Statement by Cameron Dugmore, MEC for Education in the Western Cape

Although we are proud of the overall results of Western Cape schools, it remains clear that we can and must do better. Of the 39 832 learners who correctly wrote the full examination in 2006, 33 316 learners passed. This represents an overall percentage pass of 83,7%.

Although this is slightly down from the figure of 84,4% last year, I am pleased to note that, in real terms, 1 238 extra candidates sat the full exam and 743 more learners passed. This increase in numbers, plus generally consistent performance overall, bodes well for the future.

I have repeatedly stressed that we should also focus on the quality of the passes achieved by our matrics. This year, 10 589 learners passed the Senior Certificate with endorsement, which is 195 more learners than last year.

The number of candidates who passed with distinction, is also up. This bumper total of 2 280, or 5.73% of all candidates, who pass with distinction is our best achievement in the period 2002 – 2006. We have seen a slight but steady increase in this category in each of those years, so well done to the class of 2006 for keeping up the pressure!

I note other slight increases: 79 more learners sat Maths Higher Grade this year; of the 4,741 candidates who wrote Science on the Higher Grade, 4 053 passed: this is 688 more learners than in 2005.

I’d like to applaud the fact that the pass rate in ex-DET schools has increased by a pleasing 3.68% this year and that, in fact, ex-DET schools have reached their highest endorsement rate yet over the 2002 – 2006 period, with an increase of 0.47% over last year and a slight 0.05% increase in the number of passes with merit.

It is a matter of record that these schools have had the biggest resourcing backlogs to make up so I am most encouraged by this evidence of diligence and sound progress.

I must also be forthright about the challenges. I must state boldly that we can never be happy with a situation where the public ordinary schools which serve the 17 554 ex-HOR and ex-DET learners only have an endorsement rate of just above 13.53% while in ex-CED schools the endorsement figure, for the 6 501 learners of 2006, is 52.13%.

So, whilst we are really proud of our achievers, we are not satisfied. As the Western Cape we can and we must do better. In this regard, there are six clear interventions that we will be making:

1. Embark on the quality improvement, development, support and upliftment programme (Quids-Up) programme

   This initiative, led by Minister Pandor, aims to allocate new learning resources to schools, especially in poor and disadvantaged communities.

2. Set Targets

   By the end of February 2007 each high school in the province is to set an overall pass target, a Matric Endorsement target and Maths/Science targets for 2007. These targets must be formally signed off by the School Governing Body, including the RCL representatives.

3. Broaden our base: work on literacy and numeracy across the board

   What is also very clear to me is that we cannot just look for weaknesses in our high schools. We need to work in our primary schools as well.

4. Make our schools a safe learning home for all

   One of the issues that has impacted severely on our schools this year and previous years, is the levels of violence in and around our schools, and the aggressive behaviour of learners. We have planned and will implement an unprecedented inter-sectoral campaign, to build a safe learning home, for 2007 and beyond.

5. Monitor and evaluate

   I believe the redesign process of the department must lead to greater research capacity, monitoring, evaluation and accountability. As a learning organisation one of our key challenges is to understand our context, challenges and possibilities and respond to them.

6. Tackle the situation in the 34 schools still performing below 60%

   On the 2006 results 8% of our high schools lie below the mark of 60% but there are many more that are under-performing and not securing endorsements. The time has come to say that continued under-performance will simply not be tolerated. We will conduct a full contextual analysis of each under-performing school by the end of January 2007.

My message to all those that have passed is, simply, congratulations! To the learners honoured today, for achievements in Maths, Sciences and Languages, and those learners who have excelled despite a significant barrier to learning, well done – you are role models of a special kind. To the top 20 whom we honour today – enjoy your success! You have surely worked for it!

For those that did not make it, you do have various options available. You can apply for a remark for some or all of your scripts; you can enter for the supplementary exams for next year. But, you can also apply to be admitted to an FET college for vocational courses.

To the proud parents – well done too! I know you have put in so much. To the troubled parents of the disappointed please call our helplines for support and advice.

Hope needs to be nurtured and cultivated. How can we all get stuck in and make a difference? For far too many of our learners just "getting a matric" is the biggest target they can see.

And for far too many of them there are not real plans to take them on beyond today. They might get the bit of paper today but tomorrow there is no job and the next day or the day after there might be no more hope.

I appeal to our partners, to business, to NGOs, to the tertiary institutions, to the media, to help our children to find the doorways to jobs, to learnerships, to volunteerism, to internships, to further study, so that they can live the dreams that they have for themselves and that their parents have made sacrifices for.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to conclude by thanking all our officials – the examiners, markers, invigilators, teachers, principals and administrative personnel – for helping to process over 1 million scripts.

It really is a huge operation, so thank you to the Curriculum and Exams Teams, under the capable leadership of Brian Schreuder and Sigamoney Naicker. I must thank in particular, Andre Clausen and Jenny Rault-Smith who - together with hundreds of personnel - worked long hours to deliver another examination of integrity and professionalism.

For the full text of the MEC’s speech, click here.

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi  082 550 3938.

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The Western Cape - A Home for All
INtshona Koloni - iKhaya loMntu wonke
Die Wes-Kaap - 'n Tuiste vir Almal