Date: 27/12/2002
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: Asmal: 2002 Matric Results
Statement by Professor Kader Asmal, MP, Minister of Education on the Release of 2002 Senior Certificate Examinations Results, Goodhope Auditorium, Cape Town, 27 December 2002
Sanibonani, dumelang, goeie middag, good afternoon, vadekom, and in the international language of peace, asalaamo alaikum, shalom
Greetings to all South Africans on this important day in the lives of many of our children. Today we wish to congratulate the thousands of students who have worked so hard over the last ten months to fulfil their dreams. We also wish to express our gratitude to their parents, who have given their children their support and encouragement. The important role of parents cannot be underestimated, as it is critical in sustaining and bolstering the teaching and learning process.
Our thanks must go to the corps of South African teachers who carry out their duties with passion and remain loyal to the values of their profession. In particular, we need to salute those teachers, who have engaged in voluntary activities, after school hours, in the true spirit of Tirisano. They have answered the President's call, Vuk'uzenzele, to arise and act in partnership across the nation to ensure proper teaching and learning in our schools.
Now let me let me turn to the process leading to the publication of the matric results today. On the 24th December 2002, on behalf of the Government, I received a report on the conduct of the matriculation examinations in 2002, from the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council - Umalusi, the independent body charged with the responsibility of assuring the quality and integrity of the entire examination process. After considering reports related to the setting and writing of papers, the marking of answer sheets and information concerning the results, including security and statistical measures, the Council certified the 2002 examination results as 'fair and credible'. Through this process, the Council has carried out its mandate of ensuring the validity, legitimacy and reliability of the examinations.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Council for fulfilling its statutory mandate in a professional and timely manner as well as a commitment to international best practice.
As South Africans, who watch this annual process of the writing of Senior Certificate examinations with keen interest, we can all bear witness to the fact that the 2002 examinations have been almost incident free. This year, we have once more paid attention to the security of the printing and distribution of question papers. We also improved security at all marking centres and tightened the procedures for the capturing of marks. Where problems arose, we acted swiftly and enlisted the services of the law enforcement agencies.
Remember that there were nearly 6000 schools participating in the exams; hundreds of exam papers, millions of scripts, hundreds of moderators and markers. You therefore have a very large number of people involved.
I must thank all those citizens who reported cases of fraud to the provincial authorities. The integrity of these examinations is now being viewed, not simply as the task of the education authorities, but as the responsibility of all South Africans.
We have learnt from experience to raise the quality of the examination process. To this end the integrity and quality of the process has been further strengthened through ensuring that the question papers are no longer set and moderated by individuals. They are set by panels of examiners drawn from across the provinces, bringing sensitivity to the cultural, linguistic and social experiences of learners. They are then moderated by independent moderators, appointed by the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council - Umalusi, to ensure that the quality of the papers is of a standard comparable to similar qualifications worldwide.
We have not invented the conclusion that our Senior Certificate examinations are comparable to the best in the world. You will recall that in 2000, I invited the Scottish Qualifications Authority - one of the leading examining bodies in the world - to compare their equivalent qualification to that of the Senior Certificate. It was this important body, which in fact concluded that our Senior Certificate is of the same standard as the Scottish qualification and similar qualifications across the globe.
These examination results do not however exist in isolation from the broader measures that we have taken to improve the education system. They form part of our efforts to ensure that all our children have access to high quality learning opportunities. We have and will continue to make a difference in our quest for excellence.
Therefore before turning to the results, which I know you are all anxious to hear, I want to remind you why we are here today, beyond simply the numbers and the statistics. The reason is aptly captured in the haunting words of Gabriel Mistral, a Noble-prize winning poet from Chile in his poem entitled 'His name is...'
We are guilty of many errors
And many faults
But our worst crime is abandoning the children
Neglecting the fountain of life
Many of the things we need
Can wait,
The child cannot
Right now is the time his bones are being formed,
his blood is being made
and his senses are being developed
To him we cannot answer: tomorrow
His name is today
The results and indeed all our work in education are centred on the well being of our children. This is because the steps we take today, will determine the future prosperity of our country, which ultimately belongs to our young people and the future generations that will follow. We cannot afford to let them down.
And now for the moment that you have all been waiting for - this afternoon it is both an honour and privilege to announce the consolidated national results of the 2002 examinations, which are being released in the individual provinces today. They can also be accessed from our website at http://education.pwv.gov.za.
These results cover the 5940 state schools and reflect the steps that the Government has taken to ensure that they serve the common good, especially since many of them cater for those of our children that come from impoverished communities, who deserve the same type of education as middle class children the best schools.
The 2002 results, as you will see, are undoubtedly a motion of confidence for public education. They are not, contrary to the view of some, a reflection of a race between the provinces. Neither are they a beauty competition between schools. We cannot compare the results of a well-resourced school in Sandton to that of an under-resourced school in Umtata. We should instead be focusing on the extent to which our under-resourced schools have shown an improvement.
This is because, given the deprivation of our past many of our students continue to learn under extremely difficult conditions and despite our concerted efforts to redress these distortions, the inequalities remain. Rather, if any competition exists it is a race to overcome the vestiges of the shameful legacy of apartheid neglect.
The 2002 results, as you will see, have once more demonstrated that with dedication and commitment we can record improvements every year, despite the challenges that we face.
In 1999 the percentage pass rate was only 48.9%. In 2000, we achieved a national pass rate of 57.9%. Last year we recorded a dramatic improvement in our national pass rate of 61.7% and after breaking the 60% barrier, we set ourselves the further challenge of taking the pass rate to 65%. Today this upward trend has continued and we have not only achieved our target, but we have in fact gone beyond it. I am delighted therefore to announce a continued improvement this year of 7.2% in the national pass rate, which increases the overall pass percentage to 68.9%.
We have established a trend, a movement, which reflects the overall improvement in our education system. In other words, there has been a drastic turn around in our education system from 48.9% in 1999 to 68.9% in 2002, an increase of 22.1%.
Also, this year, for the first time, all provinces have recorded an improvement in their pass rates and all have a pass percentage above 50%. The two provinces, which have shown significant improvement are the Free State, which has moved from 59% in 2001 to 70.7% in 2002, an increase of 11.7%, and Limpopo, with an increase of 10%, from 59.5% in 2001 to 69.5% in 2002. The Northern Cape is a just a fraction away from the 90s, moving from 84.2% in 2001 to 89.9% in 2002.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a real achievement. Despite the adverse conditions of poverty and the rural nature of these provinces, which all impact on quality support to schools, the determination of their individual teachers and students have triumphed against all odds.
The improvement recorded in the performance of other provinces is as follows:
Gauteng from 73.6% in 2001 to 78.1% in 2002; an increase of 4.5%
KwaZulu-Natal from 62.8% in 2001 to 70.8% in 2002; an increase of 8%
North West from 62.5% in 2001 to 67.8% in 2002; an increase of 5.3%
Western Cape from 82.7% in 2001 to 86.5 in 2002; an increase of 3.8%
As you will recall, last year when I released the results, I drew your attention to the performance of the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, who both recorded a decrease in their pass rate. We committed ourselves to focus on these provinces in order to bring them up to acceptable levels of performance. This concerted intervention, in both provinces, has now paid off.
Mpumalanga improved from 46.9% in 2001 to 55.8% in 2002; an increase of 8.9%, while the Eastern Cape's results increased from 45.6% in 2001 to 51.8% in 2002; an improvement of 6.2%.
This achievement is as a result of our co-operation with the provinces. In this regard, the national improvement strategy carried out by the provincial departments of education, which has involved special intervention programmes in specific schools and districts, has yielded the desired results. I would therefore like to pay tribute to the MECs, their respective Heads of Department and provincial officials for their response to the challenges we face. I also wish to thank them for their co-operation throughout the year, as we collectively worked to improve our education system.
There is no doubt that the 2002 results place a significant distance between the present and our past. This must be attributed to the fact that thousands of our township and rural schools, which had been characterised as dysfunctional, have now shown enormous improvement.
In 1999, a quarter of our schools fell into this category and today many of these schools have now been completely turned around. They have become the pride of their communities.
It is for this reason that our improvement strategy over the last three years has focused on those schools that have achieved less than a 20% pass rate. In 1999, 1034 schools comprised this category. In 2000, the figure fell to 559. In 2001, the figure decreased to 472. In 2002, I am pleased to report that we have managed to reduce the number of dysfunctional schools to 242. Our long-term goal is to ensure that no learner should travel long distances to seek quality education because their local school fails to perform. And I want to assure all South Africans that we will not rest until we have ensured that all our schools work effectively.
The overall pass rate is but only one indicator of improvement. Two years ago we also set ourselves the target of improving the number of Senior Certificate candidates that passed with endorsement, which is commonly known as exemption. This year 16.9% of the total number of candidates obtained university endorsement, as compared to 15.1% in 2001. This means that 75 048 students, with endorsement can seek admission to universities. They can also, of course, access the technikons, together with those that did not obtain an exemption.
I now would like to refer to some areas of importance to education, which arise from these results. To those have been successful, the Government has made support available as far as access to education is concerned.
Through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, the Government has ensured that no student should be denied access to higher education due to lack of funds. I would therefore urge all those who have passed, whether you are black or white, and who do not have the necessary financial resources to participate in the higher education system, to contact the financial aid bureau at the institutions of their choice. Not only will they be able to provide you with information about the Government's Financial Aid Scheme, but also they will inform you about other forms of support, such as bursaries from the institutions and from private trusts, which are available. No student from a disadvantaged family, who is academically talented, should be denied the opportunity to study further.
Access has not only been broadened to higher education. In the past three years we have witnessed a significant number of our students participating in vocational education. This trend is positive and forms part of our human resource development strategy, which encourages our young people to gain the technical skills, which are necessary for our country's development. We are responding to this demand by ensuring that our Further Education and Training Colleges collaborate with Technikons in providing quality post-secondary technical skills. I would therefore also encourage students to access higher education qualifications through this alternative route.
In pursuing their studies, I would also like to make a special appeal to our students to take up careers in the teaching profession. I would like to urge, in particular, those students who have also done well in Mathematics and Physical Science, to become teachers. The provincial education departments have made bursaries available and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme has allocated R50 million for this purpose. Next year, the Ministry, together with the South African Council of Educators and the Education Labour Relations Council, will embark on a 'proud to be a teacher campaign', as part of our efforts to uplift the status of teachers and to mobilise our young people into joining this profession.
To those students that have not passed, do not be discouraged. Failing your matric does not mean the end of the learning process. There are numerous avenues to consider in redirecting your studies and I wish to encourage you to make use of all the opportunities, which are now available to you.
This year's examinations, ladies and gentlemen, are not only about a marked improvement in the results. They are also associated with the advance of our efforts to establish a single national examination system, with national standards, in line with our broader programme to build a truly South African education system.
As it is only in this way that rural students in the farthest regions of the Limpopo Province can compare their results with those of their counterparts who study in the shadow of the leafy suburbs on the foothills of Table Mountain.
In this regard, I have appointed a Task Team to investigate the necessary processes required to consolidate the various examination bodies into a single system. The Task Team has now completed its work and I will consider their recommendations and announce my decisions, during the course of next year, so that we are ready to implement this new system in 2004.
Furthermore, as part of the move towards a single national examination, this year our students have again written five national questions papers. These papers represent the national performance across all the nine provinces and I am pleased to announce that improvements have also been recorded in these subjects.
Accounting has improved from 83,8% in 2001 to 84,7% in 2002 and Biology from 67,5% in 2001 to 71,4% in 2002. Our targeted interventions in Mathematics and Physical Science have also yielded success. Mathematics has improved from 46,7% in 2001 to 56,1% in 2002 and Physical Science from 68,6% in 2001 to 76,4% in 2002. The results for English Second Language, which is taken by the vast majority of our students, have also improved from 94,1% in 2001 to 97,4% in 2002.
In 2003, we will introduce History as the sixth subject to be examined nationally. We have identified History because of its significance to our nation-building project. Through the teaching, learning and assessment of History, we hope to nurture a spirit of critical thinking and awareness of the past, which is essential for promoting dignity, human values and fostering an appreciation of our cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.
A significant achievement reflected in this year's results is the improvement in the performance and participation rate of girls, which is impressive compared with other countries.
The number of girls who wrote the Senior Certificate examinations has increased from 148 577 in 2001 to 162 148 in 2002. Of the 162 485 girl candidates who wrote, the pass rate increased by 7.3% from 60,1% (148 577) in 2001 to 67.4% (162 485) in 2002.
There were also significant improvements in girls' participation and achievement in Mathematics and Physical Science. The number of girl candidates who wrote mathematics increased from 60 246 in 2001 to 71 604 in 2002 and the Mathematics pass rate for girls increased from 42.6% in 2001 to 51.9% in 2002. Of the 54 531 girl candidates who wrote Physical Science, the pass rate increased from 65.6% in 2001 to 74.3% in 2002.
Our goal of ensuring gender equity in education is therefore gaining ground. As part of these efforts, the Ministry and the Gauteng Education Department, through the generous support of Ms Oprah Winfrey, are in the process of establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, to nurture and develop the talents of our young girls. This school will be open to students from Gauteng and the rest of the country. This is but a beginning of a process which will see us identifying schools all over the country that can be developed into centres of excellence in leadership development for girls.
You will recall that we have also been concerned about the performance of our students in Mathematics and Physical Science. In 2001, we launched our Mathematics, Science and Technology strategy, with a substantial Government investment, together with other investment from the private sector as well as overseas development assistance. Central to this strategy was the selection of 102 dedicated maths and science schools across the country. I am proud to announce that these schools have recorded significant pass rates in both these subjects. We will set new targets for these schools, which will be announced early next year.
Such interventions have contributed to the significant improvements, which I have announced. There are, however, other factors, which have also played an important role in our achievements.
Firstly, the stability of the system as reflected by the higher rates of attendance by both teachers and students has meant that more time has been devoted to the teaching and learning process.
Secondly, our incentive schemes, which include the National Teaching Awards and the Most Improved School Awards, which have been adopted by the President and the Deputy President respectively, have served as a source of inspiration and encouragement to both schools and teachers.
Thirdly, our efforts to transform the quality of the learning through the provision of additional classrooms, adequate supply of textbooks and safe and secure learning environments, have all impacted positively on the nature of the education system.
Fourthly, our achievements would not have been realised without the commitment of the organised teaching profession. I would therefore like to thank the leadership of the teacher unions for their support. Next year, together let us ensure the implementation of Whole School Evaluation and Developmental Appraisal as well as the effective use of the incapacity code relating to teaching, which will enable us to build on the gains, which we have made in improving the quality of teaching. Our parents and the community are entitled to know what is happening in our schools.
Fifthly, the quality of school governance and leadership is improving year by year through training and capacity building programmes for principals. The involvement of school governing bodies has, in many instances, added value to the management and leadership in our schools.
Through these bodies parents and local communities are beginning to reclaim their schools as places of quality learning. However, given the significant power accorded to these bodies and the challenges confronting them with respect to ensuring that they fulfil their tasks within the spirit of the policies governing our education system, I will establish a Review Board in the coming year, to evaluate the extent to which they have met their responsibilities.
This is particularly important within the context of the fact that Governing Bodies set the fee structures for schools and I am increasingly becoming concerned about the extent to which students are being excluded on the basis of their parents inability to pay fees. Yet the law on this matter is clear. Parents who genuinely cannot afford to pay should be given the opportunity to apply for an exemption from fees, and yet many parents do not know this and their children continue to be excluded. Let me restate the Government's policy - no child can be robbed of their fundamental right to education. Neither can they be barred from extramural activities because their parents have not paid their fees.
It is such matters, which will form part of the terms of reference of the work of the Review Body. Members of the public will be invited to submit their concerns as to how the work of the school governing bodies can be improved.
Ladies and gentlemen, while today we celebrate the results of our children, we must also remember that thousands of adults have also achieved. Many have returned to the formal education system with an aim of translating our goal of lifelong learning, from the cradle to the grave, into a reality. I am therefore also pleased to report on, for the first time, the outcome of the national examinations for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), Level 4, which is equivalent to the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) or Grade 9.
What is particularly significant about this year's ABET Level 4 results is that over 800 learners qualified for the General and Training Education Certificate, while over 20 000 candidates received credits towards a qualification in one or another learning area. I want to here refer more especially to the learning area called Mathematical Literacy, where 13 387 candidates wrote the final examinations and 8 861 (66.19%) passed. It is also pleasing to note that adults are taking subjects such as Technology, Entrepreneurship, Travel and Tourism and Applied Agriculture.
The ABET examinations, as with the Senior Certificate examinations, are conducted by the provincial education departments and are moderated by Umalusi. Umalusi has also certified the ABET results as fair and credible.
I would be remiss if I did not express a word of appreciation to my officials who have once more sacrificed their holidays and worked over Christmas to make it possible for the Ministry of Education to maintain the now established tradition of announcing the results in the same academic year in which the examinations were written. Their hard work is reflected in this remarkable consolidated report, providing the fullest details, in the space of four days. I am sure that you will agree that we are breeding a completely new type of public servant.
In addition, the South African Broadcasting Corporation must also be thanked for their coverage of the results. They continue to provide us with an opportunity to reach out to parents and students and their efforts in this regard are part of the best tradition in public broadcasting.
In conclusion, I wish to remind you of the statement on education, which President Mbeki made to Parliament in 1999, in his first State of the Nation address as President. The President enjoined us to '... ensure that education and training constitute the decisive drivers in our efforts to build a winning nation...Government will therefore intensify its focus on education so that we succeed in our efforts to produce an educated and appropriately skilled population'.
Today we can confidently state that we have placed education at the core of our efforts to reconstruct and rebuild our democratic society from the ashes of the old. The success of our transformation agenda in education is there for all to see. While much more remains to be done, so much has already been achieved in such a short space of time. And, together, we will continue to approach our programme to turn the entire education system around with the appropriate urgency and commitment, as our people deserve no less and our children deserve the best.
Thank you
Issued by Ministry of Education
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: Asmal: 2002 Matric Results
Statement by Professor Kader Asmal, MP, Minister of Education on the Release of 2002 Senior Certificate Examinations Results, Goodhope Auditorium, Cape Town, 27 December 2002
Sanibonani, dumelang, goeie middag, good afternoon, vadekom, and in the international language of peace, asalaamo alaikum, shalom
Greetings to all South Africans on this important day in the lives of many of our children. Today we wish to congratulate the thousands of students who have worked so hard over the last ten months to fulfil their dreams. We also wish to express our gratitude to their parents, who have given their children their support and encouragement. The important role of parents cannot be underestimated, as it is critical in sustaining and bolstering the teaching and learning process.
Our thanks must go to the corps of South African teachers who carry out their duties with passion and remain loyal to the values of their profession. In particular, we need to salute those teachers, who have engaged in voluntary activities, after school hours, in the true spirit of Tirisano. They have answered the President's call, Vuk'uzenzele, to arise and act in partnership across the nation to ensure proper teaching and learning in our schools.
Now let me let me turn to the process leading to the publication of the matric results today. On the 24th December 2002, on behalf of the Government, I received a report on the conduct of the matriculation examinations in 2002, from the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council - Umalusi, the independent body charged with the responsibility of assuring the quality and integrity of the entire examination process. After considering reports related to the setting and writing of papers, the marking of answer sheets and information concerning the results, including security and statistical measures, the Council certified the 2002 examination results as 'fair and credible'. Through this process, the Council has carried out its mandate of ensuring the validity, legitimacy and reliability of the examinations.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Council for fulfilling its statutory mandate in a professional and timely manner as well as a commitment to international best practice.
As South Africans, who watch this annual process of the writing of Senior Certificate examinations with keen interest, we can all bear witness to the fact that the 2002 examinations have been almost incident free. This year, we have once more paid attention to the security of the printing and distribution of question papers. We also improved security at all marking centres and tightened the procedures for the capturing of marks. Where problems arose, we acted swiftly and enlisted the services of the law enforcement agencies.
Remember that there were nearly 6000 schools participating in the exams; hundreds of exam papers, millions of scripts, hundreds of moderators and markers. You therefore have a very large number of people involved.
I must thank all those citizens who reported cases of fraud to the provincial authorities. The integrity of these examinations is now being viewed, not simply as the task of the education authorities, but as the responsibility of all South Africans.
We have learnt from experience to raise the quality of the examination process. To this end the integrity and quality of the process has been further strengthened through ensuring that the question papers are no longer set and moderated by individuals. They are set by panels of examiners drawn from across the provinces, bringing sensitivity to the cultural, linguistic and social experiences of learners. They are then moderated by independent moderators, appointed by the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council - Umalusi, to ensure that the quality of the papers is of a standard comparable to similar qualifications worldwide.
We have not invented the conclusion that our Senior Certificate examinations are comparable to the best in the world. You will recall that in 2000, I invited the Scottish Qualifications Authority - one of the leading examining bodies in the world - to compare their equivalent qualification to that of the Senior Certificate. It was this important body, which in fact concluded that our Senior Certificate is of the same standard as the Scottish qualification and similar qualifications across the globe.
These examination results do not however exist in isolation from the broader measures that we have taken to improve the education system. They form part of our efforts to ensure that all our children have access to high quality learning opportunities. We have and will continue to make a difference in our quest for excellence.
Therefore before turning to the results, which I know you are all anxious to hear, I want to remind you why we are here today, beyond simply the numbers and the statistics. The reason is aptly captured in the haunting words of Gabriel Mistral, a Noble-prize winning poet from Chile in his poem entitled 'His name is...'
We are guilty of many errors
And many faults
But our worst crime is abandoning the children
Neglecting the fountain of life
Many of the things we need
Can wait,
The child cannot
Right now is the time his bones are being formed,
his blood is being made
and his senses are being developed
To him we cannot answer: tomorrow
His name is today
The results and indeed all our work in education are centred on the well being of our children. This is because the steps we take today, will determine the future prosperity of our country, which ultimately belongs to our young people and the future generations that will follow. We cannot afford to let them down.
And now for the moment that you have all been waiting for - this afternoon it is both an honour and privilege to announce the consolidated national results of the 2002 examinations, which are being released in the individual provinces today. They can also be accessed from our website at http://education.pwv.gov.za.
These results cover the 5940 state schools and reflect the steps that the Government has taken to ensure that they serve the common good, especially since many of them cater for those of our children that come from impoverished communities, who deserve the same type of education as middle class children the best schools.
The 2002 results, as you will see, are undoubtedly a motion of confidence for public education. They are not, contrary to the view of some, a reflection of a race between the provinces. Neither are they a beauty competition between schools. We cannot compare the results of a well-resourced school in Sandton to that of an under-resourced school in Umtata. We should instead be focusing on the extent to which our under-resourced schools have shown an improvement.
This is because, given the deprivation of our past many of our students continue to learn under extremely difficult conditions and despite our concerted efforts to redress these distortions, the inequalities remain. Rather, if any competition exists it is a race to overcome the vestiges of the shameful legacy of apartheid neglect.
The 2002 results, as you will see, have once more demonstrated that with dedication and commitment we can record improvements every year, despite the challenges that we face.
In 1999 the percentage pass rate was only 48.9%. In 2000, we achieved a national pass rate of 57.9%. Last year we recorded a dramatic improvement in our national pass rate of 61.7% and after breaking the 60% barrier, we set ourselves the further challenge of taking the pass rate to 65%. Today this upward trend has continued and we have not only achieved our target, but we have in fact gone beyond it. I am delighted therefore to announce a continued improvement this year of 7.2% in the national pass rate, which increases the overall pass percentage to 68.9%.
We have established a trend, a movement, which reflects the overall improvement in our education system. In other words, there has been a drastic turn around in our education system from 48.9% in 1999 to 68.9% in 2002, an increase of 22.1%.
Also, this year, for the first time, all provinces have recorded an improvement in their pass rates and all have a pass percentage above 50%. The two provinces, which have shown significant improvement are the Free State, which has moved from 59% in 2001 to 70.7% in 2002, an increase of 11.7%, and Limpopo, with an increase of 10%, from 59.5% in 2001 to 69.5% in 2002. The Northern Cape is a just a fraction away from the 90s, moving from 84.2% in 2001 to 89.9% in 2002.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a real achievement. Despite the adverse conditions of poverty and the rural nature of these provinces, which all impact on quality support to schools, the determination of their individual teachers and students have triumphed against all odds.
The improvement recorded in the performance of other provinces is as follows:
Gauteng from 73.6% in 2001 to 78.1% in 2002; an increase of 4.5%
KwaZulu-Natal from 62.8% in 2001 to 70.8% in 2002; an increase of 8%
North West from 62.5% in 2001 to 67.8% in 2002; an increase of 5.3%
Western Cape from 82.7% in 2001 to 86.5 in 2002; an increase of 3.8%
As you will recall, last year when I released the results, I drew your attention to the performance of the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, who both recorded a decrease in their pass rate. We committed ourselves to focus on these provinces in order to bring them up to acceptable levels of performance. This concerted intervention, in both provinces, has now paid off.
Mpumalanga improved from 46.9% in 2001 to 55.8% in 2002; an increase of 8.9%, while the Eastern Cape's results increased from 45.6% in 2001 to 51.8% in 2002; an improvement of 6.2%.
This achievement is as a result of our co-operation with the provinces. In this regard, the national improvement strategy carried out by the provincial departments of education, which has involved special intervention programmes in specific schools and districts, has yielded the desired results. I would therefore like to pay tribute to the MECs, their respective Heads of Department and provincial officials for their response to the challenges we face. I also wish to thank them for their co-operation throughout the year, as we collectively worked to improve our education system.
There is no doubt that the 2002 results place a significant distance between the present and our past. This must be attributed to the fact that thousands of our township and rural schools, which had been characterised as dysfunctional, have now shown enormous improvement.
In 1999, a quarter of our schools fell into this category and today many of these schools have now been completely turned around. They have become the pride of their communities.
It is for this reason that our improvement strategy over the last three years has focused on those schools that have achieved less than a 20% pass rate. In 1999, 1034 schools comprised this category. In 2000, the figure fell to 559. In 2001, the figure decreased to 472. In 2002, I am pleased to report that we have managed to reduce the number of dysfunctional schools to 242. Our long-term goal is to ensure that no learner should travel long distances to seek quality education because their local school fails to perform. And I want to assure all South Africans that we will not rest until we have ensured that all our schools work effectively.
The overall pass rate is but only one indicator of improvement. Two years ago we also set ourselves the target of improving the number of Senior Certificate candidates that passed with endorsement, which is commonly known as exemption. This year 16.9% of the total number of candidates obtained university endorsement, as compared to 15.1% in 2001. This means that 75 048 students, with endorsement can seek admission to universities. They can also, of course, access the technikons, together with those that did not obtain an exemption.
I now would like to refer to some areas of importance to education, which arise from these results. To those have been successful, the Government has made support available as far as access to education is concerned.
Through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, the Government has ensured that no student should be denied access to higher education due to lack of funds. I would therefore urge all those who have passed, whether you are black or white, and who do not have the necessary financial resources to participate in the higher education system, to contact the financial aid bureau at the institutions of their choice. Not only will they be able to provide you with information about the Government's Financial Aid Scheme, but also they will inform you about other forms of support, such as bursaries from the institutions and from private trusts, which are available. No student from a disadvantaged family, who is academically talented, should be denied the opportunity to study further.
Access has not only been broadened to higher education. In the past three years we have witnessed a significant number of our students participating in vocational education. This trend is positive and forms part of our human resource development strategy, which encourages our young people to gain the technical skills, which are necessary for our country's development. We are responding to this demand by ensuring that our Further Education and Training Colleges collaborate with Technikons in providing quality post-secondary technical skills. I would therefore also encourage students to access higher education qualifications through this alternative route.
In pursuing their studies, I would also like to make a special appeal to our students to take up careers in the teaching profession. I would like to urge, in particular, those students who have also done well in Mathematics and Physical Science, to become teachers. The provincial education departments have made bursaries available and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme has allocated R50 million for this purpose. Next year, the Ministry, together with the South African Council of Educators and the Education Labour Relations Council, will embark on a 'proud to be a teacher campaign', as part of our efforts to uplift the status of teachers and to mobilise our young people into joining this profession.
To those students that have not passed, do not be discouraged. Failing your matric does not mean the end of the learning process. There are numerous avenues to consider in redirecting your studies and I wish to encourage you to make use of all the opportunities, which are now available to you.
This year's examinations, ladies and gentlemen, are not only about a marked improvement in the results. They are also associated with the advance of our efforts to establish a single national examination system, with national standards, in line with our broader programme to build a truly South African education system.
As it is only in this way that rural students in the farthest regions of the Limpopo Province can compare their results with those of their counterparts who study in the shadow of the leafy suburbs on the foothills of Table Mountain.
In this regard, I have appointed a Task Team to investigate the necessary processes required to consolidate the various examination bodies into a single system. The Task Team has now completed its work and I will consider their recommendations and announce my decisions, during the course of next year, so that we are ready to implement this new system in 2004.
Furthermore, as part of the move towards a single national examination, this year our students have again written five national questions papers. These papers represent the national performance across all the nine provinces and I am pleased to announce that improvements have also been recorded in these subjects.
Accounting has improved from 83,8% in 2001 to 84,7% in 2002 and Biology from 67,5% in 2001 to 71,4% in 2002. Our targeted interventions in Mathematics and Physical Science have also yielded success. Mathematics has improved from 46,7% in 2001 to 56,1% in 2002 and Physical Science from 68,6% in 2001 to 76,4% in 2002. The results for English Second Language, which is taken by the vast majority of our students, have also improved from 94,1% in 2001 to 97,4% in 2002.
In 2003, we will introduce History as the sixth subject to be examined nationally. We have identified History because of its significance to our nation-building project. Through the teaching, learning and assessment of History, we hope to nurture a spirit of critical thinking and awareness of the past, which is essential for promoting dignity, human values and fostering an appreciation of our cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.
A significant achievement reflected in this year's results is the improvement in the performance and participation rate of girls, which is impressive compared with other countries.
The number of girls who wrote the Senior Certificate examinations has increased from 148 577 in 2001 to 162 148 in 2002. Of the 162 485 girl candidates who wrote, the pass rate increased by 7.3% from 60,1% (148 577) in 2001 to 67.4% (162 485) in 2002.
There were also significant improvements in girls' participation and achievement in Mathematics and Physical Science. The number of girl candidates who wrote mathematics increased from 60 246 in 2001 to 71 604 in 2002 and the Mathematics pass rate for girls increased from 42.6% in 2001 to 51.9% in 2002. Of the 54 531 girl candidates who wrote Physical Science, the pass rate increased from 65.6% in 2001 to 74.3% in 2002.
Our goal of ensuring gender equity in education is therefore gaining ground. As part of these efforts, the Ministry and the Gauteng Education Department, through the generous support of Ms Oprah Winfrey, are in the process of establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, to nurture and develop the talents of our young girls. This school will be open to students from Gauteng and the rest of the country. This is but a beginning of a process which will see us identifying schools all over the country that can be developed into centres of excellence in leadership development for girls.
You will recall that we have also been concerned about the performance of our students in Mathematics and Physical Science. In 2001, we launched our Mathematics, Science and Technology strategy, with a substantial Government investment, together with other investment from the private sector as well as overseas development assistance. Central to this strategy was the selection of 102 dedicated maths and science schools across the country. I am proud to announce that these schools have recorded significant pass rates in both these subjects. We will set new targets for these schools, which will be announced early next year.
Such interventions have contributed to the significant improvements, which I have announced. There are, however, other factors, which have also played an important role in our achievements.
Firstly, the stability of the system as reflected by the higher rates of attendance by both teachers and students has meant that more time has been devoted to the teaching and learning process.
Secondly, our incentive schemes, which include the National Teaching Awards and the Most Improved School Awards, which have been adopted by the President and the Deputy President respectively, have served as a source of inspiration and encouragement to both schools and teachers.
Thirdly, our efforts to transform the quality of the learning through the provision of additional classrooms, adequate supply of textbooks and safe and secure learning environments, have all impacted positively on the nature of the education system.
Fourthly, our achievements would not have been realised without the commitment of the organised teaching profession. I would therefore like to thank the leadership of the teacher unions for their support. Next year, together let us ensure the implementation of Whole School Evaluation and Developmental Appraisal as well as the effective use of the incapacity code relating to teaching, which will enable us to build on the gains, which we have made in improving the quality of teaching. Our parents and the community are entitled to know what is happening in our schools.
Fifthly, the quality of school governance and leadership is improving year by year through training and capacity building programmes for principals. The involvement of school governing bodies has, in many instances, added value to the management and leadership in our schools.
Through these bodies parents and local communities are beginning to reclaim their schools as places of quality learning. However, given the significant power accorded to these bodies and the challenges confronting them with respect to ensuring that they fulfil their tasks within the spirit of the policies governing our education system, I will establish a Review Board in the coming year, to evaluate the extent to which they have met their responsibilities.
This is particularly important within the context of the fact that Governing Bodies set the fee structures for schools and I am increasingly becoming concerned about the extent to which students are being excluded on the basis of their parents inability to pay fees. Yet the law on this matter is clear. Parents who genuinely cannot afford to pay should be given the opportunity to apply for an exemption from fees, and yet many parents do not know this and their children continue to be excluded. Let me restate the Government's policy - no child can be robbed of their fundamental right to education. Neither can they be barred from extramural activities because their parents have not paid their fees.
It is such matters, which will form part of the terms of reference of the work of the Review Body. Members of the public will be invited to submit their concerns as to how the work of the school governing bodies can be improved.
Ladies and gentlemen, while today we celebrate the results of our children, we must also remember that thousands of adults have also achieved. Many have returned to the formal education system with an aim of translating our goal of lifelong learning, from the cradle to the grave, into a reality. I am therefore also pleased to report on, for the first time, the outcome of the national examinations for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), Level 4, which is equivalent to the General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) or Grade 9.
What is particularly significant about this year's ABET Level 4 results is that over 800 learners qualified for the General and Training Education Certificate, while over 20 000 candidates received credits towards a qualification in one or another learning area. I want to here refer more especially to the learning area called Mathematical Literacy, where 13 387 candidates wrote the final examinations and 8 861 (66.19%) passed. It is also pleasing to note that adults are taking subjects such as Technology, Entrepreneurship, Travel and Tourism and Applied Agriculture.
The ABET examinations, as with the Senior Certificate examinations, are conducted by the provincial education departments and are moderated by Umalusi. Umalusi has also certified the ABET results as fair and credible.
I would be remiss if I did not express a word of appreciation to my officials who have once more sacrificed their holidays and worked over Christmas to make it possible for the Ministry of Education to maintain the now established tradition of announcing the results in the same academic year in which the examinations were written. Their hard work is reflected in this remarkable consolidated report, providing the fullest details, in the space of four days. I am sure that you will agree that we are breeding a completely new type of public servant.
In addition, the South African Broadcasting Corporation must also be thanked for their coverage of the results. They continue to provide us with an opportunity to reach out to parents and students and their efforts in this regard are part of the best tradition in public broadcasting.
In conclusion, I wish to remind you of the statement on education, which President Mbeki made to Parliament in 1999, in his first State of the Nation address as President. The President enjoined us to '... ensure that education and training constitute the decisive drivers in our efforts to build a winning nation...Government will therefore intensify its focus on education so that we succeed in our efforts to produce an educated and appropriately skilled population'.
Today we can confidently state that we have placed education at the core of our efforts to reconstruct and rebuild our democratic society from the ashes of the old. The success of our transformation agenda in education is there for all to see. While much more remains to be done, so much has already been achieved in such a short space of time. And, together, we will continue to approach our programme to turn the entire education system around with the appropriate urgency and commitment, as our people deserve no less and our children deserve the best.
Thank you
Issued by Ministry of Education
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