education. They are supported by the provincial department of cultural affairs and sport and a number of NGO’s offering 30 different sport, culture, academic and like skills programmes. It is mandatory for all learner to attend two after school programmes a week.
Ms Morgan, principal of the school, believes that a school is only complete when it is educating and nurturing the whole child:
“There have been so many opportunities created for our young people through their exposure to after school programmes. After School programmes bring hope and an opportunity or way out; and that is what education is about.”
Silikamva learner, Kamva Thipha who is a member of the Kronendal Music Academy jazz band was provided with an opportunity to visit Scotland last year to perform at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues festival.
“Music is who I am, when I am out there performing, it’s like I am nothing else. No one in my family has ever gone overseas before.”
Hout Bay learner Renecia Dama, a dancer at the Amoyo Peforming Arts Foundation believes that since joining the after school programme she has been able to put her past behind her and is soaring with confidence. The Amoyo programme has served as safe haven for Renecia and she has developed a close bond with her instructors and fellow dancers.
“My relationship with them is very close, they are like my family. I can trust other people now, I can trust that they will be there for me when I need them and they give me hope. They give me peace. Performing at the Cape Town Carnival was amazing, performing with my new family for the first time.”
She has also recently started earning a salary as a part-time dance instructor for Amoyo.
The After School Game Changer aims to improve learner outcomes, reduce school dropout rates and prevent high-risk behaviour through the regular and consistent attendance of learners in quality after school programmes.
Since 2014 there has been a more than a Four-Fold increase in learners participating in After School programmes - from 14 900 learners benefitting from after school programmes in 2014 to 81 100 learners participating regularly in 2018/2019.
There has also been a 187% increase in schools registered with After School programmes (118 in 2014 to 571 in 2018).
Link to: After School AV
