Mahalapye responds to back-to-school initiative

DIRANG LENKUTWANE
Correspondent | Tuesday October 23, 2012 00:00

There have been long queues at the office in the last two weeks as people scramble to go back to school either to upgrade their results and beef up their grades. 'We receive more than a hundred applicants daily but we are faced with the problem of applicants not filling the papers as required. We have been giving and receiving forms for the past two weeks,' said an education officer in Mahalapye.

For 20-year-old Abigail who resides in Xhosa Two Ward not far from the regional education office, the back to school initiative might be good but in practical terms it has not yet sunk in her mind although she has filled the forms.

'We don't know the truth behind this initiative although we have shown interest in upgrading our qualifications.Who knows? It might be yet another government scheme to research on the challenges faced by out-of-school youth and their challenges,' she said.

Abigail completed her Certificate in Computer Operations at Byte Size School of Computers and Business Studies but does not have a job and stays with her parents. 'Since I completed my studies, I have never worked. In fact I never even bothered to look for work because it is a tough world. That is why I want to do a Diploma. Not that I will find a job but at least to have a better qualification,' she explained.

Her friend, Gloria, shares her sentiments. She got a certificate in Human Resource Management at Mahalapye Trust in 2010 but she has lost hope of getting a job. 'Even with me, I don't know the truth behind the back to school scheme. Maybe its one of those government research schemes,' she said.

But to the 31-year-old woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the initiative is a useful scheme that will help transform people's life. 'I am satisfied with the scheme because right now I am a hairdresser but I have no qualification to prove that I am a hairdresser. So now I want to go to Madirelo Training Centre to do a course in hairdressing. I think it is good provided my dreams come true,' she explained. After her studies, she wants to open her own saloon.