hat we actually need are skilled artisans, technicians, coders, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, designers, safety officers, draughtspersons, logistics coordinators, mechanics, plumbers, electricians, welders, chefs, digital creators, solar installers, and people who can build, repair, organise and serve, says the writer.
SOUTH African Grade 12 pupils are about to embrace the metaphorical "last mile" in their school careers. The mood across the country is familiar, that of pressure, anxiety, hope, fear, discipline, late nights, extra classes, and prayer. It is at this point that perseverance matters most. While pupils will engage in the literal act of writing in examination venues, the more important message is that this is just the first chapter in their own life narratives.
Grade 12 pupils carry an enormous weight of expectation. They are told, often quite explicitly and in some cases more threateningly, that their entire future lives depend on the outcomes of this high-stakes examination. Should we, however, reimagine what success might look like for South Africa’s youth? Perhaps it is time that we begin to tell our children a different story.
Might the message not be along the lines of "Whatever happens in November, you have a future, and we are going to help you find it!”
