The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is encouraging learners to work hard to make up for the lost times after the COVID-19 outbreak affected last year’s academic year.
Minister Angie Motshekga is visiting schools in Gauteng as learners went back to school today.
Addressing learners at a school in Tshwane, she urged them to grab every opportunity at their disposal and make the best of it.
“Scientists estimate that last year we lost almost 60% of our teaching time for that time you had to close for a long period and even when you came back you had to go into rotation and all sorts of things that takes away teaching time.”
She believes the department has to do everything in its power to redeem itself.
“It means we have to work for the 100% of this year and still clawback the 60% we lost last year. It is the big task,” she admitted.
Meanwhile, she said the learners must do everything to pursue success.
“I don’t know any successful person who regrets and says this success is a problem. People who regret are those who squandered their opportunities and can’t look after themselves and their children and it becomes a lifetime problem.”
She also told the pupils that she was a teacher with a degree before she became the Minister.
“There’s never a single month I never got a salary. So, even there were difficulties and I ran out of money, but I knew the 15th of every month was coming [for me to get paid].
“You don’t want to live a life where you don’t know what’s going to happen to you the next day.”
She believes that education is the only ticket that can give you that life of certainty.
Meanwhile, she pleaded with them to join forces with their teachers and principals as the success of the nation depends on them.
“I’m standing here to say please cooperate with the school to give us results. The only way is education,” she stressed.
She cited mining mogul Patrice Motsepe and told them that he did not become a billionaire overnight.
“He’s a lawyer and he came to understand the world of mining when he was working with the mining companies. His wife is a doctor. Our President is a lawyer. His wife is a doctor.”
Motshekga said she is proud to call herself a teacher and urged the pupils to attain qualifications.
“The more educated and sophisticated you are the less you get involved in wrong things because you can look after yourself, family and environment.”
She described herself as a “fussy” grandmother who only wants the best for her grandchildren.
“I also want my granddaughter to say [her boyfriend] has passed matric and going to the University of Pretoria and then I smile. If he doesn’t have matric, it’s a non-starter. He must have matric as a starting point.”
Also, she said the quality of the matric pass also counts and told them to do well in Grade 12 to attract bursaries. – SAnews.gov.za
