My name is Lesley Mpemba, I am a grade 12 learner (in a time of COVID-19) at Nova Pioneer. During my tenure at the school I have managed to achieve quite a bit. One achievement in particular that stands out as the highlight would be the establishing Nova Pioneer’s Spoken Word, a student led poets association, and helping host the school’s first-ever poetry slam.
Grade 12 in the Corona Pandemic
The year 2020 thus far, has been full of surprises, some good and some not so great. When the coronavirus hit SA it really raised news levels of anxiety for myself and my fellow peers. Not only that but it brought with it, fear, uncertainty and change. Even though change is the only constant, not many people are fond of it.
Before issuing a nationwide Level 5 lockdown, President Cyril Ramaposa had first announced mandatory school closures nationwide. This meant that we could not go on campus and instead, we had to engage in a programme completely foreign to us: social distancing and online learning. This involved the use of the internet for learning while in the “comfort of your own home”. As wonderful as it may sound, it wasn’t appealing to me. As comprehensive and robust as the programme is, I still don’t enjoy learning remotely.
Longing for the ‘Normal’
Going back to school would be such a relief for me. Being a matriculant is already a stressful thing. We are worried about our end of year results, about matric farewells and most importantly, we worry about university applications. Going back to school will help us salvage what we have left of the academic year.
What I look forward to the most is seeing my friends again. Although, we may not be able to interact the same way as before, just seeing their faces and hearing their voices is more than satisfying. I am truly looking forward to engaging in full class discussions and lessons, being able to ask questions and do cool activities while at campus.
Leading through uncertainty
On the other hand, being part of the student leadership committee means that I have a responsibility to tend to the well-being of my fellow peers. In all honesty, this is a tremendous task.
Students need motivation, they need to know that everything is going to be alright, it is quite difficult for us to tell them that when we don’t know it for sure.
When we go back to school, there will be many safety precautions set in place to ensure that we are taken care of and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As the leadership committee, we would have to see to it that student abides by the rules, it will take some getting used to. Another frightening fact is that we will no longer be able to partake in sports and this includes, our Spoken Word poetry slams.
Looking Forward
Nova Pioneer encourages students to be innovative and creative, it is this very principle among 6 others that our school was built on. I trust my peers, I know how strong-willed they are, how smart they are, and how inspiring they can be. I have no doubt that through them, something special will be born.
