Scepticism over matric successes

Results misinterpreted, say experts

WHILE Education MEC Mandla Makupula praised the province’s pupils for the increase in passes in most major subjects, including mathematics and science, education experts remain sceptical as he neglected to mention that 10 000 fewer pupils wrote last year’s exam.

The trend could be seen throughout all of the major subjects written last year – while subject pass percentages increased, there were fewer candidates in each when compared with 2016.

Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, Makupula praised the province, saying: “Of the 39 subjects written in the Eastern Cape, only 12 declined. These are small enrolment subjects except for accounting and business studies.”

However, education experts say the percentage presented by the province as an increase in the pass percentages for several subjects is not a fair comparison.

This is as a result of 82 257 full-time candidates being registered for the 2017 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams compared with 92 748 in 2016 and 91 810 the previous year, according to the department’s NSC results 2017 information booklet.

Education expert Professor Susan van Rensburg said: “Stats can be manipulated to prove what you need them to prove. And that is what I believe the department has done here.

“Because if you want a fair comparison you need to include the thousands of extra pupils who registered in Grade 10 but didn’t make it to matric.

“One can’t reflect on the last year and call it a success when you have lost thousands of pupils along the way in Grade 10 and 11.

“Had those pupils been counted, the percentages would be very different.

“Also looking at the subjects which decreased – namely accounting and business – it is concerning because those are the fields that actually contribute directly to growing the economy.”

Education expert and University of Pretoria lecturer Professor Johannes Slabbert said while all the figures were correct, the way in which they were presented remained questionable.

“It is not as simple as gathering the numbers and putting it together,” he said.

“The way it is presented is not a true reflection of the outcomes. One has to consider that there were pupils who fell away in Grade 10 and 11.”

According to statistics provided by the Department of Education, while the accounting pass rate decreased marginally by 0.1%, there were 3 237 fewer pupils writing last year than in 2016.

Economics, geography and life sciences improved pass rates by 5.6%, 0.5%, 4.5% and 6.8% respectively.

However pupils registered to write the subjects decreased by 4 541, 4 914, 2 689 and 5 756 respectively.

The same applied for highly lauded mathematics, sciences and mathematical literacy results which increased by 4.8%, 7.7% and 8.3% respectively.

The number of pupils decreased by 3 458, 2 644 and 10 137 respectively.

The remaining two subjects – accounting and business studies – decreased by 0.1% and 5.2%, with both subjects’ enrolment decreasing by 3 237 and 4 662 respectively.

Afrikaans and English home language subjects both decreased their overall pass percentages by 6.8% and 2.8%. IsiXhosa and IsiZulu home languages remained the same.

Education department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said: “It is impossible to get the number of matrics who were registered for Grade 10 in 2015 as this number is constantly changing because of individuals’ circumstances.”