Cape kids can't count or spell, test shows

daveza

daveza

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http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=vn20100218130812860C240107


Only 17.4 percent of the Western Cape's Grade 6 pupils have the required numeracy skills for their grade level, and only 48.6 percent are reading and writing at the required level.

Nearly 84 000 Grade 6 pupils from 1 046 schools were assessed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) last year. Previous literacy and numeracy tests for Grade 6s were done in 2007.

Education MEC Donald Grant announced the results on Thursday morning, saying that while the numeracy results had improved - from 14 percent - since 2007, they were still unacceptably low.
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If 82.6% of grade 6 pupils do not have grade 6 numeracy levels then how did they get to grade 6 ?

As for spelling - blame it on cellphones.

It is unlikely that things will change dramatically by the time they reach grade 7 so why are they not held back until they can read and write a coherent sentence and also count the change from their Vodacom top-ups.
 
It's basically impossible to fail a child - well definitely in the lower grades. I think all a school can do is 'recommend' to the parents that their child stay another year behind.

I'd also blame the spelling problem on computers :p. With Microsoft Word's built-in spell check function, there is little motivation for kids to get their spelling right.
 
I know a guy, who got 28% for an economics paper and was put through. The pass number is 50? Even if he had 72% semester we are supposed to get atleast 40% in exams otherwise it's a re-write.
 
daveza said:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=vn20100218130812860C240107
If 82.6% of grade 6 pupils do not have grade 6 numeracy levels then how did they get to grade 6 ?
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They were judged using a lower metric at school.

As for spelling - blame it on cellphones.
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Kids are supposed to be in school 6 hours per day. They are supposed to get 1-2hrs per day of homework. Most of that work involves reading and writing. I gather that these same kids should be texting on cell phones for at least another 8 hours per day to compensate (unlearn) the good habits they learned at school. That's a lot of texting per day.

They should all be sent to cram schools. Start at 7pm and end at 10pm. Then they go home and do their school and cram school homework. Oh wait that only happens in those poor, uneducated countries of Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

South Africa's future sure looks rosy.
 
Outcome based education. The outcome to date is not so great though.
 
Doesn't WC have the highest or second highest matric pass rate? If it's this bad in the Western Cape, how absolutely hopeless must it be in other provinces?
 
psichron said:
Doesn't WC have the highest or second highest matric pass rate? If it's this bad in the Western Cape, how absolutely hopeless must it be in other provinces?
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Well since half the Eastern Cape arrived on our doorstep, the standard has dropped and will continue to do so.
 
Why they even allow cellphones at schools is another mystery. Do they really think kids bother to pay attention in class when they can rather be on Mixit or FB? I see kids crossing the road every morning on the way to school too engrossed with what's happening on their screens to give a **** about the taxi or bus bearing down on them. If these are tomorrows drivers, then I'm getting the **** off the road.
 
Get Primary education in focus and the rest will follow

I've asserted this before, education levels will keep dropping if critical attention is not given to comprehensive reading in Grades 1 & 2.

I have stated previousely that instead of lowering standards in high schools, an extra year should be given for grade 1 & 2.

Any child that can not read, spell and write fluently by end of Grade 2 should proceed to Grade 2B or call it Grade 3A if you want.

It is at the primary/foundation level that our education system is failing, comprehensive reading makes all the difference especially in senior years and beyond.
 
Hay djy davemc, djy kan ruk soo djy wil, ma as djy nie ka lees e spellie, dan ga djy mos afka* innie big wide world my brutjie man. duidelik !
 
psichron said:
Doesn't WC have the highest or second highest matric pass rate? If it's this bad in the Western Cape, how absolutely hopeless must it be in other provinces?
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Was thinking the same thing.

Also in some towns teachers can't even read or write at the required level.
 
wrathex said:
I've asserted this before, education levels will keep dropping if critical attention is not given to comprehensive reading in Grades 1 & 2.

I have stated previousely that instead of lowering standards in high schools, an extra year should be given for grade 1 & 2.

Any child that can not read, spell and write fluently by end of Grade 2 should proceed to Grade 2B or call it Grade 3A if you want.
Click to expand...

When I was in primary school the schools used to have a "hulp klas" for those kids that struggled during Grade 1 & 2. Basically the kids would spend an extra year in that class to master Grade1 & 2 subjects. Don't know if such classes exist anymore.
 
Wonder what would be the result if each teacher was asked to write the final exam paper? How many would pass?
Might be a good first step to see where problems are ito training.
 
DigitalSoldier said:
When I was in primary school the schools used to have a "hulp klas" for those kids that struggled during Grade 1 & 2. Basically the kids would spend an extra year in that class to master Grade1 & 2 subjects. Don't know if such classes exist anymore.
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* You can't do that as everyone is equal. I mean everybody comprehends the work at the same pace. Now you want to let some kids stay behind and they can't progress with their friends.


*Sarcasm
 
daveza said:
If 82.6% of grade 6 pupils do not have grade 6 numeracy levels then how did they get to grade 6 ?
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You can't in practice flunk all (or 80%) of the class. Then you get a cascading effect down the grades. Effectively if so many of them don't attain the required standards then the system has failed them & no second chances. They leave the school without having learned what they should have.
 
Then what is the point ?

If 18% are able to actually read and write perhaps it's because they have actually got off their lazy backsides unlike others who think mxit speak is cool and whose idea of reading encompasses page 3 of Die Son.
 
daveza said:
Then what is the point ?

If 18% are able to actually read and write perhaps it's because they have actually got off their lazy backsides unlike others who think mxit speak is cool and whose idea of reading encompasses page 3 of Die Son.
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+1
 
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