Engen Maths and Science School attendee, Jubilee Tinomudaishe Dongo says you “do not stop when you are tired, you stop when you are done,” a life philosophy that ensured the Lenasia South learner bagged nine distinctions in matric. In another year of considerable disruption, Jubilee overcame the odds to notch up an impressive 96% for mathematics and 88% for science, results that have secured her a place at the University of the Witwatersrand to study Actuarial Science. An alumnus of Masibambane College in Orange Farm, Jubilee is determined to fulfill her dream of becoming a fully-fledged actuary.
The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in learning gaps from a disrupted Grade 11 year in 2020. This disruption produced an intense workload in 2021 and caused her and her classmates to miss out on a number of school-defining events that many teenagers dream about such as a Valentines Ball and a Matric dance.
While Jubilee has high praise for her family for their unwavering encouragement, she says it was the Engen Maths and Science School supplementary classes on Saturdays that provided her with crucial insights in Maths, Physical Sciences and English.
“These extra lessons in my grade 11 and 12 years helped me cover the gaps that were created by the teaching time lost due to the pandemic-enforced school closures”.
The Engen Maths and Science Schools have run for over 30 years and offer underprivileged Grade 10 to 12 learners free supplementary Maths, Science and English tuition on Saturdays at nine locations across South Africa.
These include Cape Town (classes are held at Belgravia and Manzombotho High), Port Elizabeth, East London, Cala and Johannesburg, and in KwaZulu-Natal where classes are hosted at Fairvale High School, Ganges High School, Howard College, and Mangosuthu University of Technology.
The 429-strong Engen Maths and Science School matric class of 2021 attained a 77% overall pass rate of which 64% attained bachelor passes.
Engen’s manager of Transformation and Stakeholder Engagement, Dr James Nyawera explains that the EMSS programme focuses specifically on providing extra tuition in “gateway” subjects such as mathematics and science; subjects which are considered critical in addressing the country’s technical and engineering skills shortage as well as spurring economic growth and development. “The EMSS programme seeks to harness the potential of talented young people in difficult circumstances and to also contribute to the pool of scarce skills in the country,” he says.
“Starting off 34 years ago as Engen Saturday Schools, EMSS remains central to Engen’s efforts to contribute to the growth and transformation of South Africa,” continues Nyawera, adding that “the programme has worked tirelessly to help transform young underprivileged people’s lives, with a focus of creating a diverse and vibrant workforce.”
Engen is incredibly proud of Jubilee and all the EMSS learners who completed matric in 2021, despite extremely trying circumstances.
Engen is committed to building tomorrow’s leaders and if we want to ensure that the youth of tomorrow are prepared for a rapidly changing world, we need to ensure that they have the right mix of skills, for them to reach their full potential.
Contact Gavin Smith, Engen, Phone 021 403-4312, gavin.smith@engenoil.com
