Schools That Rock ask a few questions to Amava Mkuku, Head prefect of Camps Bay High School.
Question: How do you experience the influence of the Covid19 virus on our country?
The Covid-19 Pandemic has taken a toll on everything and everyone, and has immensely shifted the plans of the Matric Class of 2020, as well as all the learners in other grades.
It is sad to see how the lockdown in South Africa has so quickly disintegrated our country’s economy, highlighting how many of our citizens live from hand to mouth, with no savings to tide them over in times of crisis. But, I also like to try and find the positive in things and what is really positive to me is seeing how this crisis has brought all South Africans together, people of all races and backgrounds, working together to help fight the virus and the effects of Lockdown on our society.
As a matriculant, it’s hard not to feel sad over the loss that I am experiencing as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It has definitely put our year in jeopardy, and has taken a toll on our academics as well as impacted us all emotionally. I miss learning in a classroom and being part of my school community – it is hard to be distanced from our teachers and classmates. Even though our school is trying their best to keep us learning via online learning, this kind of learning has definite limitations but maybe it is also helping us become more self-disciplined, teaching us resilience and how to work independently.
Question: Do you think the virus will influence future education at schools? Will schools approach education in a new way?
I think this moment in time will see a big change in the way schools teach in the future and how to incorporate new methods with traditional classroom style teaching. Perhaps this is a wake up call to embrace new ways of learning and thinking. Many underprivileged schools have been caught off guard and it has been especially hard for them to adapt in this crisis to the new online teaching. Of course, accessibility to online learning is also a big issue for many learners who may not have smart devices or laptops to work on, or be able to avoid data to conduct their studies online. I am hoping that this crisis will be a wake-up call and bridge the massive socio-economic divide that still exists in schooling South Africa so that all learners are given equal opportunities in the future.
Question: How are you planning to still reach your goals for your last year at school?
I am doing as much as I can to maintain a good work-ethic. With the help of our teachers, we are trying hard to get up to date with the syllabus, to ensure we succeed as planned. Any goal will have an obstacle before you complete it. This is now the time to make sure we are still pursuing how to reach that goal. I am trying my best to balance school work and training by staying motivated and creative.
Question: What and where are you going to study after school?
I see myself in any field of bettering communities, working with people. Humanities is very complex, there are a variety of modules I can take, leaning to what I am passionate about as I have said, which is why I would like to study that. I have got many universities in mind one of which would be UCT and a few more I am applying to.
