DA calls for schools’ support to improve results

SEKHUKHUNE – The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo has called on support for Sekhukhune East and South districts that achieved matric pass rates below 60 percent to improve their outcomes in the National Senior Certificate (NSC).

The DA added that the performance of districts like Waterberg 2, Vhembe East, Vhembe West, Capricorn South that achieved pass rates over 70 percent needed to be supported to continue improving.

Jacques Smalle, DA Limpopo Spokesperson on Education, said the party urged Education MEC, Polly Boshielo, to learn from the harsh lessons in the 2020 academic year and provide leadership and innovative solutions in the 2021 academic year to bring an end to the continued downward trajectory of education system in the province.

Smalle said it was encouraging that 49 schools in the province managed a 100 percent pass rate and that there was also an increase in the number of learners that achieved bachelor passes. He said there were 16 bachelor passes, nine diploma passes and 2 higher certificate passes out of 27 special need learners.

“It is clear that there needs to be a focus on offering greater support to our learners, especially in gateway subjects to improve performance. There needs to be a focus especially on the no free paying schools to ensure they are not victims of inequality and that they are not disadvantaged in their preparation for the NSC,” said Smalle.

Smalle said that it was also concerning that 134 schools out of 1370 in the province failed to reach a 40 percent rate, 31 of those failed to reach even 20 percent pass rate, nine schools with zero percent pass rate.

“The 2020 academic year was riddled with many challenges that contributed to the reduction in the province’s pass rate. COVID-19 contributed to school closures, learner and teacher absenteeism and lack of support for learners that needed it, due to reduced contact time with learners,” said Smalle.

Smalle said special congratulations ought to go to the 22 907 students who achieved bachelor passes. He said that was an increase on the previous year but was below the national performance rate of 36.4 percent. 12 134 learners achieved a higher certificate pass and five achieved a NSC pass.