Project helps stressed pupils prepare for matric exams

To combat a Covid-19-spawned “psychological disturbance” afflicting pupils, two East London teachers have created a mobile and digital learning project aimed at helping Grade 12 pupils prepare for their final exams.

Dumisani Msila and Bongumsa Mnyaka are the creators of the Fundanathi Project which conducts mobile extra classes and uses YouTube to administer and distribute lesson content.

Msila, who has more than three decades of experience in teaching, said the project had been launched during the Covid-19 pandemic to support pupils who had endured one of the most difficult academic years on record.  

Msila and Mnyaka use different facilities in the East London area for their teaching.

“We’ve had to find unconventional ways of doing things. This is what this pandemic taught us. The goal was to make sure that learners continued with their school work even in these unprecedented times.” 

“This is how the idea of mobile classes and the YouTube channel came about. We figured that pupils who received data and tablets from the department would then be able to access lessons on the internet,” Msila said.

Msila said the extra lessons were not limited to Grade 12 pupils.

“We have learners from all walks of life who also need the classes. Some have dropped out of school while some try to improve their marks for university entry requirements,” Msila said.

Mnyaka said the Fundanathi Project was designed especially for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who struggled with difficult learning conditions.

The lessons run from Monday to Saturday. “We have learners six days a week who are eager to learn and improve themselves academically. We use WhatsApp and Facebook to communicate with learners on where the lessons will be. Our communication is mainly with the parents. We talk to the parents first who then facilitate the programme for their children,” Mnyaka said.

Msila said it was their wish that the project would grow in the future.

“Next year we would like to have our own premises where we can call learners to engage in extra lessons.  

“We also want to tap into the rural areas, and be able to take the extra lessons there,” he said.

Msila said though their focus this year had been on matric pupils, they would expand to other grades in the new year.

“We are open to engage with citizens who want to assist us with resources to achieve these goals.”

Msila said his take on the 2020 academic year was that there had been a psychological disturbance among learners.

“They didn’t have enough time to grasp the content fully before writing their final exams. We hope that the Fundanathi Project makes a difference.” 

The two said they would develop an official timetable, including night classes, as the project grew.

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