KWAZULU-Natal has recorded a disappointing 7.7 per cent drop in the matric pass rate, from 77.4 per cent in 2013 to 69.7 per cent in 2014.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga revealed that the national matric pass rate was 75.8 per cent, and the KZN matric pass rate was 69.7 per cent during a press conference at the SABC offices in Johannesburg late yesterday.
Motshekga emphasised that the rigours of the new Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (Caps) had stumped this year’s matrics, and the pupils who were pushed through last year, despite failing Grade 11 in 2013, were not to shoulder the blame for the lower pass percentages.
She said among the challenges was the amendment of the policy, which gave matric pupils whose first language was not English or Afrikaans an extra five per cent on their original mark in certain subjects, and also Euclidean geometry and probability being reintroduced as a compulsory section in maths.
Motshekga added that Caps, which was intended to ease the administration burden on teachers and provide more clarity on what needed to be taught and tested, had increased the demand on pupils. She also said to improve the education quality, the ratio of higher order questions was increased by examiners last year.
She added that while she was mindful of the uncertainty and instability that the changes caused, the importance of raising the bar could not be overlooked, and therefore postponed.
She was excited to announce that the number of distinctions in certain subjects, including history, maths, maths literacy and physical sciences, had increased by between 1.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent, and nearly 29 per cent of the 170 000 matrics qualified for admission to Bachelor Degree studies.
However, the DA’S Mbali Ntuli (MPL) said KZN Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and her department had failed the class of 2014: “There is no greater gift that can be given to a young person than a quality education. For more than 30 per cent of pupils not to have obtained their matric certificate is not just dismal, it is an opportunity lost to many forever,” she said.
On the lighter side, three pupils from KZN have made it to the national top achievers list. They are Gareth Mogambery of New West Secondary School in Newlands, Rashmika Deeplal of Isipingo Secondary School and Senzo Xaba of Mtshakela High School in Zululand.
Results from Highway schools were delayed at the time of going to press. It is believed that the Department of Education had not delivered the results at the Pinetown District office as scheduled.
Those hoping to send the examination papers for remarking have until 21 January to apply. Applications to write supplementary exams will close on 26 January, with exams commencing on 17 February.
