VUT and DBE kick off Matric Winter Camp

Azande Ralephenya

Vaal University of Technology (VUT) in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Basic Education (DBE) and North West University, have officially kicked off the 2017 Matric Winter Camp which will take place from July 3-14.

Learners from various schools in Sedibeng West and Johannesburg Central regions arrived at the VUT Vanderbijlpark campus on Sunday, 2 July attending a meet and greet dinner with representatives from the Department of Basic Education and VUT.

In her introductory address, Mrs Emma Welcome from the Department of Basic Education, Sedibeng West region said the DBE Matric Camp was the vision of the MEC for Basic Education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, to improve matric learner performances in Gauteng through partnering with institutions of higher learning in the province. While the objective is to improve the performance of learners in order to increase the matric pass rate for the province, hosting these camps at institutions of higher learning will have a positive impact on learners. They will be exposed to a university environment for the duration of the camp which will encourage them to work harder during their final exams in order to be accepted at universities in the following year. Seeing that this is the pilot phase and the Sedibeng region is first to run with it, Mrs Welcome said she hoped to see the Winter Camp reach greater heights as an annual school programme making a big impact across the province.

VUT’s newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Gordon Zide gave a warm welcome to all the learners who filled the Desmond Tutu Great Hall to capacity. He encouraged them to work hard and stay true to themselves. Reminding them of the importance of education and how they needed to take the Winter Camp seriously as it was set to accelerate their path to success. “There is nothing that is impossible, through education, you can turn lemons into lemonade,” he said.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Research, Prof Kuzvinetsa Dzvimbo shared his enthusiasm and excitement with the learners. Making it clear that his passion lay in education and seeing students excel academically, he urged them to keep focus and said he’d like to see all of them return to VUT next year as first year students. “The country needs more engineers and scientists, I’d like to see many of you returning to VUT to study in the Faculty of Engineering or Applied Sciences,” said Prof Dzvimbo.

One-thousand learners will be accommodated at the VUT Campus residences under the supervision of house parents and mentors for a two-week intensive holiday school programme. Tutors appointed by the DBE with assistance from subject advisers and educators will teach the learners, with a main focus, but not limited to, subjects such as physical sciences, mathematics and accounting.