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Rising above the education debate

There is a silver lining to the lower maths and science passes that will only shine through after many years.

Nicola Mawson
By Nicola Mawson, Contributor.
Johannesburg, 14 Jan 2015

Much has already been said about the abysmal pass mark last year's matriculants achieved, and ICT commentators have again bemoaned the fact that fewer students fared well in the two key subjects.

But, there is a possible bright side to all of this - although SA will only reap the rewards of any positives in many moons to come.

The class of 2014 scored rather badly in last year's papers, achieving the worst pass mark in about five years, as the rate dropped 2.4 percentage points, to 75.8%, from 2013's 78.2%.

The overall drop was partially attributed to the smaller number of learners who passed mathematics and science. Of the 225 458 students who wrote maths, only 53.5% passed - a drop from the 59.1% seen in 2013.

There were 167 997 students who wrote physical science, but only 61.5% passed with a mark of 30% or more, a decline on the class of 2013's 67.4% pass rate. Both these subjects are seen as vital for a career in ICT.

Yet, as disappointing as these numbers are, the department's technical report paints an even bleaker picture. Of those students who wrote physical science, only 36.9% passed with a mark of more than 40% - seen as a higher quality pass. This is the lowest rate in three years and down on the 42.7% seen in 2013's numbers.

A similar picture comes out for mathematics: of those who wrote, only 35.1% achieved more than a mark of 40%, again the lowest rate in three years and down on the 40.5% reported for the class of 2013.

Light ahead?

This is indeed a sorry state of affairs for those who thought they would qualify for a university course, and didn't. I can only hope no one took their lives over the results, because as dire as it seems, there is hope, even if only a flicker. There are other study options, and more companies are launching training programmes.

But for me, the lower pass rates also provide a glimmer of hope that the Department of Basic Education is getting tougher when it comes to letting young people out into the big, wide, wild world.

A few years ago, the department introduced the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements, or Caps, which aims to provide consistency across curricula.

Caps, which last year's matrics wrote for the first time, is a tougher curriculum because it is meant to raise standards, which will automatically decrease the pass rate. It's a no-sum game, that one, because it's obvious.

And it's a good move - although only time will really tell - because the industry is tired of learners coming out of education facilities and not being able to function. Tertiary institutions often grumble about the poor quality of learner they have to deal with.

Pushing and shoving

For years, SA has crowed about the high level of passes, ignoring those who speak out against the fact that the high pass rate comes at the cost of pushing through those who simply should not be forced through the system, just so we all look good.

It doesn't make sense when someone with a few As goes out to find a job, and is unable to spell his or her name, or calculate the basic subtraction needed to give change. I'm not saying we're there as a country, but we were certainly heading down that path.

I hope the marks released last week mean government has finally cottoned on to the fact that we need matriculants who can take what they have learnt and apply it in the real world, because they understand the concepts and can think logically.

It's an injustice to the country and her people to drop standards to create a false sense of equality.

And I hope to goodness this thinking filters down to foundation phase - where it really is needed most if this country is to make anything of itself. (As a disclaimer, I have a vested interest, because my little person goes to Grade One today.)

All this actually bodes well for the ICT sector, because it means the pool of potential talent will be smarter, more fit for the jump, able to learn more easily... the list goes on. Granted, the pool will be smaller, but then you can't have everything.

Frankly, I think it's high time this move was made. Last year marked 19 years since matrics first wrote a unified paper in democratic SA, and the first time marks were played around with so more people could pass.

Yes, it's not fair that some had a better education than the majority: it never is. But it's an injustice to the country and her people to drop standards to create a false sense of equality. Give us young people who can excel, and help them do it by providing them with proper tools - like tablets that allow for interactive learning.

Let's keep making it harder to get a ton of As, and put more tools into the hands of young learners. Let's spread Gauteng's initiative to every school in the country, but let's not make anything as easy as pie.

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