Cabinet Colleagues
Mayors and Councillors
SG Ron Swartz and other senior officials from WCED Rectors and CEO's of Higher Education Institutions and FET Colleges Representatives of Teacher Unions, Governing Body Associations, Representative Council of Learners and Student Organisations Chairperson and members of the Western Cape Youth Commission Principals and teachers representing schools receiving awards today Matric learners who will be honoured today and your parents Representatives of Absa, our sponsors of today's event
Premier, our matrics of 2005 have done us proud in the Western Cape. While I think all of us would agree that no education system can or should ever be judged solely on the achievements of those completing secondary education, it is clear that the matric results indicate progress made and also starkly highlight the challenges that remain.
This year, 38,586 candidates wrote the full examination and 32,573 passed, representing 84,4 % of learners. In 2004 exactly 85% of our matrics passed meaning that the Western Cape has experienced a marginal decrease of only 0,6% in the percentage pass rate.
Given the comments by Umalusi and the National Department of Education that the 2005 matric papers, especially those set nationally have raised the cognitive demand required of learners, I believe that our result is commendable. It is clear that the source-based and interpretive questions have raised the overall demand levels.
I have consistently said that we should focus on the issue of the quality of the passes achieved by our matrics. This year, 26.9% of our learners (10,394) passed the senior certificate with endorsement, in comparison to the 27.1% last year (10,524).
While this is to be expected given the marginal decrease in the percentage pass rate, it is clear that we have to improve in this area as matriculation endorsements give access to higher education.
That is why Mr Premier, in this regard, we are particularly proud of the three of schools where the matriculation endorsement rates have consistently shown the greatest improvement over the three year period 2003 to 2005, while enrolment levels of full-time candidates in Grade 12 have been maintained or increased.
These schools are Heidelberg Hoërskool, Wolseley Sekondêr and Tembalethu High School in George. To illustrate, Tembalethu High achieved no endorsements in 2003, one in 2004, and this year 10 learners passed with endorsement.
On a visit to George earlier this year Tembalethu was challenged by our National Minister to achieve a 100% pass rate. While this was not achieved, I know Minister Pandor will be very happy with their 10 endorsements.
Another category of schools which I would like to mention are the three schools where the Senior Certificate pass rate has consistently shown the greatest improvement over the three year period 2003 to 2005 while also maintaining or increasing enrolment levels of full time candidates in Grade 12.
These schools are Siphamandla Senior Secondary in Khayelitsha, Inkwenkwezi Secondary in Killarney and Intsebenziswana Senior Secondary in Phillippi. Siphamandla for instance achieved a 24.6% pass rate in 2003 while this year achieved 63.95 %.
Premier, you have challenged our department particularly in regard to outcomes in regard to mathematics and science on the higher grade. While there has been a slight increase in the number of learners passing maths and science on the higher grade, my concern is the performance of our learners from the former DET and House of Representatives schools.
The number of candidates who passed mathematics on the higher grade increased from 4,268 in 2004 to 4,321 in 2005 (an increase of 53 learners). In Physical Science HG, the number of learners passing increased from 3,937 in 2004 to 3,968 (an increase of 31 learners). Although very marginal, the decrease in the number of learners passing these subjects from the former DET and HOR schools points to a massive challenge.
We will focus even greater attention on the newly established Dinaledi (maths, science and technology) focus schools, which are almost exclusively located in historically disadvantaged communities. This is a new national initiative brought about by the need, in terms of our human capital strategy, to ensure that greater numbers of our learners succeed in these subjects.
While it will take time to increase our performance in these schools, we need to both increase the resources we allocate to these schools, support our teachers more by ongoing in-service training. At the same time we must challenge our schools to set targets and hold them and our officials accountable for their attainment.
I want to pause for a moment to reflect on the meaning of today's results in the lives of the individuals and schools that we are celebrating. Although we are here to specifically acknowledge the achievements of some individual top achievers and also schools who have excelled and shown improvement, this cannot possibly mean that those who aren't here today are worthy only of consolation prizes.
Many candidates will have written exams under trying circumstances. Others have been affected by violence at their schools and in the surrounding communities. Many of our 2005 matrics did not write exams in the familiarity of their own schools because school halls are not part of the school infrastructure.
I salute then today ALL of our learners who have achieved a senior certificate. I also want to encourage those who have just not made the grade not to be disheartened. Even by writing your senior certificate you have got so much further than so many.
You have the option to write the supplementary examination and I know that the success you are looking for is right there within reach and I urge you to set yourself new goals and not to give up.
If you really think about it, your results today do not automatically equate with success or failure in life. They may seem all-important and, of course, in many cases will dictate your study options in the short term.
But there are many examples of learners who have through attitude, commitment and perseverance made a success of their lives even though they had not achieved what they had set out to do in their matric year.
For many learners further study is not an immediate option. The Learning Cape Festival has - for a few years now - been celebrating the remarkable achievements of people who either didn't get a matric as teenagers but went on and gained experience through learnerships, voluntary work and community service.
Other examples tell of those who managed only a very marginal pass but who later blossomed and achieved great success. In many ways academics are right when they tell us that "school" makes us good at "school" and not necessarily good at "life".
This is one of the really positive points of the new FET curriculum, which comes in from Grade 10 in 2006 - that the focus on life skills and on critical outcomes will help our school leavers be distinguished "thinkers" and "problem-solvers", to be critically literate and ready to face life full on.
I have no doubt that all of today's top performers are already in this category of outstanding students. And not only are these learners demonstrating wonderful prowess but their teachers and schools are also giving ample evidence of what can be achieved. It is important for us to provide platforms where best practices from our schools can be shared.
Premier, what is particularly exciting about the awards ceremony this year, is the introduction of a few new categories of achievers. We will be making awards to learners in the key focus areas concerned with mathematics, physical science and the three official languages of the Western Cape.
Also we will be honouring learners who have succeeded despite barriers to learning. Some of our learners had to write brailled papers and papers adapted for deaf learners. I want to pay tribute to those in the department who assisted in preparing these papers. It is an indication of our commitment to inclusive education.
For the first time, we will also be acknowledging the achievements of life-long learners who have written the senior certificate exam in 2005. This underlines our commitment to adult education and life-long learning.
Later on in the programme Dr Sigamoney Naicker and Mr Brian Schreuder from the WCED will provide further details of the awards which will be made today. Our National Minister will be releasing the results of the ABET level 4 assessment candidates later in the day, when she addresses the Nation on the Matric Results for 2005.
ABET level 4 is placed on the first rung of the national qualifications framework and is an important step towards ensuring that persons who have been unable to obtain a formal qualification or basic education in the past, can access the NQF and continue their learning.
I am very happy to say that the external agency Umalusi declared that the WCED had improved on our site based assessment and that the examination was conducted in a manner that upheld the integrity of the assessment.
There has been speculation about the impact of the introduction of curriculum 2005 on the performance of our matrics this year. This cohort of learners were exposed to outcomes based education in grades 7, 8 and 9 and then reverted to the old curriculum from grade 10 through to this year.
The fact that our matrics of 2005 have managed to maintain our position is a tribute to our teachers and learners. It is also an indication that schools in the province are coming to grips with the transition to outcomes - based education.
When we reflect on the 2005 results it is critical that we remind ourselves of some of the key challenges going forward. Firstly the throughput rate in our province continues to reflect that only 50 % of our learners who enter grade 1 actually make it to grade 12.
It is critical that our Human Capital Development Strategy is built on a high quality general education and training foundation from grade 1 to 9. This will ensure that more of our learners enter grade 10 and have the confidence and ability to proceed until grade 12.
This will then create the possibility of increasing the number of FET learners who qualify for access to higher education. In this regard we have to focus on issues of redress, equity and whole school development in our historically disadvantaged schools.
Success at matric must be built on foundational learning in the primary school and our revision of the literacy and numeracy strategy is critical. Progress has been made in building a much greater monitoring and support capacity into the strategy and I believe that the employment of teacher assistants next year will assist us in building a solid foundation for the later years.
The progress we have achieved in the province in developing an integrated early childhood development strategy with the departments of social services and health is laying a solid basis to ensure the physical, social and cognitive development of every child from 0 to 5 years.
I remain convinced that a key contributing factor to the current levels of numeracy and literacy is the issue of language. We are working towards a policy to encourage schools to maintain mother-tongue based education as far as the end of grade 6, while simultaneously adding a second language which could become as strong as the first by the end of the 6 year exposure.
Central to the building this solid foundation are our teachers. We will work actively to ensure that our teacher support strategy focuses on assisting and supporting our teachers in classroom strategies and management.
Premier, besides making sure that the foundation is solid we have to focus on our high schools that our currently not performing. In 2004 we had 43 schools who achieved less than a 60 % pass rate for the senior certificate exam.
These schools were declared learning support schools and became the subject of dedicated support by our district offices. Through this work we managed to ensure that 17 of these schools achieved more than 60% in 2005. However 26 of these schools remained below the 60% mark in 2005.
I have asked my department to do a comprehensive analysis of the contributing factors, which led to an improvement in the 17 schools. They will also analyse why our interventions did not succeed in the 26 schools.
I believe that through hard work and dedication we will see further progress in 2006. I want to thank our governing bodies, our RCLs, student organisations, education fora and our teacher unions for their support. It is critical that we strengthen our relationship to meet the many challenges, which lie ahead.
Today we not only celebrate the achievements of the candidates and schools, but also pay tribute to the principals, the teachers and all our parents, for their contribution towards growing the Western Cape as a Learning Home for All.
While we can rightfully feel proud of the achievements of our learners and schools we can and must do better. Our President has challenged us to grow the economy by 6%. One of the most critical barriers to reaching this target is the lack of skills in key sectors.
Our schools, FET colleges, community learning centres and Institutions of Higher learning must play their role. I believe that the Human Capital Development Strategy adopted by our provincial cabinet provides clear direction to meet the challenges we face.
Congratulations to all our Matriculants of 2005 who have passed. You have made all of us proud, your parents and the communities you represent. For those who were not successful, this is not the end of the world.
I want to encourage you to enroll for the supplementary examination next year. Use every day you have to improve your skills. Volunteer at a community organisation, or work part- time to gain experience.
In conclusion, Premier and Honourable Guests, the smooth process of the administration of the exams and excellent results, is a reflection of the dedication, commitment and professionalism of the officials of the Western Cape Education Department.
Thank you very much Superintendent-General Ron Swartz, Deputy-Director General Brian Schreuder and Chief Director: Education Planning Sigamoney Naicker and other Chief Directors. A special mention must be made of our Director of Curriculum Development Jenny Rault-Smith and the Director of Examinations André Clausen who once again did sterling work, together with their team, to ensure the success of the 2005 examinations. To all our EMDC directors and staff at our Education Management and Development Centres, thank you.
Finally to our sponsors Absa, thank you not only for your generous support for today's event but also for your support for our learners who have done so well.
Thank you very much
Enquiries
Gert WitbooiMedia Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
082 550 3938
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za
