The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has not yet released a report on the Dinaledi schools' 2010 matric results.
However, it can be gathered from the report released by the department, on national results, that the average pass rate for Dinaledi schools is approximately 76.6%.
The Dinaledi schools project aims to ultimately increase the number of students entering the engineering and ICT fields, by emphasising the focus of maths and science at these schools, and thus improving maths and science pass rates.
Maths disappointment
Fewer matriculants passed mathematics during the 2010 National Senior Certificate Examinations (NSCE), which will lead to fewer ICT professionals and could result in harm to SA's economy.
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga last week released the country's matric pass rates for 2010. Last year's class achieved a pass rate of 67.8%, an improvement on the 60.6% who passed in 2009, and the highest rate in several years.
However, Motshekga is dismayed with the number of matriculants who passed mathematics. “We are certainly not happy with the current number of passes in mathematics, and have planned to continue investing significant effort and resources in ensuring the pass rate, as well as quality of mathematics, is significantly improved this year,” she says.
Democratic Alliance shadow deputy minister of basic education Donald Smiles says there has been no word as yet of the Dinaledi schools maths and physical science results, but hopes are not high, considering national results.
Of the 537 543 matriculants who sat for the final examinations, a total of 124 749 learners passed mathematics - a decline from the 133 505 who passed a year ago. The number of students who passed physical science improved to 98 260, from 81 356 in 2009. Both subjects are key building blocks for entry into the ICT sector.
Only 47.8% of the 205 364 students who wrote science passed, while 47.4% of the 263 034 students who sat for mathematics were successful.
Matriculants studying mathematics and physical science also recorded the lowest pass rates out of all the possible subjects for the 2010 year.
Higher standards
Smiles says the low criteria for mathematics and physical science is not helping the situation.
The Democratic Alliance says the pass mark should be increased from 30% to 40%.
“A 30%-pass is a low standard by any measure. It means that the work has simply not been mastered,” says shadow minister of education Wilmot James.
He says the consequence of the trend is that universities struggle to fill science and health courses with enough students who are able to master their fields of expertise. “This compromises our ability to develop economically and run competent administrations.”
Smiles adds that the old system, which distinguished between a higher grade and standard grade, should be reinstated.
The Dinaledi report on results for the 2009 NSCE was released only in April last year, and showed that performance dropped when compared to 2008 results.
The DBE's delay in releasing the results eventually led observers to question whether government may be holding back the report, as the Dinaledi project was a complete failure.
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