Bunengi and the Mpumalanga Department of Education deliver education solution for 11 000 matric students

Bunengi Group, a leading international public-private investment partnerships firm, which specializes in advising governments and private sector operators on investment and management programmes across Africa in the Social Infrastructure, Agriculture and Infrastructure sectors, today announced it has partnered with the Mpumalanga Department of Education to deliver emergency tutoring sessions to the province’s matric learners, who are in urgent need of supplementary and revision classes in order to be ready for this year’s matric exams.
The civil servants’ strike in August saw learners country-wide fall significantly behind in their curriculum, with more than 18 days of teaching and revision lost at a crucial stage of the academic year. The Department of Education in Mpumalanga has therefore recognised the urgent need to bring the province’s learners back up to speed so that they have a better chance of passing their all-important matric exams.
Terrence Wickham, who heads up Bunengi’s Social Infrastructure Division, said; “Education and healthcare are at the very core of Bunengi’s social infrastructure work. When effective delivery mechanisms and partnerships are utilized in areas such as education and healthcare, there are obvious economic benefits which catapult citizens and countries into being competitive. As a leading operator in the education sector, we are delighted to deliver this mandate and employ our expertise and experience to implement this important and logistically complex programme.
This partnership is a voluntary initiative that is being rolled out over eleven delivery sites in Mpumalanga, with a particular focus on rural areas, especially the Bushbuck Ridge/Acornhoek region. The intervention involves a comprehensive, integrated approach that sees lessons covering six key subjects, including Mathematics, Physical Science, Accounting, English (First Additional Language), Mathematical Literacy and Natural Science, delivered primarily through an electronic, audio-visual medium. In addition to the presentation of this audio-visual material, which is fully approved by the national Department of Education, learners are provided with lap desks, stationery and scientific calculators, and each student will receive meals and transportation to the sites. In addition, 55 000 workbooks have been printed especially and will be made available to all matric students in the province.
Crucially, a total of 500 tutors are present across the eleven designated sites. The focus is necessarily on the more technical subjects, which tend to require more individual coaching and support, namely Maths, Science and Accounting. The tutors are a key element of the intervention programme and are provided to facilitate one-on-one learner support with regard to individualised reinforcement of concept comprehension and resolution of problems at an individual level.
Commenting on the partnership between Bunengi Group and the Department of Education, Regina Mhaule, MEC for Education in Mpumalanga, said; “Every effort aimed at improving the performance of our learners is appreciated and these learning centers are of significance since they not only complement what is done in the class but further help to improve the study
process of learners. We are indeed encouraged by this collaborative purpose with Bunengi; our view is that our learners will be better prepared before the start of the examinations on 25 October 2010.”
Mpumalanga Premier, David Dabede Mabuza, agreed; “We welcome the initiative the private sector has taken to assist government in achieving its priorities. Since learners have lost valuable time during the public service strikes, we know this initiative from Bunengi Holdings will boost learners’ confidence. The holistic approach being taken in facilitating these revision classes will also equip learners with valuable lessons and tools as they prepare towards the exams.
“Educating our nation is a responsibility we all share. Our collective efforts will produce well-rounded individuals who are the future leaders and custodians of our country, continent and the world as a whole.”
This initiative, undertaken pro bono by Bunengi, forms part of their greater vision to help facilitate important improvements in the public education sphere in all provinces.