It started off as a service learning project of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and just a year later Give a Teen a Future Dream (GTFD) is ready to become a registered organisation.
Colorado Park resident Abu-bakr Siddique Hattas, 23, a third-year Project Management student at CPUT, started the project at Lentegeur Secondary School, with 40 pupils and five fellow students.
The pupils were taught study techniques and the students facilitated study zones for a period of three months, which was their service learning time.
The former Spine Road High pupil said pupils involved in the initiative had improved in their various subjects, with the school’s matric results increasing from a 64 percent pass rate to 80 percent.
Abubakr said due to the project’s success rate, CPUT and the Western Cape Education Department were supporting him and that the project had been extended to 20 high schools around Cape Town.
The schools, seven of which are in Mitchell’s Plain, are Aloe, Cedar, Lentegeur, Princeton, Westridge, Woodlands, Pelican Park, Strandfontein, Crestway, Dr N M Mandela, Lavender Hill, Sinethemba, Lotus, New Eisleben, Ocean View, Oscar Mpetha, Sithembele Matiso, Sophumelela and Zeekovlei high schools.
Abubakr said CPUT has allocated 200 students to assist pupils in these schools.
“The project was very successful. It yielded positive results beyond my expectations. We had one of the highest increases in the matric pass rate in the Metro South Education Department.
“I am very excited and proud of the pupils and students who avail their time to help our youth. I am happy that CPUT adopted the project and that it is being funded and supported by the education department,” he said.
Abubakr said the idea came about when he was watching his younger sister study, in a shared room and with limited resources.
“I was thinking that many of our young people struggle to study because of limited resources and support. Many pupils do not have a study time table, and with out resources they are unable to excel in their subjects, and that’s when I decided to embark on the project,”he said.
Abubakar Frieslaar, principal at Lentegeur Secondary School said the project has been successful and his pupils’ marks have improved.
“Programmes like these are needed at our schools as pupils, especially in matric, need academic support.
Abubakr said he would like to encourage pupils to be committed to the programme, and urged parents and residents to support the programme by volunteering to be facilitators.
He said pupils travel late from school which can be unsafe for them, so they also needed adults to walk the children home in the area.
For more information on the GTFD, contact Abubakr Siddique Hattas on 084 267 9161.
