Matric results overshadows real education problem – EE

The matric pass percentage is a superficial and misleading indicator of public education quality, particularly as extensive analysis reveals an ongoing crisis in primary schooling in South Africa.

This according to Equal Education (EE), self-described as a movement of schoolchildren, parents, teachers and community members working for quality and equality in South African education, through analysis and activism.

“Early learning is currently crippled by difficulties including overcrowded classrooms and lack of support for early childhood development (ECD) and foundation phase [Grade R to Grade 3] teachers,” said an EE statement. “Shockingly, there is persistent overinvestment in Grade 12, when the largest investment is needed in the early school grades.

“For one, the pass rate reflects only the performance of those learners who managed to stay in school for 12 years, and obscures how many dropped out along the way.”

The organisation highlighted the performance gap betwen urban and rural provinces saying that in rural provinces such as Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo, schools have fewer teachers per schoolchild than their urban counterparts and children often have to walk long distances to get to school.

“All of these factors impact on teaching and learning,” continued the statement.

The organisation said the Department of Basic Education had systematically failed to address schoolchildren retention.

“Because of the high dropout rate, it is worth considering the cohort pass rate alongside the general matric pass rate. We define a cohort pass rate as the percentage of learners who were in Grade 2 together, and 11 years later went on to pass matric together.”

Referring to last year’s results, the organisation compared the national pass rate of 70,7 per cent with the cohort pass rate of 40,7 per cent.

“This metric isn’t perfect – it is influenced by learners who repeat grades or exit the system to go to technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges. Nonetheless, it is still a far better indicator of the percentage of South Africa’s youth who actually complete matric than the general matric pass rate.”

The organisation added that the focus of education authorities must shift from a be-all and end-all preoccupation with matric results, to foundation phase improvements.

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Department Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, announced the National Senior Certificate results on 4 January in Johannesburg. Matrics were able to view their results on 5 January.

The department said its director general would give an in-depth technical briefing into the results, ‘allowing for a greater understanding into how the processes involved in administering the NSC Examinations, marking and scoring’.