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28 December 2007

It feels like it was only yesterday, when exactly a year ago on 28 December 2006, we stood on this platform to announce last year's senior certificate examination results. We have once again gathered here to reflect on the senior certificate examination results of yet another cohort of learners, the class of 2007.

While in my speech last year, I expressed my pleasure at the fact that 2006 was a year of stability in the education sector; the same cannot be said about 2007. It was without doubt one of the most difficult years not only in the education sector, but in the public service in general. It is now history that schooling was severely disrupted in our province and in other parts of the country due to the public service strikes in June 2007 which lasted for a full month. Many articles have been written on the strike, and therefore it is not my intention to regurgitate what has been said about it.

It is also common cause that after the public service strike, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education reached an agreement with the majority of teachers' unions to encourage teachers to participate in a recovery plan in an attempt to make up the time lost during the industrial action. I wish to salute all our teachers who participated in the recovery plan during the winter and spring vacations and during some Saturdays of the third term. I also thank those teachers, albeit in the minority, who preserved during the industrial action and did their best in trying to keep their schools open in those trying times.

The year 2007 saw a massive increase in the number of learners writing the Senior Certificate Examination (SCE). While last year we had 125 777 learners writing the SCE, this year saw an amazing 148 093 learners sitting for the examination. This is in line with our consistently applied policy of improving access to grade 12 for our learners. It is this point which we wish to focus our attention on this year. Instead of a pre-occupation with percentages, we want to talk about the actual number of learners who pass the Senior Certificate Examination. I shall return to this point later.

It is worth noting that the Class of 2007 was the last cohort of learners to study and to write the Senior Certificate Examination under the auspices of the Interim Core Syllabus, known as Nated Report 550, in October and November. This ceremony, therefore, provides us an opportunity to bid farewell to the old curriculum. This marks the historic end to an era.

From 2008 onwards, all learners in our schools, from grade R to grade 12, will be learning under the outcomes-based National Curriculum Statement. As a result, the Class of 2008 will be the first cohort to be awarded the new National Senior Certificate (NSC), a qualification that significantly raises the bar in terms of its cognitive demand. The NSC Examinations will be written during the usual time of November every year.

Although this ceremony is for celebrating those who have achieved excellent results, it is worth mentioning what will happen to those learners who have failed this year's examination in grade 12. Like in any transition between an old and a new qualification, there will be those learners who have to be given a special dispensation in order to help them complete the old qualification. In this regard, learners who did not succeed in this years' Senior Certificate Examination will be given an opportunity to complete the certificate up to 2011. Examinations set under the phased-out Interim Core Syllabus (Report 550) will be written in May and June of every year from May 2008 to May 2011. Further, learners will only be expected to re-write those subjects which they have failed. In other words, old subjects already passed are in the bag, and need not be repeated.

However, it should be noted that due to serious space limitations in our schools, learners who did not succeed in this year's SCE will be provided with support in key subjects outside normal school hours between February and May 2008. The department is organising Saturday classes in selected centres throughout the province. These will be published in newspapers early in the first week of January 2008 and will also be announced over the electronic media. The registration date for the May examination will be on 15 January 2008 at the centres throughout the province.

Our Further Education Training (FET) colleges will also offer alternative programmes to cater for those learners who do not wish to follow the route of Saturday classes. Details of this initiative will be released in the second week of January 2008.

We appeal to all the grade 12 learners of 2007 who wrote the SCE and did not succeed to use this opportunity provided to them to complete the certificate.

Interventions

A year ago, I announced on this platform that the Superintendent-General would convene a summit to adopt a plan to intervene in schools that showed unsatisfactory levels of under-performance on 25 January 2007. This summit was indeed convened and nine-point action plan was adopted by officials of our department. This plan was later adopted by all principals of schools that had obtained a pass percentage of 50% or less in the 2006 Senior Certificate Examination. I personally addressed these principals in several meetings throughout the province.

The intervention plan was funded to the tune of R20 million and sought to provide under-performing schools with resources such as sufficient set works; study guides in English, Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology, History, Economics, and Travel and Tourism; audio and video materials in selected subjects; newspaper supplements; and mobile classrooms in cases of acute infrastructure shortages. The plan also required under-performing schools to accept responsibility by developing and implementing turnaround plans which were monitored by Superintendents of Education (management).

The department also intervened through many other initiatives under the National Strategy for Learner Attainment (NSLA). An amount of R4,5 million was spent on the NSLA.

I am confident that the cumulative effect of our interventions has been positive.

Class of 2020: ECD touching the future

While we have consistently intervened at grade 12 level, we are under no illusion that such interventions are sustainable or even desirable in the long term.

The year 2008 will see a cohort of learners entering the schooling system at grade R. It is significant to note that the grade R learners of 2008 are the Matric Class of 2020. We have taken the view that history will judge us harshly if we were still to be engaging in intervention programmes in 2020 for the learners who enter grade R next year. We have to be far sighted and lay the foundation for the day when there will be no need for matric intervention programmes in an attempt to fix something that is fundamentally broken, interventions which would only but be too little too late.

It is in this regard that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has taken the decision to intervene very strongly in grade R from 2008 in order to give the Class of 2020 a head start as they begin their long journey through the schooling system. We will be paying attention to the foundational skills of early literacy and numeracy. The department aims to supply materials to large numbers of grade R classes. We shall also be training grade R practitioners as a way of ensuring that learners receive quality education from the practitioners. It is only through such an intervention in early learning that we can lay a solid basis for quality education and the attainment of desired educational outcomes by our learners.

Bursaries

In 2005 we took the decision to change the bursary system to deal with the critical shortage of teachers in gateway subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Accounting and Technology. We have since been awarding bursaries to 116 learners who have completed their Senior Certificate to study towards B Ed degrees specialising in gateway subjects. 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.

We will continue this trend in 2008. In this regard the department will be funding 120 students, who will be studying towards a B Ed degree, specialising in Mathematics, Science, Technology and Accounting. Of these students 40 are currently studying towards a qualification as specified in the advertisement, while 60 unemployed youth who have passed Grade will be able to study in the specified fields. A further 20 learners will be selected from the 2007 matric students. The students will receive on approximately R35 000 a year to complete their studies. After completion of their studies these learners will be employed by the department for at least an equal number of their study years.

The department will also continue to offer bursaries to serving teachers to study towards qualifications in critical areas of teaching as we have been doing in the past three years.

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 42 students to study towards Bachelor of Commerce Accounting degrees; SITA for funding 10 students to study in the IT field. Eskom for funding 10 disabled students and two top Mathematics and Physical Science students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to study towards a qualification in electrical engineering; Mr Pandor from Gem School Wear for sponsoring one student to become a teacher and SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants for sponsoring a civil engineering student.

Thank you very much Maskew Miller and Longman for topping up our teaching bursaries with R15 000. We are also grateful to Albaraka Bank, Igoda (Pty) Ltd, the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in Southern Africa (ABASA) and South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) who have given CNA vouchers to our top achievers in Accounting, Physical Science, Mathematics and the top achievers in districts, at special schools and those who achieved against adversity.

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 2007 senior certificate results

Ladies and gentlemen, I now wish to turn my attention to the Class of 2007. 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

2003
Full-time candidates
97 363: 72,8%
Part-time candidates
36 403: 27,2%

2004
Full-time candidates
110 631: 74,3%
Part-time candidates
38 310: 25,7%

2005
Full-time candidates
120 397: 79,3%
Part-time candidates
31 430: 20,7%

2006
Full-time candidates
125 777: 80,9%
Part-time candidates
29 738: 19,1%

2007
Full-time candidates
148 093: 78,5%
Part-time candidates
40 445: 21,5%

We have consistently pointed out that 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.

On this platform last year, I indicated that the department has consistently been improving access to public education, including access to write the Senior Certificate Examination. This has resulted in the consistent growth of candidates sitting for the Senior Certificate Examination in KwaZulu-Natal from 97 363 in 2003, through 110 631 in 2004, through 120 397 in 2005, through 125 777 in 2006, to 148 093 candidates in 2007. This represents a phenomenal 50 000 increase in the number of candidates since 2003! Yes, if we did not make a deliberate effort to significantly improve access to the education at all levels, we would have lost 50 000 students to the wilderness in the past four years.

To us, this is what counts. It is the number of students who are given access to and who succeed in the Senior Certificate that we worry about. It is important that we all strive to improve access, rather than be pre-occupied with percentages. We can have an 80% pass rate, but if the number of students who write the exam is only five, then you have only four passing, which is not something anyone can be proud of. In simple terms; pass percentages can be manipulated by significantly decreasing the number of full-time candidates writing the Senior Certificate Examination, frankly speaking, we are not interested in such manipulation. One can score cheap political points, but it is neither in the interests of our learners nor is it in the interests of economic and social development to do so.

Given that context, I now wish to officially announce the results of the 2007 Senior Certificate Examinations for KwaZulu-Natal:

Table 2: 2007 SCE Results for KwaZulu-Natal

2003
No. of Candidates Who Wrote: 97 367
No. of Candidates Who Passed: 75 077
No. of Candidates with Senior Certificate: 55 190
No. of Candidates with Endorsement: 19 887
Percentage Pass: 77.2
Percentage with Senior Certificate: 56,8
Percentage with Endorsement: 20.5

2004
No. of Candidates Who Wrote: 110 631
No. of Candidates Who Passed: 81 827
No. of Candidates with Senior Certificate: 60 877
No. of Candidates with Endorsement: 20 950
Percentage Pass: 73,9
Percentage with Senior Certificate: 55,0
Percentage with Endorsement: 18,9

2005
No. of Candidates Who Wrote: 120 397
No. of Candidates Who Passed: 84 842
No. of Candidates with Senior Certificate: 63 341
No. of Candidates with Endorsement: 21 005
Percentage Pass: 70,4
Percentage with Senior Certificate: 53,0
Percentage with Endorsement: 17,4

2006
No. of Candidates Who Wrote: 125 777
No. of Candidates Who Passed: 82 442
No. of Candidates with Senior Certificate: 63 341
No. of Candidates with Endorsement: 19 101
Percentage Pass: 65,6
Percentage with Senior Certificate: 50,4
Percentage with Endorsement: 15,2

2007
No. of Candidates Who Wrote: 148 093
No. of Candidates Who Passed: 94 421
No. of Candidates with Senior Certificate: 72 978
No. of Candidates with Endorsement: 21 443
Percentage Pass: 63,8
Percentage with Senior Certificate: 49,3
Percentage with Endorsement: 14,5

Of the 148 093 candidates who sat for the Senior Certificate Examination, 94 421 passed, representing 63,8% of those who wrote. This means that the province still has the largest number of candidates who pass the Senior Certificate in the whole country. The province that produces the second largest number of passes has 20 000 fewer passes than KwaZulu-Natal. More significantly, this represents 11 979 more students who passed this year as compared to last year. This makes a meaningful contribution towards closing the skills gap.

The figures also show that 21 443 candidates who sat for the examination obtained passes with university endorsements, representing 14,5% of the total number who sat for the examination. This implies that the universities would have to find 2 342 more spaces than in the previous year to accommodate these KwaZulu-Natal students who passed the Senior Certificate with endorsement in 2007.

The performance figures for the twelve districts stand as follows:
Table 3: SCE results by District

* District: Northern cluster
Obonjeni
2006 No. Wrote: 10 614
2006 No. Passed: 5 213
2007 No. Wrote: 12 296
2007 No. Passed: 6 007

Amajuba
2006 No. Wrote: 6 538
2006 No. Passed: 4 623
2007 No. Wrote: 7 894
2007 No. Passed: 5 174

Yhyheid
2006 No. Wrote: 13 2545
2006 No. Passed: 8 050
2007 No. Wrote: 15 159
2007 No. Passed: 9 355

Empangeni
2006 No. Wrote: 12 915
2006 No. Passed: 7 823
2007 No. Wrote: 15 372
2007 No. Passed: 9 024

* District: Midlands Cluster
Othukela
2006 No. Wrote: 8 362
2006 No. Passed: 5 186
2007 No. Wrote: 9 583
2007 No. Passed: 6 031

Umgungundlovu
2006 No. Wrote: 11 533
2006 No. Passed: 8 123
2007 No. Wrote: 13 673
2007 No. Passed: 9 171

Umzimnyathi
2006 No. Wrote: 6 347
2006 No. Passed: 3 570
2007 No. Wrote: 7 728
2007 No. Passed: 4 538

Sisonke
2006 No. Wrote: 5 749
2006 No. Passed: 3 648
2007 No. Wrote: 6 703
2007 No. Passed: 3 913

* District: Coastal cluster
Umlazi
2006 No. Wrote: 19 028
2006 No. Passed: 14 526
2007 No. Wrote: 22 104
2007 No. Passed: 16 564

Ugu
2006 No. Wrote: 9 653
2006 No. Passed: 6 501
2007 No. Wrote: 10 983
2007 No. Passed: 1 005

Pinetown
2006 No. Wrote: 14 384
2006 No. Passed: 10 612
2007 No. Wrote: 17 615
2007 No. Passed: 12 126

Ilembe
2006 No. Wrote: 7 400
2006 No. Passed: 4 585
2007 No. Wrote: 8 637
2007 No. Passed: 5 513

It is pleasing to see that the number of learners who has passed in each district in 2007 shows an increase when compared to the number of passes in 2006.

What the aggregated results do not show, are a number of good stories that should be told. I shall refer to two of these.

Firstly, an analysis of the results shows clearly that our intervention plans are bearing fruit. Last year we had 67 schools with a pass percentage in the range 0 to 19%. I am pleased to announce that we have reduced the figure to 41 in 2007. We have simultaneously increased the number of schools in the 40 to 59% category from 436 to 442, the number in the 60 to 79% category from 373 to 409 and the number in the 80 to 99% category from 399 to 406.

The majority of schools that were targeted by the National Strategy for Learner Attainment in 2007 showed a marked improvement in performance. Examples of such schools include Siyaqala High who improved from 53,85% to 100%, Mphahleni High who improved from 12.9% to 100%, Ukhali High who improved from 31,82% to 96,8%, Wembezi High who improved from 16,67% to 98,6%, and Prince Tokotoko High who improved from 42,86% to 83,9%. The improvement in these schools was a genuine improvement as none of them reduced student numbers to achieve a higher pass percentage.

The data also show that 76 of our 84 Dinaledi schools obtained pass percentages of 60% and above, without while maintaining or improving the number of learners writing the Senior Certificate Examination in 2007.

This shows without a shadow of a doubt that our special interventions have borne fruit. It is for this reason that we shall continue our targeted interventions in those schools that continue to show underperformance overall.

Secondly, the number of learners who have passed in critical subjects increased significantly in 2007. In Mathematics HG, 165 more boys passed this year than last year, while 324 more girls passed. In Mathematics SG, 3 278 more boys passed this year than last year, while 4 781 more girls passed. The significance of these data is the province is seeing 8 548 more learners who have passed Mathematics in 2007 than we saw in 2006. By any standard, this is a phenomenal achievement.

The same trend can be seen in Physical Science. In Physical Science HG, 342 more boys passed this year than last year, while 535 more girls passed. In Physical Science SG, 1 869 more boys passed this year than last year, while 3 080 more girls passed. This represents a figure of 5 826 more learners who passed Physical Science in 2007 than last year.

The trend is the same in all the gateway subjects. This is what we mean in practice when we call for a shift in focus from a preoccupation with mere percentages to actual warm bodies we as a Department to the addressing the skills shortage in our country and our province.

Conclusion

I now wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who contributed to the success of the 94 421 Senior Certificate learners who passed this year. I also wish to congratulate the adult learners who achieved success in their Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Certificate programmes this year. I thank the learners for their effort and hard work, the teachers for their guidance, and the parents for their continued support.

There are many social partners who have worked closely with us and we want to thank our teacher unions, South African Police Service, business communities, non-governmental organisations, faith based groups and other partners for their support.

Finally, I wish to thank the Premier and my colleagues in the Executive Council for their constant support and their keen interest 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.

I wish all of you a prosperous and peaceful 2008.

Ngiyabonga. Baie dankie. Enkosi. I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
28 December 2007