A multifaceted approach is required

The Fifa Soccer World Cup and the teachers’ strike galvanised the Department of Basic Education, teachers, pupils and parents into providing extra tuition and other support mechanisms for pupils; while the renewed focus of the department on the schooling sector was another factor that contributed to the increase in the matriculation pass rate in South Africa.

This is the view of Michael Cosser, chief research specialist of the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa, on why the Matric pass rate improved from 60.7% in 2009 to 67.8% in 2010.

“We still have a long way to go, as evidenced by your performances in the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies),” he said

“Addressing this is no easy task. The approach needs to be multifaceted. In the short term, extra lessons need to be laid on for learners at every level of secondary as well as late primary schooling.

“In the medium term, mathematics and science teacher upgrading needs to be a priority of government, but in the long term, success will depend on improving early childhood development to ensure that learners have the building blocks for all future development,” Cosser added.

Several education experts have endorsed the importance of a holistic approach to increase the Matric pass rate, while applauding the sterling work done to improve the current rate.

Professor Theuns Eloff, vice chancellor and rector of the North-West University (NWU), said the 2010 results were generally contested
by commentators.

Furthermore, there is a general perception that a substantial number of school days were lost in 2010 because of the prolonged winter holidays for the World Cup event, and because of the teachers’ strike in September.

Questions were not only asked about the unrealistically high increase from 2009 to 2010, but whether this increase could be correlated with improved quality of teaching.

Recently, in February this year, the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU) – or South African Teachers’ Union – released a report in which it ascribed the improvement to less demanding question papers and memoranda, extensive programmes to assist pupils in their preparation for the examinations, and more pupils offering mathematical literacy as an National Senior Certificate (NSC) subject than those who offer mathematics.

One should take notice of various other points of criticism against the past matriculation examination, said Prof. Eloff.

The perception exists that because of the fact the NSC results only reflect the performance of full-time candidates, the steep increase in part-time candidates as opposed to the decline in full-time candidates led to the speculation that some schools put their weaker candidates on the part-time programme to ensure a good pass rate.

Low pass barriers is another contentious matter, as these low promotion criteria lead to an NSC of little value in terms of post-schooling training and employment opportunities.

It is not precisely clear how Umalusi, the national education quality assurance body, standardises the matriculation results, said Prof. Eloff.

One has to acknowledge the view of Umalusi chairperson Sizwe Mabizela, that the improved performance could be attributed to a maturing examination system in which processes and procedures have been established, in which a trace of previous examination papers is available, and in which teachers are more familiar with the examination standards, said Prof. Eloff.

A positive spin on the ball

Prof. Eloff said one must acknowledge the sterling efforts of dedicated headmasters, teachers and other role-players in increasing the Matric pass rate.

The NWU is closely involved in a large-scale in-service training of South African teachers by means of which their qualifications are improved. Its flagship programme, the Sediba Project, started in 1996 as an effort to build capacity in science and maths teaching.

In collaboration with industry partners such as BHP Billiton, Absa, Old Mutual and others, the quality of science and mathematics teachers is improved by the offering of an Advanced Certificate in Education to teachers who have at least a three-year teachers’ diploma.

In addition, over the last 19 years, the NWU has been involved in the Sediba Project where teaching and learning support is provided to learners from so-called disadvantaged backgrounds in the entire North West and some parts of Gauteng on Saturdays.

“We have learnt over the years that the pass rates of these learners have been higher than the respective provincial and national rates.

“We have reason to believe that these kinds of investment in education are paying off and continue to play a vital role in the general improvement of the South African education system,” said Prof. Eloff.

It should be noted that the North West province’s NSC results improved from being the seventh worst in the country in 2009 to the third best in 2011.

Officials in the North West Education Department attribute this at least partially to the further teacher training done by the North-West University.

A whole-school development approach in Itumeleng

Prof. Eloff said he proposes an educational system in South Africa where the Department of Basic Education, the universities, the provincial departments and industry embark on a whole-school development venture.

An example of the success of such a venture occurred at Itumeleng Secondary School. It is situated in Ledig, close to Sun City. The matriculation pass rate there improved from 43% in 2009 to 66% in 2010.

Elaborating on the whole-school development approach, Prof. Eloff explained that the idea is for the partners in the venture to develop various strategies to improve teaching-learning, that they engage in teacher as well as pupil development, that leadership capacities are improved, and that schools are assisted in their strategic planning.

In short, it is important that a holistic approach be followed, in particular in addressing the pass rates in important subjects such as mathematics and physical science.

A brief look at the advances in 2010

In 2010, 126 371 matriculants qualified for entry into a bachelor’s degree, up 15.2% from the 2009 figure.

The proportion of matriculants who achieved an exemption improved by 3.6 percentage points to 23.5%, according to the Cape Argus (6 January 2011).

Chris Klopper, the chief executive officer of the SAOU, said not all matriculants with exemptions would be accepted for tertiary study, as universities would continue to conduct admission tests.

Many matriculants intend to study further, but too few are writing the subjects required to qualify.

In 2010, the pass rate in mathematics and physical science increased to 47.4% and 47.8%, respectively.

According to the report on the NSC examinations, the maths pass rate was up by 1.4 percentage points and the science pass rate by 11 percentage points, although the number of candidates who wrote these subjects declined dramatically.

Those who achieved a pass rate of 40% or more in maths – the pass rate required to be considered for university entrance – dropped from 85 356 candidates in 2009 to 81 374 candidates in 2010. (Source: Cape Argus, 6 January 2011)

Angie Motshekga, the minister of Basic Education, said: “We are certainly not happy with the current number of passes in mathematics.”

The department would continue investing effort and resources to ensure the pass rate, as well as the quality of mathematics, was significantly improved this year, she added.

More concerns about mathematics and science

Prof. Nan Yeld, dean of the Centre for Higher Education Development at the University of Cape Town, said fewer students obtained over 40% in mathematics in 2010, compared to 2009.

There were 81 374 who obtained 40% or more in 2010, compared to 90 699 in 2009 and 91 796 in 2008.

In science – while the figures are better compared to 2009 when the paper was publicly declared to be too difficult – when you look at 2008, it is not good.

In 2010, 60 917 acquired more than 40%, while a total of 64 538 achieved more than 40% in 2008.

Mathematics and science are among the few subjects that are prerequisites for university.

“You can study history at university without having done history and accounting without having to study accounting at school. That is not the case with engineering or science,” said Prof. Yeld.

“So it is a definite limiting factor. It is not that universities are being difficult about this. It’s in the building block and sequential nature of much of the knowledge in both subjects.”

The SAOU said in a report that 37 373 fewer learners wrote mathematics in 2010 compared to 2009.

With 30.9% of the mathematics candidates achieving more than 40%, and 64.7% of the mathematics literacy candidates achieving more than 40%, it can be assumed that the increase of the latter group could have contributed toward the highest overall Grade 12 pass rate in 2010.

There are many very simple ways to further improve the pass rate. Coach for the examination, have predictable examination papers, and use old papers extensively in preparation, said Prof. Yeld.

“The ‘real’ ways to improve pass rates are slow and expensive: better trained teachers, longer school years, good textbooks, and rigorous standards in assessment,” she added.

Differentiated education

Dr Gustav Niebuhr, the head of curriculum services at the SAOU, said there is not sufficient provision for differentiated education in grades 10 to 12, with the result that pupils regard university studies as the only way forward.

Universities are struggling to accommodate the increased number of applicants. The increased use of their national benchmark tests can lead to the universities de-linking them from school education, and this would impact very negatively on the quality of the latter.

Asked what can be done to improve the Matric pass rate further, Dr Niebuhr said provision must be made for more differentiation in grades 10 to 12.

Pupils should be able and be encouraged to do what they are good at. The curriculum for grades eight and nine should prepare them better for the selection of subject packages for grades 10 to 12. Policy should enable focus schools to grow and attract more learners, for example agriculture schools and technical schools.

The further education and training (FET) colleges should be empowered to offer more skills-based courses, linked to the needs of South African industry.

Technical schools (and ordinary schools to a lesser degree) should be enabled to prepare pupils for a direct entry into the world of employment and artisan training, instead of pushing everyone into university. Again, the introduction of engineering-oriented maths and physical science would be part of the answer.

“We have to caution against chasing high pass rates if the curriculum is not right. It will result in standards dropping even further,” said Dr Niebuhr.

“A higher pass rate should be the result of a radical change to the curriculum, making provision for more differentiated education.”

Nzimande on 2011

Dr Blade Nzimande, minister of Higher Education and Training, said in January that 56% more places were available at tertiary institutions this year.

A total of 288 487 spaces would be available to the 2010 matriculants – an increase of 103 940.

Of these, approximately 165 000 were places for first-year students, an increase of 15 000 over the previous year.

On the funding injection, Nzimande said R150 million had been set aside to finance students studying courses in which there were deemed to be scarce skills.

Higher Education and Training deputy director-general Firoz Patel said it was expected that 87 000 of the first-year positions would be filled by the 2010 matriculants.

The class of 2010 saw an increase to 126 371 in the number of matriculants who met the minimum requirements for admission to bachelor degree studies.

In 2009, there were 109 697 who met the minimum requirements.

The number of spaces at FET colleges had been increased by 60 000, with the Department of Higher Education and Training announcing there would be 139 587 places for students wishing to enrol.

FET colleges and resources

In January this year, educationist Sidney Mkhize warned on the Sowetan Online website (www.sowetanlive.co.za) that FET colleges were a poor alternative at tertiary level because they lacked the resources to produce good students.

“Universities are ivory towers, but there are no alternative forms of education,” he explained.

“We should channel students into other areas, but FET colleges are not run properly and the quality of education is not great. They are just glorified high schools.”

Mkhize said the country was at a crossroads and had to make decisions on how to take higher education forward.

“The department has to invest capital and resources into FET colleges before we scream that people must enrol in them. If we encourage people to go to FET colleges, they will just come out unemployable. There are still credibility issues involved, and FET colleges are stigmatised.

“The students are in a catch-22 situation: They cannot go into universities because there is not enough space – and they cannot go into FET colleges because they are not properly resourced,” the educationist told Sowetan Online (12 January 2011).

Fanie Heyns

• |2011-11-29 01:35:52 gd
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