Matric pass rate dips in W Cape

Class of 2017 saluted but minister says we can do better

THE WESTERN Cape matric pass rate (84.4%) dropped 3.3% compared with last year coming third overall behind the Free State (89.8%) and Gauteng (86%). This excludes those matrics that were progressed from Grade 11.

The 2017 National Senior Certificate (NSC) overall pass rate, with the 107 431 progressed pupils excluded, stands at 76.5%, a 0.3% improvement from the 76.2% in 2016. However, with the progressed learners included, the overall pass rate, stands at 75.1%, a 2.6% improvement from the 72.5% in 2016.

This represents a total of 401 435 candidates, who had passed the 2017 NSC examinations out of a total of 651 707, who wrote.

Yesterday Basic education Minister Angie Motshekga released the NSC results for the class of 2017.

She said the NSC exam results were one of the most important barometers to evaluate progress being made by the government in improving access and quality of teaching and learning.

Motshekga added that while she commended the work of the 2017 class, there was a lot that still needed to be done.

“Fellow South Africans, we will be the first to concede that despite the notable stability of and improvements in our system, we are yet to cross our own Rubicon.

“We must agree that much has been achieved, but much more needs to be done in the areas of efficiency and quality. We call upon all South Africans to work together with us to move public schooling to greater heights.”

Trade union Solidarity’s head of the Solidarity Research Institute, Connie Mulder, said: “Education does not stop at matric and the class of 2017 should note that a matric certificate alone will not create the same opportunities as additional training.

“Although employment in South Africa is under pressure, it is clear that people with further education have significantly better prospects, not only of being employed, but of getting a good job.

“Unemployment among graduates and people with further tertiary education is only 5.4% and 17.8% respectively, compared to South Africa’s higher unemployment rate of 27.7%,” Mulder added.

He stressed that they should also not only consider a university degree.

“Don’t have a one-track mind. Any further education and training will significantly improve your chances of getting a job. Make sure that even when you are in a career, you do all you can to obtain additional training.”

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said a disappointing factor was the pass rate was expressed as a percentage of pupils who wrote the exam and did not consider those who left or dropped out of school.

Makaneta added it was time to review this policy especially now that free higher education was imminent.

MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BUT MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE… WE MUST MOVE PUBLIC SCHOOLING TO GREATER HEIGHTS