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Nearly half of 2007 Grade 1 class did not write matric in 2018 - DA

Half of the 2007 grade 1 class did not make it to make to matric.
Half of the 2007 grade 1 class did not make it to make to matric.
Image: 123RF/ kchung

Nearly half the learners who enrolled in Grade 1 in 2007 didn’t write the full-time matric exams in 2018 as they were expected to‚ the DA said in reaction to the release of the matric results on Thursday.

“While the department of basic education (DBE) celebrates this year’s 78.2% matric pass rate‚ minister Angie Motshekga has again failed dismally to address the large number of learners who don’t write matric in the first place‚” said a statement by DA MP Nomsa Marchesi.

“The minister admits that retention should be part of the measure for matric‚ but conveniently forgets this each January when it’s time to release matric results. The role of the new Multiple Exam Opportunity (MEO) on this year’s marks is also striking. The Eastern Cape‚ Limpopo‚ Mpumalanga and Northern Cape all had over 15% of their candidates writing only some of their exams in November 2018‚ with the rest in May/June [2019]."

Marchesi raised concerns that these learners may not go on to complete their remaining exams.

“When we asked the Basic Education Director-General earlier this year how many of these learners actually finished their second batch of exams – he couldn’t tell us.

“If these learners aren’t finishing their exams‚ they are just being dropped from the system to inflate provincial pass rates. So‚ not only are learners dropping out or getting stuck before matric‚ we now have the potential to lose thousands of learners who don’t complete the MEO‚” said Marchesi.

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