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Question of the Day: Which is the most hair-raising South African mountain pass you've driven?
Dumb, dumberer and dumbest
- Thread starter Eh!
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ToxicBunny
Oi! Leave me out of this...
Nope...
The universities are already in the process of implementing entrance exams..
Previously this was only for some of the more diabolical schools, now its just going to be for everyone, regardless of what school you went to.
The Dept of Education needs to get a clue, the piece of paper means less if you fsck with the requirements to get it. I have a budding company, and I can pretty much guarantee you that I will not be hiring current highschool leavers, since I class them as incompetent in general ( I know there will be exceptions, but they will usually end up at varsity)
The universities are already in the process of implementing entrance exams..
Previously this was only for some of the more diabolical schools, now its just going to be for everyone, regardless of what school you went to.
The Dept of Education needs to get a clue, the piece of paper means less if you fsck with the requirements to get it. I have a budding company, and I can pretty much guarantee you that I will not be hiring current highschool leavers, since I class them as incompetent in general ( I know there will be exceptions, but they will usually end up at varsity)
smokey
Honorary Master
*facepalm*
If implemented, a pupil could qualify for a merit pass by obtaining 60% in three subjects and 50% in three others - a departure from previous years when a pupil had to obtain 60% overall. It should be 70% for a merit pass anyway
A North West principal said it would be equivalent to "dumbing down" the matric exams, adding: "We would be definitely lowering standards. As it is, it's very easy for pupils to pass matric."
These people... I tell you. Instead of doing their bloody jobs properly, they want merit to be passed out like chocolate to oompa-loompas. The oompa-loompas at least work hard. Good grief.
Do you have any idea in the amount of admin and bureaucracy involved in implementing entrance exams at undergraduate level? Not to mention the fact that the overall majority of students drop out. either way, its going to cost tertiary instituitions a LOT of money. One of the reasons why we have high school is to weed out the non performers and identify candidates most likly to suceed. In this situation, the buck in weeding out non performers is passed on to universities.
ToxicBunny
Oi! Leave me out of this...
Sorry what?
Yes it will add another layer of bureaucracy to the universities, but hey welcome to Africa.
The point of High school is NOT to weed out non-performers and identify candiditates, the purpose of High School is to provide students with secondary education and to prepare them for the real world in mostly non-professional roles. The purpose of university is to educate the high-performers further. The entrance exams are on aspect of the weeding out process, and yoú will just find Universities raising their entrance requirements just to write the exam shortly I reckon.
Yes it will add another layer of bureaucracy to the universities, but hey welcome to Africa.
The point of High school is NOT to weed out non-performers and identify candiditates, the purpose of High School is to provide students with secondary education and to prepare them for the real world in mostly non-professional roles. The purpose of university is to educate the high-performers further. The entrance exams are on aspect of the weeding out process, and yoú will just find Universities raising their entrance requirements just to write the exam shortly I reckon.
The point of university (from a corporate/job world POV) is most definitely to weed out the non-performers. Sure, the R&D and educational aspects follow closely behind.
For high school, a similar story would apply. Less-so, due to the nature of the school system and governmental oversight, but it's definitely a solid part of the 'weeding' process.
Why else does/did tertiary institutions base their entrance requirements on matric results?
well, I heard from a friend the other day that she passed Matric Maths at 40%. I was like, what, you passed at 40%? In my day, not very long ago, you passed at 50%. But then, when you look at the general caliber of students at varsity now, it all makes sense.
After having spoken to a few lecturers, it is obvious that the situation is getting worse as each year goes by. Just the general ability to structure a sentence together, spelling etc is getting worse as each new year goes through varsity.
I doubt this will have any dramatic effect on the level of students leaving with a matric. However, when going to university - entrance exams. When leaving the country - entrance exams. Fine for the rest of us who has a "real" education
After having spoken to a few lecturers, it is obvious that the situation is getting worse as each year goes by. Just the general ability to structure a sentence together, spelling etc is getting worse as each new year goes through varsity.
I doubt this will have any dramatic effect on the level of students leaving with a matric. However, when going to university - entrance exams. When leaving the country - entrance exams. Fine for the rest of us who has a "real" education
smokey
Honorary Master
There are a few facepalms coming from Dean and Eh!... Toxic is right about School having nothing to do with weeding people out. School was the norm before universities were established. Though I will digress on him separating secondary from primary education. Having a high school diploma gives you a basic education. Basic. Primary school isn't so much basic as it is a method of giving you basic tools to do (what are in modern terms) monkey chores.
/more to follow later, brother needs pc
/more to follow later, brother needs pc
Ekhaatvensters
Executive Member
How will this change anything for them? They don't care what the government wants to call a 60% pass they already work on percentages not the names for them.
Haha and it is kinda ironic when you write "instituitions is gonna have their hands full in the comming years.". I suppose you got the superior education years ago.
DreamKing
Honorary Master
+1
Matric result most likely let the employer know what is the level of the employee. The standard of requirement will not "be removed" from the government policies when government lower the requirement to obtain certain grades, employer rather than require more higher and higher grade from time to time. The problem is still unsolved.
University is an "OPTION" for the student. It is not "NECESSARY" to be a university student before you go to the job market. University is not a "training" institution; it is the place to train you how to "THINK" rather than how you "WORK".
Morgoth
Executive Member
well, I heard from a friend the other day that she passed Matric Maths at 40%. I was like, what, you passed at 40%? In my day, not very long ago, you passed at 50%. But then, when you look at the general caliber of students at varsity now, it all makes sense.
After having spoken to a few lecturers, it is obvious that the situation is getting worse as each year goes by. Just the general ability to structure a sentence together, spelling etc is getting worse as each new year goes through varsity.
I doubt this will have any dramatic effect on the level of students leaving with a matric. However, when going to university - entrance exams. When leaving the country - entrance exams. Fine for the rest of us who has a "real" education
every year since I can remember they bitch and moan about matrix, the educational system and what not.... and no this did not come with OBE, afaik education in this country have been 'changing' since its been implemented? Remember A bond and B bond? standards grade and A bond? standard grade and Higher grade? literacy and FET? OBE, IEB, A levels....
this is nothing new or unheard of.
and besides Universities look at your averages, not distinctions For every subject above 80^% you get discount for the first year only after that it doesn't help you jack ****.
if the education standards 'really' drop low as you guys are going onto then the universities will most probably extend the study years, offer a bridge course or whatever, they don't like dropping standards unless it means more money for them, aka accepting more students so the first years can pay their salaries.
dlk001
Executive Member
This is exactly what Blade is saying right now on SABC-1 "Asikhulume". They discussing the problems resulting to high drop outs at Universities.
Duh, why do you think I said "one of the reasons". No shyt Sherlock, you figured out all by yourself that high school was about education? High school results and distinctions are extremely important as universities use them as their primary source when accepting and choosing applicants. Why do you think medical schools, top business school i.e. Bcom actuary science have strict min requirements and limited places? The cost of implementing entrance examination is just to high. Theres a reason why high school students write a nationalised matric exam and the ANC baffoons want to change it.
How will this change anything for them? They don't care what the government wants to call a 60% pass they already work on percentages not the names for them.
Haha and it is kinda ironic when you write "instituitions is gonna have their hands full in the comming years.". I suppose you got the superior education years ago.
Let me clue you in, the cost of teachers and admin overheads in high school is but a small fraction of university instituitions. The effect on the change is that every Tom, Dick and Prick from high school will want to attend higher education which they can't handle or are not qualified by university standards. The sheer volume of applicants will be tremendous and will no doubt cripple our higher edu instituitions.
hyperian
Expert Member
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From what I hear from my mate who is a tutor for maths 1 at uct, the students this year (who are the first obe students at uni) are struggling with the science subjects especially. You can hardly be surprised by this when even trig. identities are not taught anymore at matric level 
The universities are not about to drop their standards. What they've seen this year is that you have a massive first year class which dramatically drops in size towards the end of the year. In a way it isn't completely bad for the university - If they have 25% more students than last year, their overheads aren't 25% more by any means. They'll get 25% extra in fees, which are not refundable once the student is into their second semester, which is when most decide whether to drop our of continue.
The universities are not about to drop their standards. What they've seen this year is that you have a massive first year class which dramatically drops in size towards the end of the year. In a way it isn't completely bad for the university - If they have 25% more students than last year, their overheads aren't 25% more by any means. They'll get 25% extra in fees, which are not refundable once the student is into their second semester, which is when most decide whether to drop our of continue.
smokey
Honorary Master
You could be a little less troll in your answers, but meh... Standardized tests are the tool that most overseas universities use to accept students. Medicine/law have under-undergraduate degrees that weed out the weak. High school hardly shows your best side dude and the only reason we have high school is so that the masses may have at least a little bit of knowledge (even this little bit is decreasing though).
Ekhaatvensters
Executive Member
Kosmik
Honorary Master
Most engineering and some IT degrees/diploma's have had entrance/aptitude tests for a while.