Millions of children – from primary to secondary level – fill school classrooms each year with the hope of acquiring a good education. However, what is concerning is to see how many, despite hours of studying, still fail to pass their grades.
Tshimangadzo Mufamadi (31), resident at Ha-Mashau village and a local teacher, believes that the failure rate in schools is often because of a lack of proper study material. That is why, to help learners from Grade 4 up to Grade 9, he had written a new study guide in Tshivenda to serve as learning support for local teachers and learners in schools, and help equip the children with language-related technicalities. The study guide is titled Tsumbandila – Gaidi ya Luambo.
"It took me many hours, countless sleepless nights and a lot of energy to put this book together," he said. "Writing and editing a book is not child's play. When you look at the final product, you must know that a lot of work went into the project."
Mufamadi, who is currently studying for his LLB degree through the University of South Africa, said that a dream did not become a reality by magic. "You don't wave a magic wand and suddenly you know everything," he said. "Learners need to get the relevant study material, focus on that and study really hard to achieve good marks. I wrote this study guide after realising that many learners still struggle to understand the questions; it's like they don't know how to read and write."
Tshimangadzo Mufamadi can be followed on social media or called on Tel 076 568 0493.