Tutoring can help

Emmanuel Khumalo an educator at the Krazifizix Educational Club, a free extra-lesson tuition programme in KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal, is proving that with a little extra help he can give learners the opportunity to thrive academically and build brilliant futures for themselves.

“I started at Krazifizix in February this year, however have always been giving lessons,” Khumalo says, “I remember in Grade 11, during break times I would take the Grade 8s for maths extra lessons and also did in Grade 12”.

The majority of his lessons take place at Thandukwazi Primary School but Khumalo is happy to teach wherever the need for extra lessons arises. “I believe that I am making a huge difference every day,” he says. “Seeing learners actually commit themselves to school on a Saturday and not out partying or doing wrong things — I like to think that my work helps keep kids off the street and that’s a huge difference.”

“Education is very important to me,” this remarkable 17-year-old says proudly, “It is the key to the future and without education there is nothing you can do in this time that we live in. Education is POWER, to me: it is LIFE”. Khumalo has his own dreams, “I’d like to be a doctor and I’ve already started applications for next year,” he says, “And I believe nothing is going to stand in my way”.

Currently Khumalo spends money from his own pocket to buy the materials (chalk, pens, textbooks and worksheets) he uses during his lessons, “I believe it is important to help others because when you help someone, you also helping yourself,” he says, “Helping others can make a difference — we all have the potential to become heroes”.