Matric exams are underway, bringing into focus, once again, the dire state of education and the conditions our learners endure both within schools and at home.
Like last year and years gone by, we are sadly still discussing the problem of overcrowding in classrooms. In Alexandra Township, teachers have reported climbing over desks and children fighting over a seat as classes overflow with learners.
Research consistently highlights the importance of one-on-one attention between teacher and student in promoting academic success and emotional well-being. How can this happen when classes overflow with 100 learners and more to just one teacher?
It’s no wonder there is a shortage of qualified, committed teachers for critical subjects like maths – schools out of desperation are asking their own matric students to help teach maths to their own classmates. Make no mistake: this is a sad state of affairs for all our learners, who certainly deserve better.
Even more concerning are the conditions learners face at home. Many families in Alex go to bed hungry most days, let alone the struggle to access adequate nutrition for the healthy growth and development children in the home. Rays of Hope conducted health checks on children in our programmes, and the findings were alarming; 48% of the children were referred for being underweight, stunted, or experiencing other medically concerning health problems. They are simply not meeting their developmental milestones because they don’t have nutritious food to eat.
We also cannot ignore the problems of domestic and community violence that learners are exposed to, and the debilitating effects this has on their mental and emotional wellbeing. How can we expect a child to learn and perform well in their exams with the weight of these burdens hanging over them?
To the class of 2025 and beyond
We cannot continue this way if we have any hope of securing better, sustainably successful futures for all South African learners and the next generation of matriculants. Our focus as a nation needs to shift from applying the band-aid approach to more strategic interventions at grassroots level to achieve the sustainable and equitable educational system we need.
Long-term investments in teacher training is a start, which will inevitably help in reducing classroom overcrowding. It is also imperative that we lay a foundation for long-term transformation by recognising that success starts from a child’s earliest years and continues well into adulthood.
Rays of Hope has, for this reason, adopted a ‘Whole Child Community Engagement Model’, which supports young people across multiple stages of life. Our interventions include early childhood development (ECD), after-school programmes and mentorship that provide holistic support.
This means children aren’t just seen as learners, but as individuals within a broader family and community context. From ensuring nutritional needs are met to supporting emotional well-being, the model offers a horizontal and vertical approach that surrounds each child with comprehensive care. By engaging the family, siblings, and local community, Rays of Hope helps create a supportive environment where learning thrives.
And while the government faces systemic issues, collaboration between corporates, NGOs, and community leaders offers a way forward. Rays of Hope’s model is a testament to what can be achieved when we treat the whole child, investing not just in their academic success but in their future as empowered, well-rounded individuals.
As such, this is a call to action – for businesses, educators, and community members to rally around holistic, long-term solutions that uplift not just students but families and communities. Only by working together can we turn these educational challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
