Despite the excellent pass rate, the transition from high school to various post schooling opportunities remain challenging, especially for those who have not achieved the results they hoped for.
Often, such results may cause learners to feel despondent, or to be unnecessarily hard on themselves, but they should remember that these results don’t need to dictate their way forward. It may seem as if all is lost, but once you’ve processed these feelings and emotions (which remain valid), your planning can begin.
If your results don’t allow you to pursue a specific field or career opportunity immediately, consider alterative pathways you could consider in the interim, while you work to achieve your revised goals.
Here are a few options to consider:
1) Rewrite/upgrade your results
The Department of Basic Education provides learners with an opportunity to register to write their final Grade12 exams again. In doing so, learners have an chance to improve their marks and therefore the possibility of securing a place in their preferred study/career field going forward.
2) Review/remark your examination script
It is possible that a mark or marks may have been overlooked, or even incorrectly added. If you have consistently achieved a certain % pass in school, but your results in your final exams are lower or worse than you normally achieve, it may be worth paying the prescribed fee to either view your examination script to see any calculation errors or apply to have your script marked again by a different examiner. Both options take a while to finalise, so bear that in mind when you opt to follow this path.
3) TVET Colleges (Vocational Training)
If pursuing a university qualification is not an option now, then consider applying for a vocational programme at a registered TVET college to pursue a vocational trade. These courses offer hands-on skills and training in a range of career focused disciplines. Upon completion, you could consider pursuing a vocational trade or perhaps seeking to advance your school at a University or similar institution to further your knowledge.
4) Alternative pathways
Most universities offer a range of alternative pathways for students to explore, especially for those who do not enter via traditional admission processes. These often include opportunities, such as extended curriculum programmes, bridging courses, or following a generic study route in another similar field, to enable specialisation later on. While such options do allow entry, they often require additional time and funding to complete and should only be considered in consultation with the university in question, as transitioning from one to another may require specific conditions to be met before any changes can be made.
As you can see from the above list, a range of options are available for learners to follow, should they not have met the direct entry requirements needed to pursue a specific field of study. This is also not always due to low results, but as space is limited, a number of applicants may be denied admission, even if they meet the requirements for direct admission. It is therefore important to remember that the road is not always smooth and that perhaps taking a detour could lead to greater opportunities down the road.
All the best for the year ahead.
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