Learners writing exams. Picture: iStock
Despite more matrics sitting for this year’s final exams than last, the class of 2024 is 40% smaller than it was when they started grade one.
Exams start on 21 October and run until 27 November.
School dropouts are a constant scourge on South Africa’s education system, with Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) 2021 General Household Survey data showing six in 10 South Africans complete grade 12.
This trend has continued this year, with possible dropouts at around 39%.
According to StatsSA, 1.2 million learners were enrolled for grade 1 in 2013. The department this week announced that over 730,000 students will sit for this year’s exam.
“In terms of system readiness, the Chief Director for National Assessment and Public Examinations, Dr Rufus Poliah, reported that there were 732 448 full-time candidates enrolled for NSC [National Senior Certificate] examinations this year, which is 8,400 more than in 2023,” said Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube.
This is a shortage of 479 552 learners from 2013.
The difference between the two could be attributed to dropouts, transferring to Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, death, or repeating grades.
Earlier this year, former Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga said pupils were more likely to complete an NSC or equivalent qualification compared to previous years.
She said previously, children would stay in school until Grade 10 or 11, repeating multiple grades along the way, and then drop out of school, without achieving a qualification.
In 2013 the Department of Basic Education (DBE) published a report, entitled The Internal Efficiency of the School System – “a report of selected aspects of access to education, Grade repetition, and learner performance”.
“This report explains the concept of “internal efficiency”, which refers to ways in which a school system uses resources more or less efficiently, to produce educational outcomes for children,” said Motshekga.
She said this system has over the years improved learner retention and the throughput ratio in the system.
“Our schooling system used to be far more inefficient, with many children staying in school into their twenties, but then exiting without having completed Grade 12. These days, children repeat less, are less likely to be in school into their twenties.”
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Matrics will write dozens of subjects across 162 question papers.
These question papers have been approved by Umalusi and are awaiting handover to their respective provinces for printing. Among them is sign language.
According to Poliah, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has the largest Grade 12 population with 172 213 candidates, while Gauteng follows closely with the second largest number sitting at 136 620 matriculants.
Eastern Cape is the third runner-up at 103 975. Limpopo has 94,236, Mpumalanga has 68, 455 and Western Cape has registered 64,552.
North West enrolled 41 480, Free State has 37 737 and Northern Cape registered 13 180 candidates this year.
“There are 136 195 part-time candidates registered to sit for various subjects this year.
“The examinations will take place in 6 909 centres across the nine provinces,” said Poliah.
Moreover, Poliah revealed that the Class of 2024 was the seventh cohort that would sit for South African Sign Language Home Language (SASL HL) examinations in November.
210 candidates in 23 schools will sit for the SASL HL exams across the nine provinces.
This is an increase of 76 registered candidates compared to last year.
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Marking will begin immediately after matriculants finish their exams.
Gwarube said there were 55 053 markers appointed. They will be working across 188 marking stations.
The results will be released to candidates on 16 January next year, a day after Gwarube has announced them.
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