24% of matrics would have passed if pass mark was 50%

Jeanne van der Merwe and Sipho Masondo @City_Press

That’s what the matric pass rate would have been if the pass mark was 50%

Between 22% and 24% – that’s how many of South Africa’s matriculants would probably have passed had they been forced to score at least 50% for each subject.

City Press asked top statisticians to work out what the pass rate would have been if University of the Free State Vice-Chancellor Jonathan Jansen and other analysts got their wish of the matric subject pass marks being pegged at 50%.

The senior statisticians spoke to City Press on condition of anonymity.

They based their estimates on the historical distribution of marks in past matric exams, the proportion of the population enrolled for tertiary education and the fact that 30.6% of matriculants obtained university entrance passes that require a minimum of a 43% average.

Analysts agreed that while the standard of the matric exam papers was high and comparable to the best in the world, the pass marks were too low.

Professor Emeritus Johan Muller, a University of Cape Town education policy analyst, said: “The bar is too low. The exam paper is comparable, but our bar is lower than most countries in the world whose university entrance passes are set at 50% for all subjects.”

Education policy expert Graeme Bloch agreed, saying: “The pass marks are not sufficient but during my day, it was exactly the same. It’s wrong, but it doesn’t hold people from doing well.

“Parents want a 50% pass mark and I’m happy to go with that too.”

Aslam Fataar, a Stellenbosch University education policy researcher and deputy president of the SA Education Research Association, said he was all for an increase in pass marks, albeit gradually.

“It’s worth considering increasing the lowest pass mark of 30% by 5% every five years until we get to 50%,” he said.

In September, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga commissioned an investigation into raising the 30% pass requirement.

The findings are expected to be submitted in March.

The performance in key subjects for the 562 112 matric pupils of 2013 paints a depressing picture:

» Of the 241 509 who wrote maths, only 63 034 (26.1%) passed with 50% or more;

» Of the 184 383 who wrote physical science, 47 202 (25.6%) passed with 50% or higher;

» Of the 301 718 who wrote life sciences, 83 576 (27.7%) scored 50% or more; and

» Of the 454 666 who wrote English first additional language – which is also the language of teaching and learning in most schools – only 118 213 (26%) scored 50% and above.

At the moment, a university entrance pass requires matriculants to obtain 50% in four subjects, at least 40% for their home language, 30% for the language of teaching and learning, and remaining subjects at 30%.

Motshekga told City Press that passing matric was much more difficult now than it had been in previous years.

The 2013 exam papers were quality assured and benchmarked by the board of Cambridge International Examinations, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Australia’s Board of Studies New South Wales.

Cambridge has quality assured exams in Singapore, Mauritius and Botswana.

The SQA has worked with countries in central and eastern Europe, central and South America, the Middle East and other African countries.

Muller, Fataar and Bloch agreed that the exam standard was high, but that the pupils would not fare well because of poor teaching.

Analysts said it would take between 20 and 25 years to fix the education system and make it produce quality matriculants with the right pass marks.

Fataar said: “It takes a generation to fix it. An education system can’t be turned around in five or 10 years.

“Unfortunately, it takes a very short time to mess it up. There are no easy answers.”

Motshekga admitted that there were shortcomings in the system.

“There is a skills gap where most of our kids don’t measure up to the curriculum, international standards and when we compare ourselves to many countries in the world,” she said.

She added that her department was now working to improve it.

Muller and Bloch heaped praise on Motshekga.

“I think she is a good minister, she has the right ideas,” said Muller.

“She is on the right track,” said Bloch.

Statistician-General Pali Lehohla said: “Collectively we celebrate the pass rate, yet underneath that is a continuous undermining of what we want in society.”

Matric pupil gets a zero for swearing at marker in exam script

6 February 2014 16:22

A pupil’s matric result has been declared null and void after he swore in an examination paper, a spokesperson for Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant has said.

“One candidate used inappropriate language in an examination script with reference to the marker (who was not known to the pupil),” said Bronagh Casey today.

“The sanction was that the result in that subject was declared null and void.”

She said the pupil would, however, be allowed to write the 2014 February/March supplementary exam in that subject.

Casey would not be drawn on what subject paper the pupil had been writing, or what exactly the remark was.

“We are not disclosing that information,” she said.

There were eight cases of irregularities which were reported and investigated in the province last year.

These included pupils who were in possession of cellphones inside an exam room, candidates found in possession of unauthorised materials or crib notes, and candidates using inappropriate language in an answer script.

In the 2013 matric exam, five pupils were found in possession of cellphones and were sanctioned, but could write the 2014 exam.

Another pupil found using a cellphone was barred from writing the exam for two years. He would be allowed to write the 2016 matric exam.

One person found in possession of crib notes was also barred from writing the exam for two years.

All eight had their results declared null and void, she said.

“When the candidate’s results are declared null and void, the result for the specific subject is marked as irregular but the candidate will receive results for the other subjects as well as a letter informing the candidate about the irregularity that occurred and the sanction imposed,” said Casey.

“The candidate will not receive a National Senior Certificate until she/he rewrites the subject and applies for a combination of results.”

In 2012, the results of 17 pupils were declared null and void in the province.

Students 'abuse' state financial aid

17 minutes ago Blanché de Vries, Die Burger

(Shutterstock)

Cape Town - Students apparently lie to the South African government student loan and bursary scheme (NSFAS) in order to get loans, reported Die Burger.

This was revealed during a meeting in parliament, where the department of higher education and training supplied information about financial aid at universities.

At the meeting problems in paying out loans to students were also discussed.

The department informed a parliamentary standing committee that only half of the students who qualify for financial aid can be assisted.

This is because there is not enough money available to help everyone who applies to NSFAS.

Msulwa Daca, head of NSFAS, said the organisation is trying to develop a system to prevent students from abusing the financial aid available

Sex before school shock

FEB 3, 2011 | ALEX MATLALA

MORE than 60 percent of female pupils at Mavalani Secondary School in Giyani, Limpopo, wake up for school from their boyfriends' homes.

Most of these children became so drunk that they slept half-naked in the streets, making themselves ultimate victims of rape and unprotected sex 

The school was in the spotlight last week after 57 pupils were found to be pregnant last month. The youngest pregnant girl is 13 years old.

The school's enrolment stands at 1078 pupils - 382 boys and 696 girls.

Health department spokesperson Cecil Motsepe said a team dispatched last week to the school had discovered that it was normal for pupils to sleep away from home.

Motsepe explained that the majority of pupils, both boys and girls, wake up together and prepare themselves before going to school.

Motsepe said the report also showed that parents had not yet broken the silence around sex-related issues with their teenage children.

Meanwhile, the South African Schools Governing Bodies attributed the scourge of teenage pregnancy at the school to the fact that it was surrounded by a number of taverns.

Provincial chairperson Hitler Morwatshehla said investigations had indicated that pupils from Mavalani drink liquor heavily on Saturdays and Sundays.

"During the research, we discovered that young girls between the ages of 12 and 17 formed the majority of those taking booze on Sundays, a day before school.

"Most of these children became so drunk that they slept half-naked in the streets, making themselves ultimate victims of rape and unprotected sex," Morwatshehla said.

Although learning and teaching was back to normal at the school, principal Meserea Mahungu had not returned to the school since she was suspended by parents on Friday.

This was after angry community members and pupils destroyed the school's property, accusing her of conniving with Sowetan "to tarnish the image of the school".

Provincial education department spokesperson Pat Kgomo said the principal had been advised to stay at home for a while until the situation is conducive for her to go back.

Kgomo said the department will in the meantime engage the community to see to it that learning and teaching continue while parents and the department try to solve the problems plaguing the school.

The SA Council of Educators said yesterday it has set aside five days - from February 14 to 18 - to visit the schools and communities with similar problems in Limpopo.

Sace spokesperson Temba Ndhlovu said the council will meet teachers, parents, pupils and other stakeholders to discuss matters involving the code of professional ethics and to see how the problem facing Mavalani could be overcome.

Tshwane University of Technology shut down

JAN 31, 2014 | SAPA 

The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was closed until further notice on Thursday because of student protests, the institution said.

"Due to student unrest, the management today resolved to close all the university's campuses with immediate effect until further notice," spokeswoman Willa de Ruyter said in a statement.

"The university once again condemns the violent actions of students who participated in two days of protest action at the university."

Students were protesting against a shortfall in money from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). De Ruyter said protests would not solve the problem and disadvantage students who had already registered.

Protests started on Wednesday, forcing the closure of the six campuses. Student Representative Council (SRC) members met management in an attempt to resolve the issue.

TUT central SRC president Mboniseni Dladla said they asked that students who owed the institution money, as a result of the NSFAS failing to pay, be allowed to register.

"That commitment has been made by management but beyond that, the EMC [executive management council] has further contributed R10 million to students," he said.

De Ruyter confirmed the agreement, and said all financial blocks on students would be removed.

She said the R10 million would come from TUT's budget to help academically deserving and financially needy students.

Earlier in the day, Dladla said a mass protest was being planned for Monday. He said they had given management until Friday to respond to all the issues raised in their memorandum.

"We are talking of a mass protest of 15,000 students. All campuses have agreed to meet on Monday, at the Pretoria West campus, to strike," he said.

"We have given them our memorandum, and if we don't get a commitment by Friday, addressing all our issues, then we are going to protest," he said.

On Thursday, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced that R1 billion would be added to the NSFAS.

"[My] department has made available an additional amount of R1bn, sourced from the National Skills Fund, to all universities to cover the 2013 and 2014 shortfall," he told reporters in Pretoria.

He said the NSFAS had a shortfall of R2.6bn in 2013.

Nzimande called on students not to damage property or disrupt lectures when they protested.

Nzimande's call followed a wave of protests on campuses around the country by students unhappy with the financial situation at tertiary institutions. The minister hoped meetings between his department and affected parties would solve the problem.

"I also wish to strongly condemn any disruptions and destruction of property, and urge all to desist from this," he said.

The minister was concerned, especially by disruptions to lectures. His office would continue to monitor the situation, and help institutions, students, and parents.

He called on universities to treat students with dignity and respect, and to provide the necessary support in dealing with registration and financial help.

"We urge all stakeholders to constructively engage with each other to ensure a smooth registration process. We must not allow the challenges we face to negatively affect the registration process," he said.

Nzimande appealed to students to use strikes and demonstrations as a last resort.