Article: Emphasis on pass rate a mistake: Basic Education DG

The DG is right, the media and the Minister are always going on and on about the pass rate, not taking into account the standard of education offered and the difficulty, or lack thereof, of exam papers. The best the education department can do is compare our matric students with other students that finish high school in other countries.
 
+1 to what Bobby said.

They should rather compare the results like 1 year later with the College and University pass rates instead. Many of these tertiary institutes have acceptance exams much earlier on, which can also be used to get an earlier feeling on what the literacy standard is like.

I'm actually very surprised about the fairly high pass rate that Limpopo has.

Aside from the pass rate, they should also take into account the number of people who took say maths higher grade and not like numeric literacy. You can very easily "jippo" the pass rates by just downscaling the education standards from like maths to numeric literacy.

There is a time and place for subjects such as wood work, numeric literacy, etc. - but the education dept. should be very careful with using these results in their pass rate statistics. They should instead publish pass rates per province per subject!
 
Putting too much emphasis on the matric pass rate is a mistake and could damage the education system, Basic Education director-general Bobby Soobrayan said on Wednesday.

"It is important not to develop an obsession with the pass rate," Soobrayan said ahead of the release of the national matric results in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.

"A focus purely on the pass rate could become a perversion that can impact negatively on the system."

He said the attention paid to the pass rate could cause public and policy makers to ignore other priorities in education.

Soobrayan said it was inevitable the media and public should pay attention to the pass rate. However, they should pay attention to the "quality" of the passes.

A total of 73.9 percent of matric pupils passed in 2012, said Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

This is an improvement on the 70.2 percent pass rate in 2011.

Gauteng had the highest pass rate at 83.9 percent.

Eastern Cape was at 61.6 percent, Limpopo 66.9 percent, Mpumalanga 70 percent, KwaZulu-Natal 73.1 percent, Northern Cape 74.6 percent, Free State 81.1 percent, and North West had a 79.5 percent pass rate.

There was a slight decline in the Western Cape -- from 2011's 82.9 percent to 82.8 percent in 2012.
Click to expand...

Hate these articles that make you click on a link.
 
Pada said:
They should rather compare the results like 1 year later with the College and University pass rates instead. Many of these tertiary institutes have acceptance exams much earlier on, which can also be used to get an earlier feeling on what the literacy standard is like.
Click to expand...

Back in the day we never had those as matric actually meant something. These days people get like 8 distinctions and everybody qualifies for university entrance. it's a fscking farce I tell you. Feel sorry for the kids of today.
 
Pada said:
+1 to what Bobby said.

They should rather compare the results like 1 year later with the College and University pass rates instead. Many of these tertiary institutes have acceptance exams much earlier on, which can also be used to get an earlier feeling on what the literacy standard is like.

I'm actually very surprised about the fairly high pass rate that Limpopo has.

Aside from the pass rate, they should also take into account the number of people who took say maths higher grade and not like numeric literacy. You can very easily "jippo" the pass rates by just downscaling the education standards from like maths to numeric literacy.

There is a time and place for subjects such as wood work, numeric literacy, etc. - but the education dept. should be very careful with using these results in their pass rate statistics. They should instead publish pass rates per province per subject!
Click to expand...
Why not skip school?
High school isn't just there for your kids to do because they are a bloody hassle and has to go somewhere while you work.
In two years time when everybody fails the entrance exams / or shows to be idiots in uni we will hear: to much emphasis is placed on these results.

And then we give everybody their licenses and review them when they start working or has driven for a year..
And we give everybody that fails the final year to become a doctor their degree and let them practice for a few year and then we evaluate them. Lawd knows to much emphasis is put on the pass rate.

I think we should make schooling elective. Send your kids if you want, if not let them stay at home to look after your 10 other spawn.
 
Last edited:
Was listening to the radio on the way to work, and our honourable useless fscking minister of basic education actually has the audacity to say a matric is harder to pass these days...
 
Anyone seen the stats on HG math pass rate? That is the only number that matters. Last year we saw a 10% decline in the number of kids passing HG maths and I suspect the trend has continued, hence them hiding it.
 
Haven't people realised yet that everything the anc says is just meaningless trash
 
ponder said:
I thought there was no HG & SG any more? Just Maths and Maths Literacy.
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct...

But what would be interesting is to see what percentage of students managed to obtain over 60% in Maths, because I think (and I'm being optimistic) that would equate to an old school HG Maths pass.
 
You can discuss the merits of the pass rate till you're blue but that doesn't change the fact that it's always been the metric and its only being called into question now that the fail rate is so high. Despite all efforts to lower the bar. If you fail your further education and job prospects become extremely limited. That's the reality.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Senior_Certificate

If this make any sense:

Pass Mark

The following levels must be met as a minimum requirement to proceed to the next grade.
Home Language: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
First Additional Language: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Life Orientation: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
2 Subjects (Electives): Level 3 (minimum 40%)
Remaining Subject (Elective): Level 2 (minimum 30%)

So anything from 30 to 40%.

Pathetic:wtf:
 
Last edited:
Getafix said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Senior_Certificate

If this make any sense:

Pass Mark

The following levels must be met as a minimum requirement to proceed to the next grade.
Home Language: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
First Additional Language: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Life Orientation: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
2 Subjects (Electives): Level 3 (minimum 40%)
Remaining Subject (Elective): Level 2 (minimum 30%)

So anything from 30 to 40%.

Pathetic:wtf:
Click to expand...

So that makes a minimum of 7 subjects right?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X