The Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation hosts an assessment week once a year in January. The purpose of the assessment week is to evaluate the scholarship recipients based on their overall academic performance.
In addition, the assessment week gives the Student Evaluation Committee an opportunity to engage with the recipients in order to better understand their academic and psychological needs, if any. Taking the time to understand the students’ is paramount as it aids the Committee in identifying any signs of anxiety or stress related patterns.
This period is used as a time to reflect on the year ahead for the students’ and for the evaluation Committee alike. At the end of the week, the committee is in a better position to analyse the students, not only from an academic performance point but also from a human perspective point. This is an important consideration when reviewing the recipient’s academic results.
The assessment week is carried out to also aid the students to better know one another as well as to foster a continuous working relationship with the Committee. During this time, the students cohabit with one another and take part in social and academic activities simultaneously.
By virtue of the scholarship’s vision of ploughing back to those that need it the most, several alumni graduates and former recipients of the scholarship visit and share their experiences and some words of encouragement with the current beneficiaries.
As with each year of the scholarship, we thrive to instil the spirit of giving back through the week’s itinerary. The week is comprised of academia and social activities and these include visiting schools in nearby disadvantaged communities and donating stationary packs as well as visiting iconic museums i.e. the Mandela house.