On 30 October, the Kenilworth parade ring will once again come alive after the running of the last race, when the jockeys have their annual BMX match races against children from the Songo programme.
From experience, few jockeys can answer “yes” to the question: “Are you faster than a third-grader?”
Word on the street is that the jockeys’ team manager, MJ Byleveld, has been hard at work watching BMX videos on YouTube to get some tips that will improve his colleagues’ performance. In desperation, at least one of them has previously resorted to taking the ‘Tiger line’ on the bend, earning a stiff talking-to from the Stipes.
Humour aside, and with Grant Knowles as commentator there’s always plenty of that, the Parade Ring Derby raises funds for Songo, which has delivered an after-school programme in Stellenbosch’s Kayamandi township since 2008.
Children growing up in the Kayamandi community are surrounded by unemployment, crime, and alcohol/drug addiction. Their universe of imagined opportunities is severely curtailed by this reality. On a practical level, the education and life guidance they receive in the formal system don’t equip them to break this cycle. Many children have entered the programme aged 12, and yet unable to read.
The broader landscape for South Africa’s youth in quintile 1 to 3 schools paints a grim picture:
- one in five can read for meaning in grade 4
- one in five can add and subtract in grade 5
- 44% drop out of school before reaching matric
- 26% pass matric
- under 8% achieve a bachelor’s pass
- fewer than 1% achieve 65% mark for maths
Education is critical to earnings potential – people with degrees earn four times those with matric, and seven times those without.
Augmenting the formal system by way of after-school programmes is a cost born by individuals, charitable foundations and corporates.
The investment case for this expenditure is the vast cost of achieving milestone educational objectives in quintile 1 to 3 schools.
In theory, a Grade 12 pass requires 12 years of schooling.
However, in the South African system it takes:
- 15 years per Gr 12 placement
- 31 years per matric pass (R614k)
- 104 years per bachelor pass (R2 million)
- 207 years per matric pass over 50% (R4 million)
- 1400 years per matric Maths pass over 65% (R29 million)
Improving the rate at which these outcomes is achieved has an obvious effect on their cost.
In the universe of after-school programmes, Songo is unique in its interventions that incorporate life skills and sport, along with education.
The aim is that children grow up to be confident, well-rounded individuals who are gainfully employed, and contributing members of the community.
You’ll see some of their attitude to life, and values, on display as they race around the parade ring on the 30th.
The event is also a demonstration of the extraordinary generosity of the racing community. Now in its third year, the first two events raised R200 000 for the Songo programme.
The horse racing action on the day promises to be excellent, with the running of the CTS RTR Stakes. The BMX match races are an added reason to make a day of it!
The fundraising component of the event is that owners sponsor jockeys to race in their colours. If you would like to participate, please contact Oscar Foulkes (083 297 3402 or [email protected]).
Images – kind courtesy of Chase Liebenberg Photography
