Hopes high for better results
OPPOSITION parties and members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) in the Eastern Cape have predicted a marginal improvement in the 2013 matric pass rate.
But they remain sceptical that the class of 2013 will reach the 70% pass rate targeted by provincial government. The results will be announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday.
Provincial education boss Mthunywa Ngonzo said he was adamant the province would obtain the projected 70% matric pass rate.
Last year, it achieved 61.6% after having languished below 60% for several years.
Eastern Cape portfolio committee on education chairman Phumzile Mnguni said the committee expected a marginal improvement of between 2% and 4% from 2012.
It was expected that the province would again be at the bottom of the class compared to other provinces.
“The slight improvement is based on the relative stability of the department. We did not have rolling strike action and the department stabilised financially.
“But historical and social factors in the Transkei and Ciskei, the rural nature of the province and the big number of pupils in underdeveloped areas will continue to have an effect for a long time compared to other provinces.”
COPE MPL and education spokeswoman Angela Woodhall said she hoped for an improvement. “But, we will be surprised if 70% is reached.”
Woodhall said as much as an improved matric pass rate was important, there were other concerns. These included a high rate of pupils dropping out of the education system before reaching Grade 12 and poor results in literacy and numeracy levels obtained by the province in the national tests for lower grades.
“We need literate and numerate pupils in each grade.
“But we congratulate those who worked hard and [now will] achieve good results in 2013.
“We also say to all pupils they must never give up and must follow education as a life-long learning
experience,” Woodhall said.
DA MPL and shadow MEC for education Edmund van Vuuren said: “We expect an improvement, but I cannot see anything beyond 65%. But as long as there is an upward movement at least that shows we are on the right trajectory.”
Van Vuuren said the shortage of teachers at schools and failure of teacher unions to work with the department in the movement of 5 600 excess teachers would impact negatively on matric results.
Problems had included no appointments having been made, some schools being closed for days and temporary teachers not getting paid.
He said in other areas there were no disruptions and pupils were supplied with necessary learning materials and extra classes were held.
UDM MPL Jackson Bici predicted a slight improvement but not beyond 65%. He said an additional concern was that some pupils had struggled to go to schools because of a lack of scholar transport.