Class of 2020 - the fallout

How matric pupils and parents can reframe the pandemic experience

LIFESTYLE REPORTER

THE Class of 2020 has had a tumultuous year. Along with a pandemic and national lockdown, matric pupils had to contend with a staggered school year and remote learning.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s announcement of the National Senior Certificate pass rate was met with tears of frustration and despair by some.

However, for pupils and parents, there are ways to cope with the psychological fallout.

Read the signs Parents should be on the lookout for behavioural clues, such as changes in sleeping or eating patterns, moodiness, short temper, frustration, lethargy, and expressions of boredom, says Esmarie Cilliers, a registered counsellor and educator at Sacap (the South African College of Applied Psychology). All of these can be indications of anxiety and distress.

“Parents should react to this with patience and understanding,” says Cilliers. “Using reflective listening can help your child to become aware of their emotions.”

During acute episodes of anxiety, deep breathing techniques work to calm you down, and affirmations can be used to shift your thought patterns, added Cilliers.

Even in the best of years, matric is a pressure-cooker experience and we tend to over emphasise the importance of getting outstanding results. “If the outcome of your matric results does not meet your expectations, this should not be viewed as a defeat,” said Cilliers. “Rather, it’s a new challenge and you have choices and steps you can take to move forward.”

Dr Diana De Sousa, head of teaching and learning at Sacap’s Johannesburg campus, tackles some of the common perceptions of parents, matrics, and first-year students and outlines ways to reframe the pandemic’s impact to find real hope for their futures:

I would have done better if Covid-19 hadn’t have happened.

“Consider this instead: My matric results do not define who I am and what I can achieve. There are infinite pathways to achieving my career ambitions.”

I struggled to adapt to learning remotely last year – I am going to start university at a big disadvantage because online learning hasn’t worked well for me.

“Adapting to learning remotely is not a linear process. By adopting and maintaining a growth mindset you can lay a foundation for successful remote learning experiences.”

I am always going to be behind in life. I can never catch-up on what I missed during my Covid matric year.

“Accepting that the Covid- 19 pandemic has impacted on your matric learning experience is not easy. However, the ability to be flexible, open-minded, and adaptable can emerge in response to disappointment. By seeing things differently, you can take ownership of your learning and empower yourself to catch up content relevant to your chosen field of study.”

I had plans for a gap year to give me space to decide what to do next – but now I can’t travel as I hoped to do.

“There are still worthwhile ways to experience a gap year such as volunteering, part-time work, short courses and bridging studies.”