IN THE NEWS Drop-out rate is a concern

THE DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) has raised “deep concern” about the “shocking” dropout figures that they say has put the “real” Matric pass rate for the Northern Cape at 32.7 percent, less than half of the calculated rate of 75.6 percent.

The DA yesterday said that nationally, dropout figures that put the real Matric pass rate at

37.3 percent, when the pass rate is calculated from the Grade 10 class of 2015 who then passed their final school exams in 2017.

“(Nationally) only 49.7 percent of Grade 10 learners actually wrote the final NSC exams and a startling 37.3 percent of 2015 Grade 10 learners actually passed. This means that over 62.7 percent of Grade 10 learners did not pass, dropped out or become stuck in the system – sometimes as a result of purposeful action by school leaders.

“The situation has worsened from last year’s real pass rate of

40.2 percent – suggesting that our schooling system is not a ‘system on the rise’ as claimed,” the statement said.

In the NC, according to the DA, there were 20 180 pupils in Grade 10 during 2015, with only 8 735 (43.3 percent) writing their final National Senior Certificate (NSC).

Of the 20 180 Grade 10 pupils only 6 607 passed their NSC, putting the Province’s “real” pass rate at 32.7 percent. The DA said the ‘real’ pass rates for each province highlighted a dire situation which meant that pupils will not be able to enter post-school education or the job market this year.

“The drop-out rate raises serious concerns about allegations that learners are being ‘culled’ from the system in order to preserve good matric pass rates,” the DA said.

“The DA has repeatedly called for an investigation into the high dropout rate and specifically ‘culling’. Yet, Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, has refused to even consider the issue of culling … The Minister cannot stick her head in the sand on this issue when the future of thousands of learners are at stake.

“Motshekga must explain why she consistently refuses to institute an investigation into culling when this means that more than half of Grade 10’s do not pass their final Matric exams, making it less likely that they will be able to further their education or find a job,” the statement concluded.