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Johnathan Paoli
IN an interview with Inside Education, the Director of the Second Chance Matric Support Programme (SCMSP), Dr Sandy Malapile, emphasised the importance of learners obtaining a matric certificate to improve their economic circumstances and said there was hope for those who performed poorly in previous examinations.
Dr Malapile said the programme was aimed at candidates who had not met the requirements to attain the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or the extended Senior Certificate (SC) as well as offering an opportunity to those who would like to improve their results.
He said that the Department of Basic Education and provincial education departments have decided to expand the SCMSP to young people with special needs to ensure inclusivity amongst the targeted candidates across all nine provinces.
The director said that the Basic Education Sector deliberately redirected resources to the SCMSP centres catering for young people with special needs to re-emphasise the value of a matric certificate or an equivalent qualification.
Launched in January 2016, the Second Chance Matric Support Programme helps anyone – regardless of age – who wants to achieve or improve a matric qualification, subject-by-subject and on a part-time basis, with no costs involved.
“The programme played an important role in retaining learners beyond the formal schooling programme, by allowing candidates to register for one, two or more subjects, and write the examinations either in May/June or October/November,” he said.
Dr Malapile said that registered learners on the programme are supported through four platforms: broadcast on TV and radio; access to digital educational resources; the provision of printed Learning and Teaching Support Materials; and face-to-face classes in selected centres throughout the country.
Importantly, the director said that teaching and learning takes place after hours and at weekends and that learners could continue their studies irrespective of whether they had moved to another province.
Dr Malapile said that, initially, the SCMSP catered for mainstream learners; however, it was expanded to accommodate learners with disabilities, starting with those who were blind, deaf or partially sighted.
The director said that this was a clear demonstration that the government was implementing principle number 8 of the Freedom Charter by bringing dignity to learners with special needs who were not attending school full-time.
Dr Malapile praised the programme and said that it provided psycho-social support to both learners and parents dealing with inadequate results.
In the 2023 NSC examinations, 691,160 learners wrote with 572,983 achieving a pass, meaning the number of learners who failed stood at 118,177.
The director said that despite an estimated 20% of applicants who drop out, the programme has helped over 2.5 million people since its inception in 2016, with roughly 500,000 people a year getting assistance.
Dr Malapile said that the programme expected over 600,000 applicants this year, namely learners who had failed the 2023 exams, 200,000 applicants from previous years, approximately 150,000 applicants for the extended Senior Certificate and about 160,000 applicants who, despite not failing, intended to improve their marks.
The director confirmed that the Department of Basic Education was working in partnership with Absa bank, which assists applicants with both career counselling as well as facilitating job entry processes.
He said that the programme had a fundamental impact on society in that it culminated in higher motivational levels as well as better performance, and that it equipped applicants with independent learning skills and self-discipline, which is vital for undertaking further tertiary education.
“The future will belong to learners who have at least a minimum level of qualifications. This programme provides a ray of hope for those who feel lost. Despite being proud of the recent results, we have to care for those who did not achieve,” Dr Malapile added.
INSIDE EDUCATION