Eastern Cape 2017 National Senior Certificate results statement

5 January 2018

SACP in the Eastern Cape Eastern Cape applauds the improvement which came as a result of all the education stakeholders from MEC Mandla Makupula, officials, teachers, unions, parents, communities, SGB's and most importantly learners. These efforts have seen the Province improving for the second year in a row, with 2017 the pass rate having improved by 5,7% to 65%. This is a highly encouraging observation, given that that Bachelors Study Passes also increased from 17,6% in 2016 to 22,7% in 2017.

We have noted in the recent past reports that some schools have at times tended to either not promote learners to Grade 12, or have discouraged them from doing Maths and Physical Science. This has been attributed to artificial competition between schools, Districts and Provinces. It is remarkable to note that the supposedly "progressed" learners have performed well, and that the pass rate for both Maths and Physical Science has improved with 4.8% and 7.7% respectively if compared against 2016 outcomes.

For a considerable number of years in the Eastern Cape, it has been concerning that Districts in the rural areas with concentrated poverty have been lagging behind in terms of performance. Their improvement in 2017 is encouraging. Examples of this can be made of Alfred Nzo East (7.1% improvement); Chris Hani East (9.0% improvement) and O R Tambo Inland (14.9% improvement). Again, in this regard much more is required.

The SACP wishes to advance its position on the required interventions as follows:

• We believe that a lot more still needs to be done to improve the standard and the outcomes in our Basic Education as a whole. We believe that our focus should not be confined to the final Matric Examinations outcomes, but to the Basic Education System in its entirety. We hold that all stakeholders should, at the end of every academic year, receive a full account of an entire cohort which started schooling in a particular year.
• These reports should depict the number of learners who have started schooling, the number that has progressed to Secondary school phase, as well as the number that has sat for the final Matric Examinations from the very same cohort. It is of utmost importance that that the Foundation Phase is integrated to the Primary and Secondary phases for the establishment of a coherent Basic Education.
• The transformation of the Basic Education system as whole should also transcend to the transformation of the Higher Education system, with particular reference to University entry requirements, as the current requirements continue to exclude the children from the working class families.
• We are firm in our view that Government should do more in improving the conditions of schools in the rural areas and townships. Those schools should be turned around from being mere classrooms into being complete schools with all the necessary facilities to harness success.
• Deliberate interventions must be intensified towards undermining the narrative of `resourced areas` and schools having all the resources and infrastructure while their counterparts on the country are disadvantaged by the very same system.
• We are of a strong view that the Post Provisioning Norms (PPN) should be reviewed, as they are but one disadvantageous factor to the children of the working class. The policy is the main cause of the shortages of educators and the closure of schools, which results to children traveling long distances and having less time to study outside the classroom.
• It is our considered view that the Department of Education should focus on its core mandate which is teaching and learning. It should not be overloaded with other responsibilities which require large procurements. These additional responsibilities have corrupted the department and invited some greedy political elements to target certain individuals in the guise of acting in the best interests of education, whilst they are chasing tenders. The responsibilities such as school nutrition, infrastructure and procurement of school furniture should be allocated to the relevant sister Departments - an exercise which will allow the Department of Education to focus on education.

We reiterate our long-held view that children of all public representatives and public officials should attend public schools with reference to those schools within quintile 1 -3, in the townships and rural areas.

Issued by the SACP Eastern Cape

Contact:

Siyabonga Mdodi
SACP Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: +2783 358 8070
Office: +2740 635 1046/42
Fax: +2786 286 1281
Website: www.sacp.org.za
Facebook: SACP Eastern Cape
Twitter: @SiyaMdodi