Project helps pupils study

HELPING STUDENTS: Tutors of #SupportALearner who help grade 10 to 12 high school pupils with their academics
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FORMER Unathi Secondary School pupil Yamkela Nkomo started the non-profit organisation #SupportALearner about three years ago, which tutors high school pupils from grade 10 to 12.

The organisation functions through WhatsApp. as a group was created for pupils to communicate with the tutors.

The organisation started off with just 20 pupils and has since grown to over 200 pupils.

The Go reported (“WhatsApp tutoring gives pupils a good head start”, May 3 2018) that the NGO provides individual tutorial sessions upon request. Pupils add their questions on to the WhatsApp group and the tutors – which include school teachers, university students and working individuals – answer their questions within 48 hours.

WhatsApp tutoring gives pupils a good head start

 

“Just last year we had 58 individual tutoring sessions before the December exams, and this is our challenge because learners come to us towards the end of the year but by then it is almost impossible to help them pass because there’s too much studying and processing.

“We do school visits early in the year, as early as March. This year we visited six schools to let them know our doors are open for those who need tutorials, mentoring and career guidance.

“We have had about 12 tutorial sessions before the June exams with about 22 learners from five different schools around East London,” she said.

Nkomo urged parents to look at their children’s June results and seek assistance now before the end-of-year exams arrived.

She said the rushed assistance towards the end of the year usually did little to help.

“After the school visits, our numbers went as high as 146 on our WhatsApp group and an additional number of 367 learners from Ebenezer Majombozi High School were helped.

“This year we have strategically partnered with Destiny Church and we are working on building an administration structure to the programme, one that will ensure that the pupils we enrol are as committed as we are to them.”

Nkomo said towards the end of the year, they would be opening applications for students and will be working with their teachers, parents and using the pupils’ reports to make their selection.

“We will be looking for those who need our help obtaining level 1 in their school subjects and are also keen to make a change in their academic level and their lives in general.

“We are still using WhatsApp for homework assistance because we are there to assist and not to do anyone’s homework for them.”

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