With less than 50 days to go before thousands of matric pupils tackle the finals of the National Senior Certificate, education MEC Senzo Mchunu yesterday, pleaded with parents to free matric pupils from domestic chores until they are done with their final year exams.

"It won't be a big deal for parents to lose their children during this critical year-end exams. If our children could start now to smell, think, eat and dream about their books, we could achieve a high pass rate in the province," Mchunu said.

He said it was not only about increasing the number of matriculants, but to make sure that they produce results that meet the criteria for study towards bachelor degrees at universities.

"There is no other miracle for pupils," he said. "Even a smart child gets distinctions in exams because they study. And (the) slowest child can get distinctions if they study more. Pupils need a lot of support from parents at this time."

About 500 under-performing schools scored below 60 percent in last year's exams in the province.

Education is one of the country's priorities, Mchunu said, adding that the province was given a certain target to achieve, including producing high numbers of pupils who pass maths and physics.

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Wed Jun 19 16:26:30 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 10, 2012

eisleben

What? It is during this final year of their school years that the kids must learn to balance home chores with their studies. Saying they must excused from their domestic chores sounds like inciting violence. The kids are at the stage where they lie through their teeth to their grandmothers claiming that they need to buy a book called Brobdingagian for Grade 12 - The History of the Cinnamon Excavator. They must do their chores until they leave the house and find their own place. The MEC in question must be arrested for treason.
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Sep 10, 2012

Papage

I am worried about the level of education we are giving to our kids, moreso in the Townships, our boys and girls in the Townships dont make it in the Universities/work places with the type of knowledge received at their schools. Why do we have so many differences, we need a better and same type of education, All our children must be taught one education and our teachers must be up to scratch, it is so sad to see teachers on TVNews, who can't even express themselves in the very English they are suppose to teach our children, how will they teach then, it is sad, have you seen that Teacher from KZN trying to contract an English sentence? It is bad.
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Sep 10, 2012

Mrazane

Agree with Papage, it is really sad to see the low level of literacy amongst teachers themselves. If you walk into a teacher's home in the township there are no bookshelves with books, just Daily Sun in the loo. 80% of township teachers are fraudsters because they draw a salary for doing nothing. The challenge I throw to any township teacher is this - where does your child go to school? If you and your colleagues do your work as you claim during your strike actions, then your child will be at the school that you teach at. I bet you the answer to my question is that their children go to school in the suburbs, and they are the first ones to give those suburban teachers hell when their spoilt brats are disruptive.

Mr MEC I think its a bit late to prepare for exams now, you prepare for matric from the start of Grade 10 get them into an intense study routine, and push the syllabus to a point where when kids get into matric it is like revision - doing away with washing the dishes for 15 minutes after dinner will not get you an increased pass rate.
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Sep 10, 2012

babathane

The disturding thing with aboMinister is that they get to be so vocal about matric results only around this time. Real Teacher Development is needed, not these many workshop teachers always attend. They are not working! Daily Sun is the daily read of most teachers. Our education is like a time bomb. I hope it does not explode before we find the remedy!
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Sep 11, 2012

Danger1985

Mond boggling how some people get their jobs...the MEC needs to know that its nit just about studying.We need to look into the environment that the children learn in. Are there proper facilites and are the teachers well equipped to take on their duties.MEC is beggin with parents when has he begged the ANC NEC to build proper schools and facilities.If education was a priority then we wouldnt be having this conversation.These ministers are much more worrid about compensating their positions and miliking the taxpayers money which should be used for empering future leaders of SA
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