Learners don't always know how to manage matric says Mankodi Moitse, CEO of Kagiso Trust.
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Kagiso Trust has unveiled a new toolkit aimed at helping South Africa’s 2026 matric learners navigate exam pressure, career decisions and funding options — all in one place.
The Makers of the Future toolkit, launched on Wednesday, is a free, downloadable guide designed to support pupils through what the organisation describes as “one of the most consequential years of their lives”.
“Every year, hundreds of thousands of learners start matric knowing it matters but not always knowing how to manage it,” said Kagiso Trust CEO Mankodi Moitse. “They face identical challenges: managing exam stress, understanding options, accessing funding. Yet we expect each learner to solve these problems individually.”
The toolkit attempts to close that gap by consolidating academic, emotional and practical support into a single resource. It includes monthly planning guides, evidence-based study techniques, exam strategies, and mental health support contacts, along with detailed breakdowns of post-school pathways.
Moitse said the guide encourages learners to rethink how they approach studying. “Success in matric isn’t built through overnight cramming or 24/7 studying. It’s built through consistent, strategic effort. The toolkit shows learners how to study smart, not just hard.”
Beyond the classroom, the resource places strong emphasis on life after matric — presenting university, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), learnerships, entrepreneurship and even structured gap years as viable routes.
“There is no single ‘correct’ path after matric,” Moitse said. “TVET launches many people into successful careers. University works brilliantly for others. Some learn best through learnerships or by starting businesses. All these paths can lead to meaningful work and financial stability.”
To help learners make those decisions, the toolkit offers comparisons of post-matric options, application timelines, and guidance on funding — including information on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme — as well as links to bursaries and contact details for the country’s 50 TVET colleges.
While the toolkit is aimed at learners, Kagiso Trust says it is equally valuable for parents and teachers.
“Parents want to help but don’t always have current information about funding or TVET reforms,” Moitse said. “Teachers are experts in their subjects but may not know details of every pathway. This toolkit equips everyone with the information they need.”
The guide also draws on cultural wisdom to reinforce its message, invoking a Setswana proverb about gradual progress: success, it argues, is built step by step.
“Success is built through consistent effort, one brick at a time,” said Moitse. “This toolkit provides the building blocks. But learners have to pick them up and use them. Nobody can build their future for them.”
The launch forms part of Kagiso Trust’s broader campaign promoting skills-based education and TVET pathways as a response to youth unemployment.
“In a country where nearly three out of five young people aged 15–24 are unemployed, guiding learners toward pathways with genuine employment outcomes isn’t just good advice — it’s an imperative,” Moitse said.
The organisation is urging schools, businesses and community groups to download and distribute the toolkit widely.
“The difference between a learner who thrives and one who struggles often isn’t talent or potential,” Moitse said. “It’s access to the right information at the right time. We’re putting that information into as many hands as possible.” The resources can be downloaded from the links below:
Makers of the Future toolkit and www.kagiso.org.za.