The Joburg East District director, Mnyamezeli Ndevu, expressed mixed feelings regarding the matric results of the outgoing 2018 class.
This despite the district obtaining the second best results among 15 districts in the province and third position nationally among 81 districts. Ndevu said the achievement was from a full staff complement of teaching staff in most schools. But, with 31 per cent complement at the district office where 114 positions are vacant including for 29 facilitators in key subject positions.
He was generally delighted with the average of 90.33 per cent pass mark by the
6 353 candidates who wrote the matric examination from 7 493 who registered for the grade in the district. Of them, 3 451 qualified for bachelors degree study, 2 105 diploma qualifications and 798 attained a Higher National Certificates pass.
Among them are former learners of Alex schools and others in neighbouring suburbs. Ndevu was, however, disappointed with the schools that performed badly with one, East Ridge Secondary School which had only 17 candidates, dropping 41.18 per cent from 100 per cent in 2017 to 58.82 in 2018 and, Sandtonview which dropped by 15 per cent from 82.16 per cent in 2017 to 69.3 in 2018. He admonished schools to guard against complacency. “They should not bask in past glory, forgetting that the star performers were long gone and that new pupils needed equal commitment given to their predecessors,” Ndevu said adding that the East Ridge case resulted in seven failures from the 17 candidates.
He added that other schools which also dropped marginally in performance should worry as it’s their responsibility to ensure that all learners entrusted in them for their education, pass with good grades to ensure they advance in order to get a better education and work opportunities later.
This, he said, should be the norm at public schools despite the unfair disadvantage of a 72-learner class compared with 37 in independent and former model C schools.
Ndevu lauded schools that improved, especially asking parents to come to the party after they were engaged about their roles. “Corporate support also helped and should be given with strict conditions on performance.”
This, similar to the Vincent Tshabalala Trust’s scholarships which have strict but motivating and rewarding conditions for good performers from Grade 10.
The following are comparative results for 2017 and 2018 in Alex schools:
• KwaBhekilanga Secondary
School improved from 89.58
to 92.34 per cent
• Realogile Secondary School moved up from 81.95 to 91 per cent
• East Bank Secondary school moved up from 74.15 to 89.72 per cent
• Alex Secondary School dropped from 86.21to 85.28
per cent
• Minerva Secondary School
improved from 72.02 to 80.90
per cent.
Neighbouring schools with many candidates from Alex:
• Liberty College improved
from 98.72 to 100 per cent
• Marlboro Gardens improved
from 98.72 to 100 per cent
• Highlands North moved from
90.91 to 97.77 per cent
• Leap improved from 83.33 to
91.67 per cent
• North View dropped from
94.48 to 89.47 per cent
• Waverley Girls dropped from
90.76 to 85.78 per cent
• Sandringham dropped from
90.15 to 89.57 per cent
• Sandton View dropped from
82.61 to 69.53 per cent
• East Ridge dropped from 100
to 58.82 per cent.
Ndevu also commended the media for raising public awareness on education-related matters.
Also read: SA congratulates the matrics of 2018
