Schools That Rock asked a few questions to Bernard Combrink, Assistant Head Boy of Paul Roos Gymnasium.
Question: How do you experience the influence of the Covid19 virus on our country?
Covid-19 is going to have a much larger and more lingering impact than most of us can fathom — myself included. It will penetrate all aspects of life and affect everything and everyone. It will call for a reform of our principles and economic model. It shows us that we have placed far too much value on consumerism and not enough on the value of human life. Covid-19 will take years for our economy to recover from and it will require us to shift our expectations of our future goals, dreams and plans.
Question: Do you think the virus will influence future education at schools? Will schools approach education in a new way?
Technological innovation has moved at possibly the fastest rate ever in the last half century, and yet, schooling looks almost exactly the same as it did in the 1960’s. I think Covid-19 serves as a bit of a wake up call. For far too long our focus has largely been on parrot-learning vast amounts of content and regurgitating these facts onto our test papers to obtain results. I think it’s time that we shift our focus to that of instilling critical thinking and a hunger for knowledge in learners instead.
Question: How are you planning to still reach your goals for your last year at school?
There’s not another option other than to work harder than ever before. I want to do so by establishing good habits and routines to achieve my results. It’s our last year of school and I would like to cherish every moment and do as much as I can with my time left at school when we return.
Question: What and where are you going to study after school?
I do not know where I see myself ending up in several years time. With the rapid pace at which the world is changing it’s nearly impossible to predict where I’ll be, but I do hope to be in pursuit of my passions and doing what I love.