Matric 2021 – How to Survive and Thrive

Join SACAP’s free Matric Student Study Hack Webinar

Facing the challenges of writing matric this year?  One of the best investments of your time will be taking out just an hour and half on the morning of Saturday, 14 August to join the experts at the upcoming SACAP (South African College of Applied Psychology) webinar.  Taking a whole-person approach, the panel will include leaders in their fields who will teach you the all-important hacks you need to not just survive matric but thrive.

The SACAP Student Study Hack webinar will offer tips and practical tools so that you can identify the study approach that will work best for you, learn simple ways to use diet and physical activity to boost your well-being and perform at your peak, and easily put in place strategies that will keep you motivated, on-track and positive about getting through your matric experience.

Registered Counsellor, Kirsten Harrison who has a special interest in higher education as well as trauma, points out that writing matric today is a lot more pressured than it used to be, and this year’s cohort is under additional stresses brought about by the global pandemic.  She says, “It’s a life-changing time, writing these final school exams marks the end of the school era, and the anticipation of a different life ahead which is filled with uncertainties.  There’s a demand to perform at your peak in the midst of a storm of expectations, hopes and fears.  The good news is that you don’t have to be at the mercy of all this.  There are practical ways that you can manage your matric experience and putting these strategies into practice brings about growth and competence in facing challenges in life.  In essence, getting through your matric exams is not just about the marks you achieve at the end; it also provides day-by-day opportunities to develop your personal self-mastery.”

During the webinar Kirsten will highlight how repetitive learning is not enough to pass matric and she will unpack the importance of finding the study approach that best works for you.  Learning about the different study approaches empowers you to learn more about how you learn best.  Kirsten says, “Some of the short-term benefits to planning one’s study approach include increased focus, less anxiety-provoking thoughts, more effective use of your study time and increased confidence in how you approach exams. There are longer term benefits too, in that you will have a more positive experience of studying and writing exams which will help you achieve your goal grades going forward into higher education.” 

Setting yourself up for success in the matric exams is not only about the actual studying you need to do.  Nutrition expert, Robyn-Leigh Mentor knows that you can’t think well if you don’t eat well. She will share top diet hacks and advice on how to buy healthy and delicious food on a budget.  Qualified Biokineticist, Joshua De Hahn will explain how movement is a powerful tool that helps both your body and brain and give you practical tips on how you can use movement to boost your mind.

You’re going to need more than higher levels of physical self-care to get you through matric challenges, you’re going to also need emotional stamina and resilience.  Jogini Packery is a Counselling Psychologist who is passionate about youth development, and she will be talking about setting expectations and coping strategies – essential tools to help you manage your matric experience and prepare you for life after matric.  Jogini says, “It’s important to understand that having a positive attitude towards your matric studies and exams is not about pretending it’s all going to be peachy and rosy.  It’s about having the coping strategies to deal with the inevitable stresses that enable you to settle your emotions and focus on what needs to be done next.  Jogini explains that we all have innate coping strategies that help us feel better in tough moments, but not all coping strategies return us quickly to a balanced state – they can lead us to being distracted or avoidant at a time when what we really need is to get back on track as quickly as possible.  Learning how you cope in the face of adversity, and finding better ways is part of the matric journey.  Jogini says, “You need to constantly reevaluate what is working for you and what is not. Mental agility and flexibility are at the core of resilience. If something that we are doing is not serving a healthy purpose, then we need to set healthy boundaries.”

Becoming more aware of your emotional and physical states is also vital as it helps you to more quickly identify when you are not coping so that you can avoid a downward spiral into anxiety or hopelessness.  Reaching out to your support system when you are feeling overwhelmed is taking a brave, strong step towards recovering, problem-solving and doing better.

The one and half-hour webinar will include a Q&A session so that you can get into the conversation with the experts and your peers.  Join SACAP’s Student Hack webinar on Saturday, 14 August 2021 from 10h00 to 11h30.  Registration is free and you can sign up here.

How to support your Matric child holistically

Lean in? Stay away? It’s not easy knowing how best to support your child through the inevitable stresses of writing their matric exams.  It’s an experience that can be as challenging to parents as it is to students, and you might need to be managing impacts on other family members too.  As parents, you have a pivotal emotional support role to play and the experts at the upcoming, free SACAP (South African College of Applied Psychology) Parents’ Guide to Matric Support webinar will give you a holistic approach to not just surviving but thriving through your child’s matric experience.

Getting the balance right between giving support while enabling your child to own their study and exam process can be tough, especially if we’re witnessing our child struggle under pressure.  As parents we can be quick to jump in with practical advice based on our past experiences, but this might be far from the help they actually need.   Sometimes, we can inadvertently exacerbate our child’s stress.  Learning to ask our child to identify what they need from us is not always easy if we think we already know the solution.  Managing our own expectations, hopes and fears for our child can be a particular challenge for many of us that is brought to the fore by the knife-edge atmosphere around matric exams.

Join other matric parents and the SACAP panel on the morning of Saturday, 21 August for an hour and half online event which will unpack the importance of study approaches, coping strategies, nutrition and exercise.  The webinar will include an interactive Q&A session, so you can engage in conversation with the experts and learn from the concerns of other parents.  

Registered Counsellor, Kirsten Harrison who has a special interest in higher education as well as trauma, points out that communication is key to letting your child manage their studies and exams autonomously while providing a safety net if things get too tough.  She says, “We need to ensure we do not take away from the child being able to develop their own optimal study approach and rhythm, which may be different from ours.  It helps to be curious about your child’s approach so that you can understand how it works for them.  Asking how you can help them get through a rough patch will get better results than telling them how you think they should do things. In essence, your child’s journey through their matric exams is not just about the marks they achieve at the end; it also provides day-by-day opportunities for them to develop personal self-mastery.”

Caring and sensitive parental support is not just centred on the study activities.  You can be a positive and enabling influence when it comes to helping your child take care of both body and mind.   Nutrition expert, Robyn-Leigh Mentor knows that you can’t think well if you don’t eat well. She will share top diet hacks with parents and advise on how to provide healthy and delicious food on a budget.  Your consistent, gentle encouragement of healthy eating, sufficient sleep and physical activity will help your child to cope better with stress and pressure.

Counselling Psychologist, Jogini Packery will be talking about setting expectations and coping strategies.   She says, “It’s important to understand that having a positive attitude towards matric studies and exams is not about pretending it’s all going to be peachy and rosy.  It’s about your child having the coping strategies that enable them to settle their emotions and focus on what needs to be done next.  Jogini explains that we all have innate coping strategies that help us feel better in tough moments, but not all coping strategies return us quickly to a balanced state – they can lead us to being distracted or avoidant at a time when what your child really needs is to get back on track as quickly as possible.  Jogini says, “Parents can provide essential support in helping their child to constantly reevaluate what is working for them and what is not. Mental agility and flexibility are at the core of resilience. If something that your child is doing is not serving a healthy purpose, then you can encourage them to set healthy boundaries and rewards.  For instance, taking a break to watch a favourite programme can help reset emotionally, but binge-watching a whole series can lead them into deeper stress.  The reward is important, and so is the boundary.”

Through open communication in a kind and caring environment, parents can also help to gauge when states of distress, anxiety, burn-out or depression require more help than they alone can provide.  Reaching out to a support system or getting professional help is an important step to take if the stress has tipped over into too much stress.

To find out more, join SACAP’s Parent’s Guide to Matric Support Webinar on Saturday, 21 August 2021 from 10h00 to 11h30.  Registration is free and you can sign up here.

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Here’s How Tax Relief for Neurodivergent Kids Actually Works

If you’re raising a neurodivergent child in South Africa, you’re already doing a lot.

Appointments. School meetings. Forms. “Can you just send that report again?” moments. The daily juggling act of home + school + therapy + life.

So when someone says, “You might be able to claim tax relief,” it can feel like one more admin mountain… right when you’re already running on fumes.

Here’s the good news: tax relief is available, and there’s a real framework designed to give families some breathing room.

The bad news is: it’s not always obvious how it works, and the internet is full of conflicting advice.

This guide will help you understand the basics without spiralling.

Tax relief is available in South Africa

South Africa’s tax system includes support for families who carry additional medical and care costs. The main mechanism is the Additional Medical Expenses Tax Credit (AMTC).

It’s not a cash payout. It’s a tax credit that reduces the amount of normal tax you pay.

For many families, it becomes a crucial “safety valve”, especially when you’re paying for the kind of support your child needs to function well in the real world.

Where neurodiversity fits into the SARS framework

SARS doesn’t have a neat category called “neurodivergence.”

Instead, conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and PDA are considered based on their functional impact, in other words, how much they limit day-to-day life.

For tax purposes, a “disability” is defined as a moderate to severe limitation in a person’s ability to function or perform daily activities (including learning, thinking, communicating).

If your child’s challenges create a moderate to severe limitation that is expected to last more than a year, your family may qualify for tax relief.

If the limitations are considered milder, the condition may fall under what SARS calls a “physical impairment.” (Despite the name, this category isn’t limited to physical conditions and can still apply in some neurodevelopmental contexts.) 

Relief may still be available, but often with different thresholds and limits.

The common misunderstanding that trips parents up

One of the biggest myths is:

“If I have the diagnosis, we automatically qualify.”

Not necessarily.

SARS looks at whether the condition remains a significant limitation even after what it calls “maximum correction” (including appropriate therapy, treatment, or medication).

Because every child is different, eligibility is assessed case by case. Two families can have the same diagnosis and still have different outcomes depending on how the condition impacts daily functioning.

Which is frustrating, yes.
But also: it’s why getting clarity early matters.

Why paperwork and medical confirmation matter (even if you hate admin)

The admin requirements can feel like adding weight to an already heavy load.

But they’re also the keys to unlocking tax relief.

A diagnosis label isn’t enough. You need formal medical confirmation from a registered practitioner who is trained to give an opinion on your child’s condition.

The key document is the ITR-DD form (Confirmation of Diagnosis of Disability).

Whether this form is required in your situation can depend on how your child’s needs are classified (which is exactly where many parents get stuck).

Important: you typically don’t submit the form with your annual return, but you must keep it, along with invoices and proof of payments, for at least five years. 

SARS often verifies these claims, so having your paperwork organised from the start protects you later.

Think of it like this: a few clicks to save documents today can save you hours of stress later.

You don’t have to figure it all out today

If this feels complex, you’re not meant to decode it alone in between lunchboxes and meltdowns.

So we created a simple starting point for parents:

✅ Download the tax relief cheat sheet at www.dalza.com/tax-relief-cheat-sheet/
 A clear summary of what you need to know (and what to gather), without the jargon.

Supporting a neurodivergent child requires enough time, energy, and emotional bandwidth as it is. Tax admin shouldn’t be another thing you have to white-knuckle your way through.

Start with the cheat sheet.
Get the lay of the land.
And take it one step at a time.

👉 Download the free tax relief cheat sheet at www.dalza.com/tax-relief-cheat-sheet/

Disclaimer:

This content is provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice. Tax outcomes depend on individual circumstances, and eligibility for tax relief is assessed by SARS on a case-by-case basis. We recommend consulting a registered tax practitioner or qualified professional before submitting any tax claims

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Get a second chance at success

If you’ve recently completed Grade 12, you’ll know that your matric results can lead to many exciting opportunities. Your matric certificate can help you get into the university or course of your choice, it looks great on your CV and it can help you ace that job interview by showing that you have the necessary skills to do the job.

But, what if your results were not what you hoped they would be and all these opportunities seem out of reach? You don’t have to be stuck with your less-than-great grades for the rest of your life. You can get a second chance at success.

Impaq, an innovative education solution provider, can help. You can register to redo some of your Grade 12 subjects in order to improve your results. Plus, you don’t have to be an Impaq learner to qualify. If you went to a public or private high school or received your matric certificate through a distance learning provider, you can still apply to redo your matric subjects with Impaq. The only requirement is that you must have had a sitting for the final examination in order to qualify.

Once you’ve applied and been accepted, Impaq will register you with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) to ensure that you receive your new (and improved) National Senior Certificate after passing the NSC Examination for the rewritten subjects.

To see if you qualify, send an email to [email protected]. The final cut-off date for registrations is 15 February 2018.

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Bullying: What parents and schools can do

ARTICLE BY PROF RITA NIEMANN, NALIZE MARAIS, ZENDRÉ SWANEPOEL AND MONIERA MOOSA

Bullying is a great concern for both parents and schools. Here we outline a number of measures that can help them both parties deal with bullying.

Parents

When parents notice that their child is behaving differently – not wanting to go to school, using illness as an excuse, suddenly performing poorly at school or enuresis – and suspect bullying, they need to act immediately.

Firstly, they must determine where this is happing (at school, at a sports club, on social media, etc.) and who the perpetrator(s) are.

Secondly, if the bullying is taking place in an organised environment such as at school or sports club, the authorities need to be informed and requested to step in. They are legally bound to protect the rights of the child.

Thirdly, parents have the responsibility to equip their children to cope by:

  • Instilling the knowledge that children must take a stand and that they have a choice in allowing someone else to victimise them.
  • Assisting children to terminate relationships that are potentially harmful, such as blocking a person on social media.
  • Helping them to identify bullies and the different forms of bullying.
  • Creating a safe space for children to speak about what is happening to them.
  • Emphasising assertive verbal communication if threatened.
  • Building children’s self-concept.
  • Getting the help of a psychologist, if necessary, to counsel the victim.
  • Emphasising that respectful behaviour is always the best option and thus preventing retaliation.
  • Fostering problem-solving and conflict resolution skills with the focus on restoring damaged relationships.
  • Working collaboratively to solve the problem with their children so that they can feel reassured.

Schools

As bullying is a deliberate act to hurt someone, there must be consequences for the bully. Once teachers are aware that a bullying incident has taken place at school, the matter must be dealt with by:

  • Asking the victim to provide the names of the perpetrator(s), as well as the names of friends of the victim, as soon as he/she has calmed down.
  • Counselling the victim and finding out whether he/she has been injured and what effect the bullying or harassment has had on him or her.
  • Cultivating a “no blame” approach towards bullying or harassment.
  • Establishing punitive sanctions for both the bully and for any bystanders.
  • Developing a bullying code of conduct/bullying policy and informing learners of this.
  • Having designated teachers to deal with incidents of bullying.
  • Facilitating mediation and discussions with the victim and the bully, depending on the severity of the bullying.
  • Passing the responsibility to the bully or group of bullies to make sure that the problem is solved.
  • Ensuring that potential bystanders understand that they have a vital role to play during bullying incidents.
  • Letting the victims feel protected after they have reported the incident.
  • Encouraging learners to make suggestions on how they can contribute to alleviating the negative experiences of the victim.
  • Scheduling follow-up meetings to monitor the situation where each party has to share how things are going.
  • Informing the parents of both the bully and the victim about the incident/s.

The principal and teachers have a crucial role to play in directing learners towards becoming responsible citizens. They should create a safe and secure environment, establish a non-violent culture, and be good role models for all learners.

Reference

Niemann, R., Marais, N., Swanepoel, Z. & Moosa, M. 2016. Problem areas in schools In: Jacobs, M. Teaching-learning Dynamics, Johannesburg: Pearsons

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