PROTEC addresses critical skill scarcity in South Africa. Very few scholars living in under-resourced communities pass or even write matric Mathematics and Science. They, in turn, don’t have the opportunity to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology. Since 1982, PROTEC have been delivering measurable results in the field of STEM education.
The work of the Community Chest is to eradicate extreme poverty and to support those living in poverty, with a view to assisting them to get to a point where they live better lives.
According to the Director of Community Chest Durban, Gordon McDonald, a proactive way to address extreme poverty is by supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) programmes in high schools by enabling children to achieve exceptional results in Science and Mathematics which will ensure that they can go to university and study further, ultimately getting good jobs and side stepping joining the 20% of our population living in extreme poverty.
Community Chest is proud that PROTEC Inanda and KwaMashu (INK), and Umbogintwini are two of the 105 registered NPOs that we support via monthly grant-making.
For Matric 2023, PROTEC’s seven branches – six in KwaZulu-Natal and one in Mpumalanga – achieved over 90% pass rate, with four of the seven branches achieving a 100% pass rate. Overall, achieved a 77% bachelor pass rate, well above the national average of 41%.
The PROTEC Tongaat Branch in KZN shone the brightest with the 34 matriculants from 16feeder schools achieving a 100% bachelor pass rate and a combined 75distinctions, which included four maths, four physical sciences and three English distinctions.
PROTEC INK (Inanda, KwaMashu) also in KZN, did very well with the 38 matriculants achieving a 100% pass rate, and 34 achieving a bachelor pass. Together they earned 68 distinctions.
Balan Moodley, PROTEC CEO, congratulated the Class of 2023 on their commitment to their goals and the many hours of hard work they put into attaining these results. “Most of these learners have been with PROTEC since Grade 10 and have stuck diligently to the programme, making sacrifices along the way, and holding fast to their dreams of successful STEM careers. We applaud them and thank them for flying the PROTEC flag high.”
Moodley acknowledges that while the PROTEC 2023 matriculants did not achieve the 100%pass rate that PROTEC matric classes have achieved in the past, there are pockets of exceptional excellence that are a clear indication of what can be achieved. “We are already in the process of reviewing and analysing the areas where the pass marks were not up to our standard, and we will make every effort in the forthcoming year to ensure that the failure rate is brought right down to as close to zero as possible.
“Overall, we are proud of our matric learners, and we wish them well as they step into the post-school future. PROTEC of course continues to support our students through their tertiary education and into their working careers and we celebrate their successes every step of the way and welcome them within our growing PROTEC Alumni group.”