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28 December 2006

We have come to the end of yet another year in the education calendar of our country and our province. The year 2006 has been characterised by stability in the education sector. There were no disruptions to teaching and learning, and hopefully this is a trend that we will continue to see in the long term. This is significant because it has allowed for an intensive interaction on the part of teachers and officials of the department in a meaningful way. To all our social partners, I want to say how grateful I am for your support and your commitment to the job at hand and for contributing to the stability we all experienced.

I also wish to commend the kind of commitment and dedication shown by many of our teachers. Without the commitment and diligence of our teachers and their focus on the task at hand, we are unlikely to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves as a province.

However, it pains me deeply that this year saw continuing acts of violence at some of our schools. This, of course, is not a phenomenon that is peculiar to our province, but one that seems to pervade our whole country. There is something wrong with our moral fibre when young minds can resort to violence of a most heinous nature, in some instances even killing, maiming and assaulting our learners and our teachers.

Together with my colleague, the MEC for Community Safety and Liaison, MEC Cele, we will leave no stone unturned to bring the full might of the law upon anyone who wantonly engages in acts of crime in our schools.

It now gives pleasure to briefly reflect on some of our Government’s achievements in education since we took office two and half years ago.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
One of the key areas we have targeted has been the empowerment of women. Over the 2005/2006 financial year, more than 400 women were involved in 42 co-operatives in our school nutrition programme. We have also affirmed women contractors in our infrastructure development programme.

A dedicated effort was made to improve girls’ access and success in gateway subjects, the success of which will become obvious when I reflect on this year’s Senior Certificate Examination results.

When I became MEC for Education in 2004, women made up only 17% of senior managers in the department. Just over a year later, women made up 33% of the senior management echelon of the department, which is almost double what we had inherited.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Up to 2004, only about 400 classrooms and about 700 toilets were built at schools annually. In the 2004/2005 financial year we provided 1200 classrooms and 1950 toilets. We exceeded the target in the 2005/6 financial year by building 1571 classrooms (target 1500); and 3001 toilets (target 2500).

TEACHER-PUPIL RATIO

I am mindful of the impact that large classes have on the teaching, learning and assessment processes. Before we assumed office in 2004, the teacher-pupil ratio was 1:34.96. In 2005, this reduced to 1:34.6 and in 2006 the ratio is one teacher for 32.35 learners. I aim to further reduce the ratio to 1:31.36 in 2007. Combined with our programme to reduce the 14 500 classroom backlog we inherited, our efforts in this regard will progressively realise reduced class sizes in real terms.

TEMPORARY TEACHERS

The issue of temporary teachers has been one of the most troubling concerns since my assumption of office. I think all of us will understand that it is difficult to get commitment and dedication from someone who has been employed on a temporary basis for a number of years.

In 2004, the number of temporary teachers stood at an alarming 16 938. Barely two years later, we managed to cut this figure down to only 3 000. In a new collective agreement with our teacher unions, we aim to employ a further 1 450 temporary teachers, who have been teaching for more than 12 months at their schools, in a permanent capacity in 2007.

COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS

Technology has advanced to such an extent that it is difficult to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place. It is worrying to find that there are still schools without computers. In 2004, 75% of our schools had no computers. In 2006, we ensured that well over 50% of our schools have at least one computer for administrative functions.

Through Ministerial awards, 394 computers and 60 printers to the value of over R4 million have been presented to schools that have performed well. We have provided a number of historically disadvantaged schools with computer laboratories to enhance teaching and learning in our schools. We intend intensifying this programme over the next two years.

DELIVERY OF LTSM

When I assumed office, I found a system of procuring and distributing textbooks and stationery that left much to be desired. We then took a decision to introduce a new system to improve this aspect of our work. Admittedly we have gone through teething problems, which, I must assure you, gave me many a sleepless night.

We have worked around the clock to address these initial problems. As a result, 2006 saw the delivery of the largest amount of books to schools since 1994. We will continue to significantly improve in this area in the coming year.

BURSARIES

In 2004 we took a decision to change the purpose and target of the Department’s bursary system to enable us to deal with the critical shortage of teachers in gateway subjects, such as Mathematics, Science and Technology. The new bursary system also addresses the number of applications for financial assistance from learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, who passed their matric examinations and want to study at, or, are already at tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal.

Instead of giving our limited funds to students to study in fields not related to education the Department now enters into agreements with students to study towards a teaching qualification in scarce and critical fields. In 2005 we awarded bursaries to 55 students to study towards a B.Ed degree. After completion of their studies they will be employed by the department for at least an equal number of their study years.

For 2007 the Department will be funding 60 students, who will be studying towards a B.Ed degree, specialising in Mathematics, Science, Technology and Accounting. The students will receive R35000 per year to complete their studies. A pamphlet with the names of the students who will be offered the bursary will be distributed at this function. Congratulations to all of you. We wish you well in your studies and look forward to welcoming you into the department as teachers.

I would also like to use the opportunity to thank our partners in education for their sponsorships: Thuthuka (South African Institute for Chartered Accountants) for awarding bursaries to 37 students to study towards Bachelor of Commerce Accounting degrees; SITA for funding 10 students to study in the IT field. Telkom for funding 10 students to study towards a qualification in the electronics field; Mr Pandor from Gem School Wear for sponsoring two students; African Americans Connecting Together (ACT), a Durban-based NGO for sponsoring four women to study Mathematics and Science at a KZN tertiary institution, and, Actuaries on the Move, who will be funding 52 students to study Actuarial Science, as well as subjects, such as Accounting. Famous radio personality Linda Sibiya will also give financial assistance to 14 students in 2007 through the Linda Sibiya Bursary Fund.

What we have been doing in the areas I have reflected on is part of a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our schools. It is only through significantly improved quality in teaching and learning that we can see improved performance in assessments such as the Senior Certificate Examination.

THE 2006 SENIOR CERTIFICATE RESULTS

Ladies and gentlemen, I now wish to turn my attention to the matric class of 2006. In order for us to place this year’s results in a proper context, I wish to provide you with some useful statistics.

Table 1: Candidates Writing the SCE

Full-time candidates writing
2003: 97 363 (72.8%)
2004: 110 631 (74.3%)
2005: 120 397 (79.3%)
2006: 125 777 (80.9%)

Part-time candidates writing
2003: 36 403 (27.2%)
2004: 38 310 (25.7%)
2005: 31 430(20.7%)
2006: 29 738 (19.1%)

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is not only the largest Department of Education in our country, but also accounts for almost a quarter of the Senior Certificate candidates in South Africa.

The Department has consistently been improving access to public education, including access to write the Senior Certificate Examination. Many of you might recall the public discussion the country had in 2002 about the supposed “culling” of learners perceived to be potential low performers in the Senior Certificate Examination. When we assumed office we took a conscious decision to eliminate all forms of gate-keeping and to allow all learners who pass Grade 11 to enrol for Grade 12 and to actually sit for the examination. This has resulted in the phenomenal growth of candidates sitting for the Senior Certificate Examination in KwaZulu-Natal from 97 363 in 2003, through 110 631 and 120 397 in 2004 and 2005, respectively, to 125 777 candidates in 2006.

As part of our drive to further open access to our schools, we have consistently been reducing the number of part-time candidates, channelling them to schools in order to improve their chances of success. In this regard, only 19.1% of the total number of candidates who wrote the Senior Certificate Examination in 2006 were part-time candidates. This figure has dropped from 27.2% in 2003, 25.7% in 2004 and 20.7% in 2005.

Understandably, the opening access in the exponential manner in which we have been doing does put pressure on the limited resources we have at our disposal.

It is also worth noting that as we significantly increase access to the Senior Certificate, we have concomitantly been improving the quality and standard of our question papers. Our examiners have been increasing the cognitive demand in the exam papers. In lay people’s terms, we have been making the exams more difficult than they had been in the past. This has been attested to by Umalusi, Council for Quality Assurance, and the Higher Education sector.

A combination of opening access to large numbers of learners who ordinarily in the past would have been denied access on suspicion that they might bring the pass rate down, and the simultaneous increase in the cognitive demand of the question papers, is bound to yield short-term results that might not please most of us.

But I am not someone who limits what she sees to the short-term. I believe in casting my eyes well into the future and to lay a solid foundation for sustainable improvement in the performance levels of our learners. We cannot change the mirror because we do not like what we see. What we need is changing ourselves in a manner that would give the desired image when we look in the mirror.

Given that context, I now wish to officially announce the results of the 2006 Senior Certificate Examinations for KwaZulu-Natal:

Table 2: 2006 SCE Results for KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government

NO. OF CANDIDATES WHO WROTE
2003: 97 367
2004: 110 631
2005: 120 397
2006: 125 777

NO. OF CANDIDATES WHO PASSED
2003: 75 077
2004: 81 827
2005: 84 842
2006: 82 442

NO. OF CANDIDATES WITH SENIOR CERTIFICATE
2003: 55 190
2004: 60 877
2005: 63 837
2006: 63 341

NO. OF CANDIDATES WITH ENDORSEMENT
2003: 19 887
2004: 20 950
2005: 21 005
2006: 19 101

PERCENTAGE PASS
2003: 77.2
2004: 73.9
2005: 70.4
2006: 65.6

PERCENTAGE OBTAINED SENIOR CERTIFICATE
2003: 56.8
2004: 55.0
2005: 53.0
2006: 50.4

PERCENTAGE OBTAINED ENDORSEMENT
2003: 20.5
2004: 18.9
2005: 17.4
2006: 15.2

Of the 125 777 candidates who sat for the Senior Certificate Examination, 82 442 passed, representing 65.6% of those who wrote. Although this is an unwelcome decline when compared to the 70.4% pass rate of 2005, the province still has the largest number of candidates who pass the Senior Certificate in the whole country.

The figures also show that 21 005 candidates who sat for the examination obtained passes with university endorsements, representing 15.2% of the total number who sat for the examination.

The performance figures for the twelve districts stand as follows:

Table 3: SCE results by District

NORTHERN CLUSTER

District: OBONJENI
No. wrote: 10 600
No. passed: 5 225
No. % passed: 49.29

District: AMAJUBA
No. wrote: 6 524
No. passed: 4 634
No. % passed: 71.03

District: VRYHEID
No. wrote: 13 240
No. passed: 8 051
No. % passed: 60.81

District: EMPANGENI
No. wrote: 12 901
No. passed: 7 765
No. % passed: 60.19

MIDLANDS CLUSTER

District: OTHUKELA
No. wrote: 8 348
No. passed: 5 162
No. % passed: 61.84

District: UMGUNGUNDLOVU
No. wrote: 11 519
No. passed: 8 068
No. % passed: 70.04

District: UMZINYATHI
No. wrote: 6 333
No. passed: 3 552
No. % passed: 56.09

District: SISONKE
No. wrote: 5 735
No. passed: 3 660
No. % passed: 63.82

COASTAL CLUSTER

District: UMLAZI
No. wrote: 19 015
No. passed: 14 623
No. % passed: 76.90

District: PORT SHEPSTONE
No. wrote: 9 639
No. passed: 6 512
No. % passed: 67.56

District: PINETOWN
No. wrote: 14 371
No. passed: 10 731
No. % passed: 74.67

District: ILEMBE
No. wrote: 7 387
No. passed: 4 630
No. % passed: 62.68

As was the case last year, the figures show a great correlation between rurality and low performance, and between the city and higher performance. However, let us be clear that while such correlations exist in general, we should never be mistaken to believe that rurality necessarily leads to low performance. Some of our best performing schools are located in the most rural conditions.

When all is said and done, what finally counts is how the school is managed and the quality of interactions between the teacher and his or her learners. We should be concentrating our efforts on the human factor. No measure of support will count if such support falls onto a dysfunctional institution where there is high absenteeism amongst teachers coupled with low commitment to the noble task of teaching.

It is in this regard then that we are considering special and drastic measures to deal with schools that show consistent dysfunction and under-achievement. We shall make announcements in that regard in the new year.

However what the aggregated results do not show, are a number of good stories that should be told. I shall refer to just one of these, and that is the strides we have made in regard to the performance of girls.

The statistics show a continuing trend of improved participation and performance by girls in key subjects. This year, about 7 000 more girls than boys wrote the Senior Certificate in KwaZulu-Natal.

The statistics also show a significantly better performance by girls than boys is many of the key subjects. Even in Mathematics and Physical Science, where the boys still dominate, the figures indicate that that the historical performance gap between boys and girls in these two subjects will soon be a thing of the past. For the first time, girls are now out-performing boys in Biology Higher Grade. A general analysis also indicates that the performance of girls is about 6% above that of their male counterparts. Of significance is the fact that almost 4 000 more girls than boys achieved university endorsement in this year’s examination.

Honourable Premier, I have already indicated that we intend taking bold steps to deal with underperforming schools in the new year. In addition, the Superintendent-General will be convening a special summit of officials at all levels of the system, from ward up to Head Office, on 25th January to develop and adopt a comprehensive and clear plan to address the system weaknesses that were exposed by results of the 2006 Senior Certificate Examination.

I wish to express my congratulations to all who contributed to the success of the 82 442 Senior Certificate learners who passed. I also wish to congratulate the adult learners who achieved success in their ABET Certificate programmes this year. I thank the learners for their effort and hard work, the teachers for their stewardship, and the parents for their constant support.

I also wish to take this opportunity to make special mention of the FET college lecturers who have attained an international certificate in Tool Making from Belgium. They will play a key role in our recently established Tool Making Centre of Excellence. I also thank the Belgian Government and the sister institutions in Belgium who are working with us on this important project.

To those learners who did not make it this year, do not despair. There are various other opportunities open to you, including FET colleges and of course making a second attempt at the Senior Certificate in 2007. It is certainly not the end of the world for you. I am certain that with the support of your parents, guardians and relatives, you will be able to pull through and live to fight another battle. And, most importantly, to obtain a matric certificate. Remember, only hard work, commitment and dedication will get you there.

Finally, I wish to thank the Premier most sincerely for, as always, gracing this occasion and the keen interest he has in education. This can only strengthen us as a sector and keep us focused on what matters most in education: our children, the youth and adult learners. Our motto remains: Getting KwaZulu-Natal learning! And we have succeeded in doing just that.

I wish all of you a prosperous and peaceful 2007.

Ngiyabonga
Baie dankie
Enkosi
I thank you

Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
28 December 2006