Minister Visits Usasazo Secondary and Zola Business Secondary School

This morning, Western Cape Minister for Education (WCED), Donald Grant visited Usasazo Secondary and Zola Business Secondary in Khayelitsha to discuss their Grade 12 strategy for the 2010 National Senior Certificate Examinations.

"We have only 224 days left until the first examination on the 25th of October," said Grant.

"Each and every Grade 12 learner needs to buckle down and concentrate on their studies in order to give themselves the best possible chance to pass Grade 12 and to improve the province's overall pass rate."

Grant is visiting high schools across the province in a bid to motivate and encourage schools to achieve their targeted pass rates.

"I am here to monitor the implementation of their plans and support our Grade 12 turnaround strategy released earlier this year," he said.

"To achieve an 80% pass rate in the Western Cape, we will need to get at least 36 000 National Senior Certificate (NSC) passes in 2010. This amounts to 2000 more passes than in 2009. Therefore, all high schools have been encouraged to contribute to the additional 2 000 passes and the districts have agreed on pro rata minimum targets for their respective districts based on the number of passes in 2009."

Usasazo Secondary achieved a 54.3% pass rate in 2009. Their target in 2010 is to achieve 150 passes, 73 more then last year, and a pass rate of 71%. At Zola Secondary, they are determined to achieve a pass rate of 73%, compared to 63.12% last year. To do this, they would need to achieve 240 passes, an increase of 111 from 2009.

"With teamwork, determination and support from the WCED this can be achieved," said Grant.

Grant said that a number of management interventions have already been made to ensure that our schools properly implement the plan.

"The 101 schools that achieved pass rates below 89% have been visited by Circuit Team Managers to identify particular support required from the department to help improve learner outcomes at these schools," he said.

"Each school has set targets for individual school improvement. We will be providing tutors to some schools in need of subject support, a mentorship programme for principals, Head of Department and School Management training, learner and parent motivation, and development training for Curriculum Advisors. We will also provide management support to our underperforming schools through our Circuit Team Managers. Where appropriate, we will use retired principals who express a willingness to assist."

Grant said that, as discussed this morning, at Usasazo the Department will be offering a mentorship programme to the principal as well as targeted support in subjects such as Accounting, Mathematics and Science.

"At Zola Secondary, we will be providing support in Mathematics and Science," he said.

"I am encouraged that both schools have already begun to implement their plan to improve their Grade 12 pass rate by offering extra classes to learners either on weekends or after school hours."

He said that we should encourage learners to be self-critical of themselves to determine where their weaknesses lie.

"They then need to focus in on those subject areas and ask their teachers for additional support," he said.

"Each Grade 12 classroom should also have the number of days left before the examinations written on the board in the front of their classroom. Learners should be reminded everyday that this is their priority right now."