Matrics of 2018 can take a bow

HEARTY congratulations to the more than

800 000 young people who this week triumphantly ended 12 or more years of schooling and are now contemplating their next moves to study further or develop skills for entry into the economy.

The Independent Examinations Board results released yesterday were outstanding, higher than ever at 98.92%. Participating schools are clearly delivering world-class standards and products. It is a pity that the IEB involves only 12 000 or so pupils.

The thrust of our focus, however, must naturally fall on the bulk of our pupils, whose results are published today. A total of 796 542 pupils wrote the National Senior Certificate exams.

While attention has been drawn to the improving overall pass rate, which is something of a false beacon but deserves applause nonetheless, it is the hundreds of thousands who did not succeed who should concern the government and us.

When one considers the hundreds of thousands more who dropped out before their Grade 12 year, this becomes a cause for alarm.

Those pupils who did not make the Class of 2018 should see this as a setback, as a reason to double efforts and succeed.

It is not terminal failure, as parents and teachers should be pointing out. The world boasts many examples of spectacularly successful people who have brushed aside similar setbacks to become admired figures.

Commentary on today’s results is healthy, stimulates the debate on how to raise the overall standard of school education.

There will be political comment, especially in an election year, but there will be constructive, practical proposals as well. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and her officials should take them as such.

A high-level panel set up by Parliament recommended far greater efforts regarding early childhood education.

The aim is to boost readiness for Grade R, and its proposal is for Basic Education to take over responsibility for this from Social Development.

Well done, Class of 2018.