In just more than a year of existence, the Botshabelo-based Bright Future Academy has received recognition for strides made in improving the learning ability of high school learners.
The Free State School Governance Institute (FSSGI) recognised partners’ supportive role in the 2022 academic year at its awards ceremony held in December. The academy was honoured as the best private sector partner supporting a school governing body.
The award was received by Tebello Mpharu, academy manager.
According to Mpharu, this recognition illustrates that the academy is on the right path to provide support to improve the learning ability of learners, enabling them to master subjects that entail financial management, mathematics and science.
“We offer lessons to enable learners to improve their skills in the respective subjects and achieve better results,” said Mpharu.
He said extra tuition was necessitated by the teaching and learning of the subjects in question in South African public schools, as poor pass rates have proven there is a demand for improving performance.
The Bright Future Academy was established early in 2021, as an intervention to aid in the learning and teaching of critical subjects: Accounting, Economics, Physical Science, Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy (“Maths Lit”).
Mathematical Literacy deals with commonplace mathematical applications such as budgeting and interest calculations.
Extra tutorial lessons are only offered on weekends, focusing on Gr. 10 to Gr. 12 learners.
“Thapelo Malebo, a commercial educator and cluster coordinator of the Botshabelo circuit, approached me about the idea. He raised concern with the low standard in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We focus mainly on learners at risk, meaning level 1 to 3.
“The Setjhaba se Maketse School’s management team and the school governing body (SGB) bought into the idea of offering extra lessons, and they agreed to the use of classrooms,” said Mpharu.
Learners enrol to master certain aspects they are struggling with.
“The extra lessons augment and supplement what is being done in the classroom on a continuous basis.
“Learners improve knowledge, skills and understanding, and become more confident and motivated.
“This improved confidence in their ability can translate into better marks at school.”
The academy is yet to introduce technical mathematics into its teaching programme. This form of mathematics prepares learners for careers such as that of an electrician, fitter, turner, and plumber, to name a few.
Candidates will learn how to apply mathematical methods in calculating things like peak current flow in an alternating current network, as well as integration and differentiation. This means also knowing how to apply partial fractions.
