‘Book caused bad results’

Business studies text used in matric exam but only supplied to under-performing schools

A BUSINESS studies textbook, allegedly not part of the prescribed books for Grade 12s and apparently only distributed to under-performing schools, has been blamed for a drop in marks in the subject in last year’s matric exams.

Concerned principals from KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng complained to the Basic Education Department about the business studies results, resulting in the department investigating the matter.

Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga yesterday said the department was now in possession of a report from the investigation, saying it would be available to the public “in due course”.

However, the principals conducted their own investigation into the 10-point decline in the matric results and claimed the entire final exam was based on the textbook Mind the Gap. They said this textbook, only distributed to under-performing schools, had “partly contributed” to the drop in results.

The national business studies pass rate declined from 75.7% in 2015 to 64.9% last year.

A total of 192 139 pupils wrote the subject in the country. In KZN, 59.5% passed.

The principals of the affected schools claimed the textbook was not freely available to all pupils, and compromised pupils at schools which had no idea that the department intended to use it in the examination.

They questioned how the department set the exam based on a non-prescribed textbook. They also complained that the memorandum was overly rigid and did not give pupils the ability to elaborate on answers.

“By comparing the examination paper and the memorandum, it was a copy and paste of Mind the Gap,” said Daryl Franks, principal of Oak Ridge College in Durban North.

Yesterday, the department denied the textbook had prejudiced pupils of schools which had no access to it.

“We know what the agenda is all about. The complaints are coming from one side in Gauteng and in KwaZulu-Natal. The minority will not tell us what to do,” said Mhlanga.

He said the book was only made freely available to no-fee paying schools, but there was nothing stopping other schools from accessing the textbook.

“The book is a learner support material and it was never a secret book. We received such complaints and we have discussed the matter, but there are people who are still threatening to take the department to court. We have no intention of discussing this issue in the media as we have addressed it with the relevant people who had a problem with it,” said Mhlanga, adding that Umalusi, the exam quality assurance body, was happy with the standard of the results.

“What was different last year was that for the first time Umalusi chose to take raw marks in the subject, and not increase the marks as in the past,” he said.

Franks said the results of most of his pupils who failed business studies last year and had applied for remarking remained unchanged.

“I have also spoken to all high schools, private and public, in the Durban North area and there were no changes to marks in the subject for any of the pupils,” he said.

Teachers at two Durban North schools confirmed to the Daily News that their pupils’ marks were also not changed. Franks said the situation had left many matriculants in limbo as they were not accepted to study at universities despite passing their other subjects.