Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) recently revealed that approximately 3,7 million out of 10,2 million young people aged 15-24 years old living in South Africa are not in employment, education or training (NEET). This equates to 36,1% of the young people in the age group.
Data from the statistics collection body further revealed that of the 7,9 million unemployed people living in the country, as many as 48,3% did not have matric, while 40,7% had completed matric.
The proposition of unemployed people by education level shows that individuals who completed tertiary education are less likely to be unemployed than individuals who only have a matric.
This is because 2,7% of unemployed people were graduates and around 8% of the unemployed had other tertiary education qualifications.
The Minister of Basic Education was recently asked in parliament what their department is doing to encourage young people who left school to complete their matric qualification.
Minister Angie Motshekga says their department conducts several awareness campaigns that aim to encourage young people to complete their basic education and provide them with information about further education and training opportunities available to them.
The Strategy To Encourage Learners To Complete Their Studies
Motshekga says the learners engages in several activities to raise awareness about the projects that impact youth in communities. They also provide youth with the options available regarding remarking and rechecking exam scripts so learners who are unhappy with their results are aware of the steps they can take.
The awareness events are designed to target different learners and youth. The first approach is to reach out to learners who just wrote the matric exams in October/November of the previous year. After the announcement of matric results, the members of the public are made aware about the opportunities to rewrite, remark or recheck. The information is captured at the back of the statement of matric results.
The minister adds that the document also contains information regarding the readmission, combination of results as well as registration for learners who would like to rewrite the exams. The information entailed provides the dates and locations where learners may register rewrite.
The DBE also routinely hosts and organises Ministerial Roadshows in Provinces in collaboration with the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs).
Officials of the local government structures that include Mayors, and councilors are usually supportive and willing to invite youth in their constituencies to attend.
Motshekga explains that they invite organisations to the Ministerial Roadshows to share information about opportunities available for youth.
These organisations include the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Khetha Career Centre, Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and universities.
The department also organises National Career Weeks throughout the country where DBE presents the Second Chance Matric Programme (SCMP) at the events.
The programme encourages learners who left school to obtain their matric qualification. The department makes several resources available to learners to aid their success.
The minister says these events are organised in all provinces and attracts many youth. They added that the DBE is invited by entities to share information about the SCMP. In some cases, events are organised by private organisations.
