Limpopo education MEC’s head on the chopping block

LIMPOPO – Political parties in the province have called for the dismissal of Limpopo Education MEC Polly Boshielo following a steady decline in the matric results over the past few years.

Limpopo recorded a 66.7% pass rate this year, a 1.5% decline from last’s years 68.2%. Despite the fact that Limpopo registered the highest numbers of 2021 NSC candidates, it was the only province that failed to reach a 70% pass rate.

In separate statements the DA and EFFSC called on the Limpopo premier to relieve Boshielo of her duties.

Risham Maharaj, DA’s spokesperson for education, said Premier Stanley Mathabatha earlier promised to hold provincial MECs accountable for their performance. “In line with his promise and the pattern of regression in the province’s performance over the years we are now calling the premier to relieve the Education MEC of her duties,” Maharaj explained.

He added that six of the top 10 worst performing districts in the country are from Limpopo.

“We are further concerned by the large discrepancy in performance between learners in fee paying schools as opposed to no fee paying schools.” He explained that 89.1% of fee paying learners passed, with 55,5% achieving bachelor passes while only 64.7% of no fee paying learners passed and only 24% achieved bachelor passes.”

Maharaj added that the department must revisit the funding model for no fee paying schools, improve the monitoring and evaluation of the circuit and district offices throughout the year and ensure suitably qualified teachers are employed, among other points.

In conclusion, Maharaj said the learners in the province deserve more support and a better quality of education.

The EFFSC Limpopo also blamed the MEC for the poor results. “For the three consecutive years Boshielo has been in office, the province has failed to record satisfactory matric results,” said EFFSC co-ordinator Nichodimus Mojela.

Mojela said the Limpopo matric results are ’embarrassing’. “The province and their learners deserve better and we stand behind the hundreds and thousands who have called for the immediate resignation of the MEC.”

Limpopo residents, however, have mixed feelings about the calls for the dismissal of the MEC. They took to social media to share their opinions.

Attempts for comment from the Department of Education led Review to several referrals, including the Office of the Premier and the ANC. 

The Office of the Premier’s spokesperson, Willy Mosoma, eventually told Review that complaints like these are related to the line function duties of the education department. 

“We believe that the Education Department is better placed and capable to respond to such issue. This is because education is their line function and therefore they must take responsibility of any matter brought before them as they normally do.

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