South Africa’s matric certificate is not worth the paper it’s printed on: economist

N

notayoba

Expert Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
1,718
NarrowBandFtw said:
it's not just where it's from, also what it is in ... a BA degree from UCT is as worthless as a BA degree from anywhere
Click to expand...
Nonsense. A BA degree in gender studies for example, is very useful as stepping stone for your PhD in gender studies, which would then enable to you teach the next generation of gender studies students. Sort of like a pyramid scheme, but with less chance of success.....
 
NarrowBandFtw

NarrowBandFtw

Honorary Master
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
27,747
notayoba said:
Nonsense. A BA degree in gender studies for example, is very useful as stepping stone for your PhD in gender studies, which would then enable to you teach the next generation of gender studies students. Sort of like a pyramid scheme, but with less chance of success.....
Click to expand...
I've heard it said that's also a good way to get into underwater basket weaving ... or burger flipping at McDonald's
 
Jet-Fighter7700

Jet-Fighter7700

Honorary Master
Joined
Mar 12, 2008
Messages
31,697
what did you expect to happen when you lowered the pass mark so much that, practically if you slept in class most of the year,
you'll pass.

problem is like @backstreetboy says, a matric is useful as Toilet paper, most of the studies come afterwards,
and that's where the real learning begins, with things you can actually use, and are actually meaningful

Matric is a box ticking exercise, nothing more.
especially for the ANC, that thinks its the best thing. and uses its pass rate to show what a brilliant job they are doing.
 
S

semaphore

Honorary Master
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
15,246
PrimeSteak said:
Honestly, they should look at how you did overall per subject instead of "pass or not".

Isn't that a bit of a slippery slope? Take me for example, I apply for a software/web development job, I passed Matric, got 3 As, 2 Bs, 1 E and a D for Maths, I can do the job, the whole 9 yards. Yet the guy who can barely do the job gets the job cause of his maths mark in Matric and I get disqualified. So, many job applicants' applications would get disqualified cause of a technicality? And anyway, this might be a personal thing of mine but honestly, the whole "You have to get 60+ in Maths to be able to be a good insert career here (there are really few careers that actually require high maths marks)" is bullshit. I knew people in high school who struggled with Maths like me but excelled in other subjects like languages, technical subjects like Electrical, etc., IT (like I did) and so on. So while I agree that standards are a bit low for the NSC, putting up requirements like "you must have a whatever in whatever subject" and ignore all other achievements/qualifications would just not work.
Click to expand...
Your E was for English, right?
 
R

richjdavies

Expert Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
2,102
konfab said:
I used math as an example.

With something like a software developer, obviously IT skills would be the most important. I would take someone with an A in IT and a D in math over someone with a B in IT and a C in math.
Click to expand...
Aish... Let the flame wars start... But...
You NEED to know how to do maths to be a competent developer!
 
Spizz

Spizz

Goat Botherer
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
31,569
Paul Kemp said:
I know two kids who recently matriculated from public schools here and still managed to find work in other countries. One even had to do a re-write to get his. Paying their rent and putting food in their bellies while they study part time.
Click to expand...

My daughter got matric from our local school and is now in her 3rd year at Glasgow University. And she got quite a few offers from good U.K. universities. Matric is far from useless.
 
Supervan II

Supervan II

Expert Member
Joined
May 8, 2011
Messages
3,728
NarrowBandFtw said:
I've heard it said that's also a good way to get into underwater basket weaving ... or burger flipping at McDonald's
Click to expand...
If only I had R10.00 for every time I heard that expression, I'd be very, very rich! :ROFL:

Oh, and another one from the same guy (HR Manager): "It's just your perception".
 
PrimeSteak

PrimeSteak

Honorary Master
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
15,155
richjdavies said:
Aish... Let the flame wars start... But...
You NEED to know how to do maths to be a competent developer!
Click to expand...
Yes, I didn't argue about that. Honestly, if you can do basic arithmetic, BODMAS, exponents, number rounding and maybe some basic angles, then you're set. But on the other hand, you don't have to know graphs, geometry, trig, etc. unless you're going into a career like data science, game development etc.
semaphore said:
Yes and no, it depends what you’re developing.
Click to expand...
This I wholeheartedly agree with
 
Last edited:
The Voice

The Voice

Honorary Master
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
15,719
Everyone saying things (sarcastically) like "I'm really glad we did algebra and calculus in high school" simply didn't understood WHY they taught you things like that. It was primarily to develop the problem-solving part of your brain (which up until that point hadn't ever really been used properly before).

Even if you tanked maths completely, that part of your brain still had to work (sometimes).
 
PrimeSteak

PrimeSteak

Honorary Master
Joined
Nov 7, 2020
Messages
15,155
The Voice said:
It was primarily to develop the problem-solving part of your brain (which up until that point hadn't ever really been used properly before).

Even if you tanked maths completely, that part of your brain still had to work (sometimes).
Click to expand...
1632494527800.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top