Issued by The Mpumalanga Department of Education and Old Mutual Foundation.

Mpumalanga department of education collaborates with Old Mutual foundation to support the matric class of 2022

There is no doubt that young people in South Africa face a myriad of problems: The Zero Dropout Campaign research has shown that 40% of grade 1 learners will exit the school system before they get to matric.

The Mpumalanga Department of Education together with the Old Mutual Foundation launched the 3rd instalment of the annual 21 Acts of Goodness on 31 May 2022 at Izimbali Boarding School, Amsterdam under the Mkhondo Local Municipality. 

The 21 Acts of Goodness (AoG) for the matric class campaign is back with a bang and more determined than before to rally behind the matric class. The 21 AoG campaign is anchored on the values of Tata Madiba of service to others, active citizenship and social activism. 

“We conceptualised the 21 Acts of Goodness (21AoG) for the Matric Class programme to provide academic and psychosocial support as well as provide pathways for post-matric opportunities through applications to NSFAS, Universities, TVET and CET colleges and bursaries. We are playing our part through 21Acts of Goodness in rallying the Matric Class, to support and motivate them and to give them hope and pave the way for a successful Matric year through the aspirational 21 Acts of Goodness programme.” Says Fikile Kuhlase Head of Old Mutual Foundation. 

The launch took place in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Education, who have been a partner since programme inception in July 2020, when the Old Mutual Foundation launched at the OR Tambo Maths,Science and Technology Academy in Emalahleni. 

The 21 Acts of Goodness is integrated with other programmes of the Old Mutual Foundation, that is:
Learn.Think.Do programme which provides access to curriculum content which learners can use to support their exam preparation and revision. 

The Department greatly appreciates this noble gesture from the Old Mutual Foundation. The MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba said, "The steady increase in the quality of results can be attributed to such partnerships and many other similar programmes the department is implementing alongside many of our social partners and stakeholders. The rest lies with the Grade 12 Class of 2022 to make good of these progressive initiatives and pass at the end of the year and progress to post school education.”

We continue to integrate DBE’s Woza Matrics, Matric Live and the Second Chance Matric Programme and the schools we visit are given a flag as a symbol of national pride, this is an aspect of the initiative supported by BrandSA. Concludes Fikile Kuhlase, Head of Old Mutual Foundation.

See original release:https://www.oldmutual.co.za/news/giving-matric-learners-guidance-fresh-hope-and-another-chance/