School leavers certificate for Grade 9s

Plans are in place to introduce the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) for school pupils who wish to leave school at the end of Grade 9.

The certificate will enable pupils to go and study further at a technical, vocational education and training college.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Angie Motshekga recently announced that the new school exit certificate is being developed to benefit pupils who battled with traditional academic requirements or were unwilling to continue with the academic route.

She added that a Grade 9 school exit certificate would address unemployment and the country’s skills shortages, and would serve as an alternative to university.

Instead of following the academic stream for the National Senior Certificate, these pupils would choose from among 26 skills and vocational subjects.

This certificate was first introduced after a task team released a report on the standard of the National Senior Certificate last year.

Director general for curriculum at the DBE Matanzima Mweli said, “The data demonstrates that we lose some of the pupils even before Grade 9 – they drop out. This is for a myriad of reasons – one of which is that some of the pupils are unable to cope with the current demands of the curriculum.”

Twitter user Ahmed Karolia said, “The problem with the Grade 9 school exit certificate is that the new lowered bar is quite acceptable, leaving less incentive for matric.”

Roosevelt High School deputy principal Henk Ferreira said, “This is a good idea because we are an industrial country and we need people who are able to use their hands or be artisans.

“The world of academics is not for everyone. After Grade 9 you find that those who are not interested in academics end up disrupting classes and in this way, they can move on to something they like and can earn a living doing so,” he said.

What are your thoughts on this development?

Related articles:

Should condoms be distributed in schools