Opposition condemns a drop in pass rate
JOBURG – Afriforum and Cope believe the standard of basic education in the country is in a dismal state.
About 17 000 pupils from the Gauteng Province failed the 2015 Matric examinations despite the province being the second most successful in the country.
In Gauteng, 84.2 per cent of the Matric pupils passed, while Western Cape achieved 84.7 per cent to top the country.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced on 5 January that the overall national results were 70.7 per cent, which dropped from 75.8 per cent in 2014.
The number of Matric pupils, the high standard of examination as well as the strict marking process were thought to be some of the factors that contributed to the decrease in the pass rate, as discussed at a ceremony held by the Gauteng Department of Education at Rhema Bible Church North on 6 January in Randpark Ridge.
Afriforum spokeperson and head of community safety Ian Cameron blamed Gauteng MEC for Education Phanyaza Lesufi and insisted he was bluffing people by speaking about percentages but not mentioning the real figures.
He said it was a disgrace that 17 000 pupils in Gauteng failed. “One must also compare the number of pupils who entered Grade 1 in 2004 and completed Matric in 2015,” he explained.
Cameron continued that a 30 per cent pass mark is deemed acceptable and shows how low the standard of basic education is in the country.
“Thirty per cent means nothing to any university that is of a mentionable standard, only 38 760 pupils received bachelor’s [degree] passes compared to 108 442 pupils who wrote examinations, thus 69 682 pupils have no future with regard to tertiary education,” he explained.
He further insisted that the community should get more involved in governing bodies at schools to regulate the quality of education that is received from teachers and the government.
“Political interference is probably the biggest problem and fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the Department of Basic Education,” he concluded.
Congress of the People (Cope) also criticised the Matric results, claiming that they had more gloss than the actual results warranted and that the department was in dire need of urgent reform.
The statement by the party spokesperson Dennis Bloem read that the Minister of Basic Education was not taking South African Education forward and was too concerned to be in the good books of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU).
“South African basic education is therefore going from bad to worse. The quality of education leaves a lot to be desired. The ruling party has allowed SADTU to hijack education and to wreak havoc. South African children are therefore paying the price,” Bloem said.
Details: Afriforum ian@afriforum.co.za; Cope 082 451 5718.
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