A teacher from Dudumeni Comprehensive High School in Alfred Nzo East District, Njabulo Tinini, is challenging other maths teachers struggling to obtain good marks in maths in the matric results, to improve their results. Tini obtained 69 percent in the matric results of 2023.
He started at the school in 2018, obtaining 40 percent, then 64 in 2019. He did not teach Grade 12 in 2020. In 2021 he obtained 76 percent, in 2022 63 percent and in 2023 69 percent.
One of the techniques that work for him, is to group the learners according to their ability. He will group learners who are doing well separately from those who are struggling.
“When doing this, it does not mean I do not focus on other learners. I do it to make sure that I reach all of them and nobody gets left behind. I do not use textbooks when I am setting tests, I use previous question papers so that they can become familiar with them. Sometimes they write tests that have a total of 150. When they are writing I make sure that if the paper is three hours, they do not exceed the time.”
He confirmed that when he obtained 69 percent he had some mixed feelings, because he was expecting more than that.
Tinini said that even though some people think that 69 percent is a good percentage for him it is not, and he was expecting 70 or upwards.
He said that he wants 100 percent this year, and will work hard in order to fulfil his wish.
“If you want to obtain good results you must work hard and compromise. Working on Sundays is not good, but I want to make sure that I help the black child. I have to sacrifice because learners want more attention in maths. The one hour period that is in the policy of Department of Education is not enough if you want to achieve a good goal.”
