Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Proposal 3

The Plan 4

Assessed Costs 6

The Future 6

Appendix 7

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IntroductionA death of an innocent person is always tragic but when a person dies due to fighting for

what is supposedly their right or a right of their children then it is horrific and it shows that

there is something that we as the people are not doing right. The right to education is a

universal entitlement, a right that is recognised as human right. The Bill of Right stipulates

that the State, through reasonable measures, must progressively make education available and

accessible. This right that does not discriminate, it is available to both advantaged and

disadvantaged and therefore should be accessible to both.

On the 10th January 2012, South Africa as a whole was shaken by the incident that took place

in the University of Johannesburg during registration when an innocent mother was crushed

to death during a stampede and 17 were injured. When the nation was still trying to grapple

with this tragedy, Vaal University of Technology also experienced a similar stampede but

fortunately no deaths or injuries were reported. Both these incidents have infringed our

brothers and sisters’ right to education.

Besides the normal schooling process, high schools are not doing enough to educate learners

about their future options whether they may lie at a university, FET college or another

likewise institution, given the opportunity we would like propose an idea that would help

educate learners on this, which in turn will prevent further unnecessary deaths and injuries.

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Proposal

We have identified the problem as late applications by students to institutions that result in

long queues, frustration and stampedes. This proposal aims to nip this problem where it

originates, at high schools. We believe that if students are given proper guidance, advice,

information and monitoring from an earlier stage then by the time they complete matric, they

will have an idea of their future plan concerning their further education thus limiting the late

applications and the problems they carry.

We therefore propose a string of career days. These will be days where high school learners

of both grade 11 and 12 gather at a place where they will have all the information they might

need at their disposal to help them decide which career path to follow, which institutions to

consider, which bursaries and scholarships are available, which companies they might work

for and any form of guidance they might need. A day that will put everything in perspective

for them before they start applying and that will encourage and help them see that life after

high school does exist and there are people who are willing to help. Therefore pushing them

to apply to institutions or decide what they want to do with their lives early in the year.

To realise the principal goal of the project the following objectives have to be achieved:

Fully inform learners about higher education and how to achieve it.

Encourage teachers to be actively involved in learners’ applications to institutions.

On-time application to higher education institutions.

Prevent stampedes at institutions during registration period.

Unfortunately in South Africa and everywhere else in the world there are still disadvantaged

schools, and the learners from these schools are the ones who are mostly faced with the

problem identified. Due to limited resources which limit the learners’ access to information

which will help them plan out their future, these learners end up either not furthering their

education, pursuing a career they are not passionate about or resorting to crime or likewise

activities which negatively impact the country’s economy. The wealth of the country ends up

being locked up in our backyards and in our streets. The proposed career days are therefore

targeted to schools that are disadvantaged.

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The Plan

To avoid having too many students being present on the day, which might lead to some

learners not having a chance to make use of the resources, the event will run over a week.

Each day will be for a different ward, therefore each week for a circuit depending on the

number of wards.

To assess the practicability of the project we plan to start with a pilot week for Grade 12

learners in the City of Durban circuit. The pilot week should preferably be in May, this is

because some companies like Sasol have a deadline of June for their bursary applications.

The pilot week will as also help us identify the flaws in our service and the changes that can

to be made to ensure smooth sailing at future events.

During the pilot week and every event thereafter, we aim to achieve the objectives of the

project through performing certain tasks. Below is a list of the previously mentioned

objectives and the tasks that will achieve them.

1. Fully inform learners about higher education and how to achieve it.

Inform learners about higher education institutions.

Higher education institutions will be invited to the events to provide

learners information about the degrees/diplomas/certificates they offer,

entrance requirements, fees etc.

Inform learners about possible career paths and available bursaries.

Companies/organisations will be invited to recruit possible bursars and

provide information about the careers they offer, bursary application,

traineeship contracts etc.

Advise learners on career choices.

Student advisors will be made available to learners who may need them.

Learners are advised to bring their academic records to the event to ensure

non-speculative advice.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the open day.

Learners will be required to complete an evaluation form at the beginning

of the event to help us assess their knowledge about their future options.

Learners will also be required to complete an evaluation form at the end of

the event to assess the knowledge they have acquire throughout the day.

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We will then use the two evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the

open day.

All information pertaining to these tasks will be available at institutions,

companies/organisations and advisors individual stalls. We will provide learners

with a brochure that will list career paths and institution, company/organisation

stalls to which they should go to get further information. This will enable learners

to go directly to the stalls that offering information on the career of their choice

and also prevent stalls from being crowded due to learners going to stalls that are

irrelevant to them.

2. Encourage teachers to be actively involved in learners’ applications to

institutions.

Train teachers on advising learners and helping with application process.

Schools will be advised to select at least two teachers who will be trained

by professional trainers on advising learners on their careers choices and

other areas that may cause learner stress and have a negative impact on

their school performance. The teachers will also be advised on how to

actively exercise their role in learners’ application.

3. On-time application to higher education institutions.

Liaison with the selected teachers with regards to applications.

A representative will make regular contact with the selected teachers to

assess the progress of the learners that attended the open day. The teachers

will be required to present a report stating the number of learners who

have applied to institutions and/or any form of financial assistance or are

in the process of applying and those who have not applied at all. In the

report teachers will have to state the problem they are facing even after the

open day. We will discuss possible solutions and incorporate them to

future events.

4. Prevent stampedes at institutions during registration period.

It is our opinion that, through achieving the first three objectives, this objective

will be ultimately achieved. We also ask that the government hold institutions, at

which stampedes occur, accountable. Having studied at an institution with an

efficient registration system, we realise that an inefficient system is predominantly

the cause of stampedes as it lead to frustration and restlessness.

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Assessed Costs

These costs are solely based on the pilot and are subject to change as the project progresses:

Costs

Venue: ICC Durban Exhibition Centre,

preferably

R25 599 per day (please see quotation on the

appendix)

Transport: Olympic Bus Line, transporting

learners to the venue

R95000* for the pilot (Based on CK Travel

& Tours rate for ICC shuttles. See quotation

on the appendix)

Food Packages R19.90 per student ×1500* students

Printing Cost R2 per page, R3000

Telephone R150 per week for each person, during the

duration of the programme*estimation of total students attending based on wards targeted

*R3800× 1500 students60 seats perbus

=R95000

Please note that during the pilot week we plan to staff the project with volunteers. Should you

decide to further the project there may arise the need to pay wages which will affect the costs.

The Future

With the successful execution of the pilot week, we aim to take this project to the rest of

KwaZulu Natal and hopefully the rest of South Africa. We plan to involve more companies,

institutions and people to help out as we expect for this project to be a huge success. With

well-planned execution, monitoring, funding and dedication this project has the potential to

change learners’ views of their future. We believe that by giving the learners all the

information and showing them their options, we will create a new breed of youngsters that is

enthusiastic and ready for the future

We do recognise that there is still more work to be done in our countries education, problems

like learners’ inability to transition from basic to higher education resulting in varsity

dropouts. We plan to address this and more issues in the future, as for now we want to take

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things one step at the time so as to properly make sure that each and every problem is

addressed and solved.

Appendix

Pinetown District: City of Durban Circuit

KwaSanti Ward KwaNdengezi Ward Kranskloof Ward

Nilgiri Ndengetho Sithengile

Mariannridge Thokoza Sithokozile

Sizinda Nte Langa

Mathinta Woza Moya Buhlebemfundo

Gingindlovu Albin Umqhele

Zwelinjani Westmead Ziphathile

Thornwood Dr Lazarus

Dassenhoek Wybank

Mothala Height

Companies and Institutions to invite (not limited to):

Companies Institutions

Sasol University of Pretoria

Transnet University of Johannesburg

KPMG University of Witwatersrand

PwC Vaal University of Technology

Ernst & Young University of KwaZulu Natal

Deloitte Durban University of Technology

Government Departments International Hotel School

SAIRR Tshwane University of Technology

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Mangosuthu Technikon

Mondi University of Cape Town

Sappi CTI college

Varsity College

ICESA

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Damelin

Boston College

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