EFF congratulates those who did not pass matric

A statement from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) congratulates this year’s matriculants, appearing to see their achievement as being in spite of the department of education, rather than because of it.

“We wish to congratulate in particular learners who passed against the odds of poverty, suffering and at times going to class with an empty stomach.

“We also wish to congratulate hundreds of learners who went to under-resourced, neglected and dilapidated schools, the orphans and children of domestic workers, petrol attendants, security guards, taxi, truck and bus drivers, farm and mine workers, unemployed parents and the entire working class, for whom education is the only hope to end the cycle of poverty,” the statement says.

It goes on to also congratulate those who did not pass, as many did not make it as far as matric.

“We also congratulate those who did not pass, because in essence they made it this far, sat for an exam and faced the odds.

“We wish them strength, resilience and endurance that they may continue to pursue education and knowledge despite this single setback.

“[The] majority of the learners who faced difficulties through their schooling years are learners who have been failed by the system.

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“This is unlike learners who receive quality education at the foundation phase and therefore are able to think critically, analyse and process information and are also able to read, write and do basic arithmetic.”

“Many of the learners who failed their matric never received education properly from their early childhood development phase and the first years of their schooling.”

Like the Democratic Alliance, the EFF also highlighted the high dropout rate among our matriculants.

The party says of over a million learners who started grade 1 in 2008 and would be matriculating this year, 302,537 did not make it to matric.

And, the EFF highlights the increase in schools with a 0% pass rate, from 12 in 2018 to 16 in 2019.

The party reiterates its call for a single education system with one system of examination for all learners. This would entail abolishing the Independent Exam Board (IEB).

“Access to education must be based on academic talent and not how deep one’s pocket is”.

The party concludes the statement with a call for those who qualify for tertiary education but don’t have the money to “report to institutions of higher learning with their results and further their education”.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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