DA take on matric marks doesn’t add up

IT’S mind-boggling how some people would show such insensitivity towards the matriculants who have received their results this year.

There is no doubt that these young people go through much stress and trauma as a result of the expectations placed on them by parents and teachers, and this is compounded by the fact that the matric examination is perceived to be the only gateway to jobs and success, which is not the case.

The announcement that over 80% of our matrics had passed and these results were the best achieved in the past 25 years was widely welcomed, except by the DA.

In their quest to play politics and live up to their opposition status, the DA effectively poured cold water on the achievement of hundreds of thousands of matriculants. They claim the pass rate is 37%, not 81% as claimed by the department. They go further to suggest that those able to pass were assisted by a weak education system re-engineered to allow mediocrity to excel.

I learnt that a child in Chatsworth had committed suicide after receiving his results. This is the extent of the trauma experienced by our children who fared poorly in the exam. We have to accept that not all kids will end up in tertiary institutions.

Vocational schooling is an option many choose after Grade 9 and this is fine. Our country needs plumbers, electricians and labourers.

Why prepare to become an engineer when you decide that you want to provide a valuable service to the country that does not require a matric certificate?

The DA claims that more than half of the matrics who entered the schooling system in 2017 left without completing matric. They blame this on poor management in the education system

What scientific evidence do they have that suggests this? Are they aware that many school-leavers entered vocational training to learn trade skills for the job market?

The percentage pass rate revealed by the department can’t be faltered. It’s based on the number of matrics who wrote the exam and the results.

Let’s celebrate the successes of our matrics and support them as they enter the next critical phase in their lives. Those who did not fare well must be encouraged to pursue other options available to them in order to get a job. It’s not only about Bachelor’s passes. Look around you.

Some of the most successful people in the world today were school and university drop-outs. VISVIN REDDY | Morningside