More hard work ahead

HEARTY congratulations are order to the 348 117 pupils in the class of 2011 who passed their national Senior Certificate, particularly the 24.3 percent who qualified for further study at university. At the same time, our commiserations go out to the 148 973 who did not make the grade.

What is encouraging is the upward trend displayed in the national pass rate for the second year running: it rose up to 70.2 percent, up from 67.8 percent in 2010, and 60.6 percent the year before.

While concerns regarding quality concerns remain, as do problems with early education, teacher skills and dedication, maths and science, and several other facets of school learning, the arrows are nudging in the right direction.

The culmination of 12 years of schooling with the matric exams is a major milestone in a young person’s life, and deserves to be noted as such, but the reality is that passing matric in SA today is not necessarily a ticket to success in the tertiary field or beyond.

What we need to produce are tickets which guarantee skills in numeracy and literacy which are on a par with equivalent countries elsewhere, and which will adequately equip our pupils academically and socially in whatever fields they choose wherever they venture in the world.

For the matric certificate to carry weight, we need consistency from Grade R throughout the schooling years. The goal of equipping each child with both life and academic skills should be foremost from the lowest levels.

For this to happen, we need to pay special attention to, among others, maths and science, which we need to develop highly skilled trendsetters and leaders in the technical fields, which are crucial for our economy to grow and create jobs. The pass rate for maths for 2011 is 46.3 percent, a decline from 47.4 percent in 2010.

That said, we say “bravo” to the Class of 2011, but caution that a lot more hard work lies ahead to achieve the desired potential of learners. As Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga reminded us, this is what a modern, industrialised country with a vibrant economy such as ours needs.