As Grade 11s head into the final quarter of the year after the holidays, they are advised to use the coming months before they start their final year of school to implement a strategy that will smooth their matric journey and ensure maximum success, an education expert says.
“There are some sure-fire ways you can ensure you finish your school career successfully, and set yourself up for entering higher education on the path towards a fulfilling career,” says Wonga Ntshinga, Senior Head of Programme in the Faculty of ICT at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider.
Wonga advises Grade 11s to invest in their future now by taking the following steps:
1. Shoot for the stars when sitting for your Grade 11 finals.
“Grade 11 is an opportunity to hedge your bets against any potential problems that may arise in Grade 12, whether academically or personally,” says Ntshinga.
He says many higher education institutions will make a provisional offer based on a learner’s Grade 11 performance, which means that learners can get time-consuming higher education applications out of the way early in the year.
2. Take some time during the holidays to work on subjects requiring attention.
3. Plan your year ahead
“During the holidays, draw a calendar outline of next year and note down important dates,” says Ntshinga.
He says the calendar overview should denote the start and end of school terms and when exams and significant events are likely to happen – even if those dates have not been fixed yet.
4. Take time to think of your future plans.
By now, most Grade 11s should have a good idea of what they want to do after matric.
“If you do not yet know, or are undecided about your plans going into 2023, now is the ideal time to consider the matter – before you go to matric,” says Ntshinga.
5. Get some good habits going
The past two years have been extremely stressful, and next year seems likely to continue in a similar fashion, at least for a while.
“Even if the world returns completely to pre-Covid times, what the pandemic experience has shown us is that we need to work on building good and healthy habits and work on maintaining mental, physical and emotional well-being,” says Ntshinga. “So starting right away, if you have not yet done so, start introducing small, positive new habits into your daily life, and work on leaving behind those habits and behaviours that no longer serve you.”
