The Department of Student Governance and Development at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) recently held an orientation session for the Saturday Tutorial Education Programme (STEP). This programme offers extra classes to learners in grades 10 and 11 at both DUT’s ML Sultan and Indumiso campuses.

The orientation, which was held online was facilitated by Mr Mzwandile Khumalo, the Coordinator at the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at DUT. In his opening statement, Khumalo congratulated learners who chose to be part of the programme.

” Congratulations for registering to be part of this initiative. The research tells us that students who have much contact with their academic work and who spend more time studying and seeking assistance where possible, succeed and they pass better than students who have no form of assistance from their classes or school. So, you have taken a bold step coming forward for help to enhance your skills and ways of learning,” said Khumalo.

In his welcoming address, Mr Masiza Ngculu, Manager at the Department of Student Governance and Development welcomed all learners and thanked all the staff who made the orientation to be successful.

Addressing the selected learners for STEP, Ngculu said: “Already you are winners just for seeking this kind of support in your studies. If I could share just a small thing about university studies and life generally is that winners are those who take steps because at a university, you don’t pass because you are clever – you pass because you are the one who goes to seek knowledge more than others. There are people when a teacher comes in front of them and says something, who can put it together and know it quicker than others. They are lucky. It is just a stroke of nature that they are born that way but in university, those people struggle because they expect things to come to them.”

Furthermore, Ngculu commended the initiative taken by the learners to seek assistance through STEP. “You have shown yourselves to be curious about your success, you are making steps and have taken positive steps to ensure that you succeed at university,” he said.

Giving an overview of the STEP was Mr Simphiwe Mahlaba and Mr Andile Masuku who are coordinators of the programme.

Giving the background of the programme Mahlaba said: “STEP is a student-led tutorial programme designed for high school learners around the vicinity of DUT’s various campuses. It provides academic support to strengthen their subject comprehension, building confidence and improve their learning skills. In addition to receiving intensive tutorials, the programme offers university preparation activities i.e., CAO application, bursary application, etc. The programme has been running continuously since 2011 to great acclaim. During the tutorials in STEP, learners participate in a variety of activities including classes, excursions, workshops and exhibitions. The tutors are carefully selected to meet the needs of both individual learners and the full group. The timetable of STEP is designed around the stated interests of the learners.”

Mahlaba also mentioned the vision of the programme saying it is to work together towards building a knowledgeable nation through education and to be the most sought tutoring programme where learners can achieve academic excellence while discovering their career paths. He also mentioned that subjects being offered for tutoring are mathematics, mathematical literacy, physics, economics, business studies, life sciences and technology subjects.

“You are encouraged to participate for the whole duration of this programme as at the end you will receive a certificate of participation and be well equipped in the subject of your choice,” added Mahlaba.

Elaborating on the benefits of being part of the programme was Masuku. He congratulated learners for coming forward to be in the programme and applauded them for seeking help especially during the times of COVID-19.

“You being part of the programme as learners who are still high school you will benefit from this programme because your academic performance will improve as you will be prepared for tests and exams. Getting one on one attention and get individual unique experience which you do not get from your schools and most importantly, your self-esteem and confidence this will be done through tutorial sessions and being provided with necessary support which you may need,” said Masuku.

He also added that learners would also be prepared about university life although they are not yet in matric, STEP will give them a sense of what university is about.

“You will have to know about university so that when the time comes for you to attend university, you already know what you want to do and the career path that you want to take,” said Masuku.

Masuku revealed that the project is being run in coordination with the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and the School of Education.

“We are not working in silos but we are working with a great team of internal stakeholders to ensure that we provide you with quality service. We have the strongest team of tutors who are trained and well developed to ensure that they assist you in any of your subjects” added Masuku.

Talking about balancing personal life and academics was Mrs Thobeka Shozi-Nxumalo, who is Student Life Officer under the Department of Student Governance and Development.

“By speaking about both of these aspects of life it means they are important. In general, life is about balance, hence if you eat too much, you know what is going to happen and if you drink and consume alcohol you know what is going to happen. Basically it means that everything that we do in life, we need to have balance. The fact that you saw the poster on our social media platforms and took a step to be part of this means that you are serious about your academics. Now, you need to repay the people who made means for you to be registered into the programme. There are things that you must do – firstly you need to identify where you spend your time. Remember we are talking about balancing personal life and academics because most people at your age spend time watching TV, being on social media until midnight, some having boyfriends/girlfriends etc,” Shozi-Nxumalo said.

She motivated learners by challenging them to assess where they spend their time.

“You need to reassess where you spend your time. If you spend your time on the things I have mentioned, will you be able to achieve your academic goals? You need to budget your time wisely and you also need to check your decision making. Are you making a good decision by visiting your friend instead of reading your books when you have a test coming? Be able to resist temptations and peer pressure, look at the people you are spending your time with; are you having the same goals or not? Learn to say no to the things which are not important and especially if they are not to add any value to your life and academic life. You need to work towards what you want to have in life and this is a good time for you to do that,” added Shozi-Nxumalo.

After the orientation, learners expressed their gratitude and indicated that attending the session was fruitful and they are looking forward to experiencing all activities planned for them. Saturday tutorials classes commenced online last Saturday, on 14 August 2021.

Pictured: A screenshot showing some of the attendees of the STEP orientation.

Pictured 2: Mr Masiza Ngculu, Manager at the Department of Student Governance and Development.

Simangele Zuma