MBOMBELA – Following a 0,4 per cent matric pass rate decline, the MEC for basic education in Mpumalanga, Ms Reginah Mhaule will meet with principals of schools that did not perform well last year.
Over 70 schools in the province achieved a pass rate of below 60 per cent. Mhaule stressed to principals and circuit managers that learners who are repeating for the first time must be admitted without fail in all schools. “We have been preaching this over the past few years to ensure that these learners are given a second chance. I hope that everyone will appreciate that this does not need to be re-emphasised,” said Mhaule.
She added that the department would participate in a pilot programme called the “Second Chance Matric Rewrite Programme” which will take place in the Nkangala and Bohlabela districts.
The objective of this programme is to offer students who have failed to meet the requirements of the NSC, a second chance to obtain their matric.
The programme will be piloted this year and registration for participation will only be open to learners who attempted the NSC examinations in 2015.
The aim of the programme is to provide support to learners who wrote the 2015 matric examinations and qualified to write one or two subjects in the supplementary examinations in February and March 2016.
“In 2015, the province implemented a school-based learner performance improvement programme. As part of this, schools were required to develop and ensure the implementation of their own intervention programmes. This is very good because the school community gets involved in the affairs of their respective schools. We urge schools to do the same in 2016,” she said.
The department has set aside R104 million towards bursaries for 2016/17. These will be issued to deserving learners in keeping to the Provincial Human Resource Development Strategy.
The Mpumalanga government bursary caters for tuition fees, accommodation, stationery and meals and provides for monthly pocket money.
“Again we confirm that all our top 10 candidates will automatically receive a full bursary from the department and learners with disabilities will be given first priority. We are encouraged by institutions and businesses that support and contribute by giving bursaries to deserving students. All successful recipients will receive notifications during the second week of February 2016,” concluded Mhaule.
