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The Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade (IFPYB) has congratulated all
students who passed their 2009 Senior Certificate examinations and has
called on the 39.3% of matriculants who failed to make the grade, not
to throw in the towel, but to try again.

"We would like to congratulate those who have achieved good results;
they have made us all very proud! But we also plead with those
matriculants who did not pass, not to abandon matric, but to resume
their studies with vigour, dedication and with the knowledge that
education is a tool for creating a better future for themselves and
for generations to come. So don't give up! Try, try and try again,"
said Pat Lebenya-Ntanzi, the IFPYB chairperson.

The IFPYB said that government has a lot to answer for, following yet
another decline in the overall matric pass rate.

"Under the present system the management of the whole education system
is structurally dysfunctional, while the lack of basic resources,
especially at township and rural level, remain critical. Some
educational institutions have become havens of ill-discipline and
immoral behaviour, while many teachers lack basic training, motivation
and commitment. This is why the IFP and the IFPYB is again calling on
government to re-open teacher training colleges, so that we can ensure
that teachers are properly equipped with the necessary skills needed
to improve the quality of education in South Africa," said
Lebenya-Ntanzi

Lebenya-Ntanzi said it is time for government to own up to OBE's failures.

"The time has come for government to admit that they have failed the
youth by turning an entire generation of children into OBE guinea
pigs. Not only has it led to a serious decline in basic literacy,
numeracy and writing competencies, but it has failed miserably in
providing an education that prepares our students for the job market.
The OBE system has created a substantial gap between the education and
training given to students and the needs of the labour market," said
Lebenya-Ntanzi.

The IFPYB believes that government now needs to urgently put in place
not only a turn-around strategy for our ailing education system, but
must announce its plans to create job opportunities for the thousands
of school-leavers who will now be hoping to enter the job market.

"At the beginning of last year, the ruling party promised to create
500 000 new job opportunities by the end of December 2009, but by
year-to-end-September 2009 almost a million workers lost their jobs.
With unemployment already hovering at 24% we need to know from
government what plans they have in place to ensure that the class of
2009, which already starts with a disadvantage having graduated from
the OBE system, doesn't join the unemployment line too," said
Lebenya-Ntanzi.

Lebenya-Ntanzi said one solution would be for the National Youth
Development Agency (NYDA) to provide assistance to 2009's
school-leavers.

"We need capacity to train young people and the IFPYB believes that
the NYDA must be tasked with this important job. Instead of wasting
the millions they receive from government on developing and promoting
the interests of ANC cadres, they can assist newly-graduated
matriculants looking for employment by providing computer literacy,
entrepreneurship, communication and general admin training. The OBE
system is sending matriculants into the job market unprepared and if
government does not address this issue through basic skills training,
job prospects for the 2009 matriculants will remain bleak," said
Lebenya-Ntanzi.