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30 December 2008

Programme director, Deputy Director-General Sithole, Honourable Premier, Mme Beatrice Marshoff, fellow members of the executive council, members of the provincial legislature, members of the portfolio committee on education, Executive Mayor of Mangaung Local Municipality, Clr Morule, Honourable Mayors from our District and Local Municipalities, Director General, Dr Nwaila, Acting Superintendent General for Education Mr Phukuntsi, heads of department present, members of the strategic management and leadership committee of the Free State Department of Education, members of senior and broad management, departmental officials, members of education boards and councils, representatives from unions, representatives from school governing bodies associations, representatives from our partners in the private sector, principals educators, parents learners, members of the media and distinguished guests.

“The transition to the present education system in South Africa has not been without problems. Previously, education reflected the fragmented society in which it was based, and it hardly created conscientious, critical citizens. Education as a means of undemocratic social control created individuals who were not only short changed but were also compartmentalised along racial and cultural lines.” (From apartheid education to the revised national curriculum statement Pedagogy for identity formation and nation building in South Africa Vuyisile Msila University of South Africa.)

The introduction of new curricula into schools is not a uniquely South African phenomenon. Across the world, developed and developing countries had, in recent years, revised their school and higher education curricula to take account of the knowledge and skills required to participate in a globalising 21st century. Since 1994, we have tried to bring people together, to provide quality education for all in a coherent, integrated education system. Over the past 14 years, we have built a new framework for education, with a curriculum designed to prepare all learners for the 21st century, in a democratic, just and caring society, based on the values of our democratic Constitution.

The Grade 12 class of 2008 is the first cohort to write the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination on the new National Curriculum Statement (NCS Grades 10–12), replacing the old senior certificate on the report 550 curriculums. The new curriculum is based on outcomes. The curriculum sees education as a tool that could enhance our country values as enshrined in the Constitution. Democracy, non-racism, equality and reconciliation are among the fundamental values of our country’s education system.

This new curriculum is designed to ensure that young South Africans acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes they need to realise their potential, to contribute to social and economic development, to participate fully in the life of the country, to compete internationally, and to build successful communities education needs to empower learners for effective citizenship and individual enrichment. Program director, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness fruits of determination, discipline, hard work and endurance as we crown these champions, our learners, who stood the test of time, successfully tackling head-on the examinations of the new curriculum. The results we announce today are also a culmination of hard work by dedicated teachers and supportive parents. It is through their collective efforts and dedication that the province and of course the country can celebrate these achievements. I take this opportunity to express our commendation to all of them for the efforts they put in preparation for their examination

On the other hand, we as the Free State Department of Education have also been hard at work, despite financial challenges facing us. We have maintained viable partnerships with various private sector organisations and non-governmental organisation (NGOs) in a bid to turn the situation around for the better. We have also managed to launch initiatives which comprised among others the provincial learner attainment strategy, the quality improvement and development strategy upliftment programme, popularly known as Qids-Up, Dinaledi Project, Beyers Naudé Schools Development Project, which in cooperation with Kagiso Trust and ABSA bank enabled us to establish new school science laboratories, media and library resource centres at a number of previously disadvantaged secondary schools in the province, especially those in the rural areas.

Our main target is to establish a science laboratory, a media centre and a resource centre at each and every school in our province. Our province is going through unprecedented economic growth that requires an appropriate skills base if it is to be sustained. We believe that learners must be able to formulate critical questions, identify, acquire and organize information from different sources, analyze and make judgments.

In the final analysis, what counts are the quality and the economy of interactions between teachers and learners. Quality teaching and improved time-on-task are ultimately what separate a good classroom from a bad one, and a good school from a bad one. This simply means that teachers must dedicate more time to their classroom tasks, helping learners to cope with their challenging tasks, than the time they spend in distress for lack of facilities. A teacher who strives to achieve good results despite lack of facilities is praiseworthy and runs a good classroom. Similarly, principals must dedicate more time economically managing what little resources they have, than the time they spend in agony for lack of facilities.

A principal, who is able to motivate his or her teachers to strive for top results despite little resources at their disposal is laudable and runs a good school. All of us know that the most successful schools use all teaching time effectively. We know that teachers who know their subjects and strive each year to improve and renew their knowledge produce the best candidates in our system. It is well known that well-managed schools that have full stakeholder participation are the most successful.
Therefore, I would like to commend the teachers and learners for working steadfastly towards their destination, which is where we are today. I am satisfied that given what can only be described as a difficult transition for the learners, we have achieved beyond our expectations.

I wish to thank parents, guardians, governing body members, and departmental officials for their contribution towards the achievements of our Grade 12 class of 2008. Our thanks must also go to the corps of educators who carry out their duties with passion and remain loyal to the values of their profession. In particular, we need to salute those educators, who have engaged in voluntary activities, after school hours. We congratulate such educators who often go beyond the call of duty to help our children realise our dreams. Honourable Premier, it is also gratifying to report that, today it is both an honour and privilege to present the 2008 national senior certificate provincial results. No major obstacles and irregularities were reported from all centres during the course of the examinations. The national senior certificate result examination was administered in a total of 316 centres and marking was conducted at 16 centres throughout the province. Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, verified and declared our results as reliable, credible and fair.

The Free State presented 29 248 candidates that wrote this first NSC examinations. This figure compares quite well with the 30 559 candidates of 2007 that wrote the last Grade 12 examinations based on the old curriculum. This difference of 1 311 candidates can be attributed to new promotion requirements that came into effect in Grades 10 and 11 following the implementation of the NCS in Grades 10 and 11 in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The pass rate in 2008 stands at 71.8 percent in contrast to 70.4 percent in 2007. This represents an improvement of 1.4 percent in contrast to the decline of 1.6 percent in 2007 when the pass rate went down from 72.2 percent to 70.4 percent. When we disaggregate the figures, we arrive at the following pass percentages for each of the five Districts:

District percentage pass: Fezile Dabi 64.81 percent, Lejweleputswa 72.21 percent, Motheo 76.81 percent, Thabo Mofutsanyana 69.2 percent, and Xhariep 75.69 percent.

Honourable Premier, ladies and gentlemen, the 2008 pass rate needs to be understood within the context of the implementation of a new curriculum in Grade 12 this year. As already indicated, the 2008 NSC examinations were based on the new National Curriculum Statement (NCS), and the cognitive demand was much higher than the previous examinations of the old curriculum. The pass rate therefore, provides a good baseline that can be used as an important measure to work on to improve learner attainment in the NSC examinations from 2009 onwards. With the higher cognitive demand of the examination papers in the NSC examinations, the quality, integrity and currency of the new certificate remains undiminished. Unlike in the past, there are three levels of attainment for the award of the new NSC. The performance of learners who have qualified for the new NSC must be understood within the context of the three levels as follows:

NSC for admission into Bachelor’s Degree (endorsement)

This level of attainment for the award of the NSC is the equivalent of the endorsement (for university entry) in relation to the old (previous) senior certificate. For this level, candidates are required to obtain an achievement rating of 4, which is adequate achievement of 50–59 percent or higher in 4 designated subjects. There are 6 055 candidates who have met the requirements for the award of the NSC as endorsement in contrast to 5 776 in 2007, providing an increase of 279 candidates. This gives the Free State an endorsement rate of 20, 7 percent in contrast to 18.9 percent in 2007 (an improvement of 1.8 percent).This is indeed a significant achievement as the requirements for endorsement in the new NSC are much higher and harder to attain in relation to the requirements of the old (previous) senior certificate.

Diploma

For this level of attainment, candidates are required to obtain an achievement rating of three, which is moderate achievement of 40–49 percent or higher in 4 subjects. There are 8 388 candidates who have met the requirements for the award of the NSC for admission into diploma studies.

NSC for admission into higher certificate programmes

For this level of attainment, candidates are required to meet the minimum pass requirements for the award of the NSC. There are 6 430 candidates who have met the minimum pass requirements for the award of the new NSC. Although we are putting greater emphasis on participation rates, I should also like to congratulate the 37 schools in the province that obtained a 100 percent pass rate. This is a great achievement, especially for those schools that are located in rural and disadvantaged areas. The 37 schools stand with the following District breakdown:
* Xhariep: 7 schools (Zastron High, Jacobsdal Landbouskool, Koffiefontein High, Hendrik Potgieter High, Pellissier Combined, Trompsburg Secondary, AJC Jooste Combined)
* Motheo: 10 schools (Eunice High, Jim Fouche, Martie du Plessis, Oranje Meisie Skool, St Michael’s High, St Andrew’s High, President Steyn Combined, Rosenhof, Semajan Combined, Bartimea)
* Lejweleputswa: 9 schools (Bothaville High, Sandveld High, Boshof Combined, Hoopstad High, Bultfontein High, Welkom Gimnasium High, Staats President Swart Combined, Hennenman High, Riebeeckstad Secondary)
* Thabo Mofutsanyana: 5 schools (Clocolan Secondary, Paul Erasmus, Voortrekker High, Reitz Combined, Vrede High)
* Fezile Dabi: 6 schools (Villiers Combined, Wilgerivier Combined, Afrikaanse High Kroonstad, Heilbron High, Salomon Senekal High, Nampo Agric School,)

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a ceremony where we celebrate the achievement of our schools, learners and district offices. I will therefore conclude with a celebratory note by calling up those who have earned themselves awards. The awards are as follows:
* The top achieving district for 2008 is Motheo
* The best school in mathematics and physical science for 2008 is Grey College in Motheo District
* The top achieving school for 2008 is Jim Fouche Secondary in Motheo District
* The best achieving school for 2008 is Leseding Technical in Lejweleputswa District
* The top achiever for 2008 is Adriaan Steyn from Jim Fouche Secondary School, in Motheo District.
* The best achiever for 2008 is Moipone Mahlatsi from New Horizon Senior Independent School in Thabo Mofutsanyana District.
* The top achieving learner with severe barriers to learning for 2008 is Ayanda Hoho from Martie Du Plessis Special School in Motheo District.

Ladies and gentlemen, at this point, allow me to extend my sincerest gratitude and honour to the Honourable Premier, Me Beatrice Marshoff. We have been fortunate for the opportunity of working with you. You have taken up an exciting yet extremely demanding task of building and strengthening the Free State in terms of quality service delivery to the people of the Free State. The demands on all of us are huge, and we should use this opportunity of celebrating with you to recommit ourselves to fighting even harder to push back the frontiers of poverty. Let us all, in saying thank you to this gallant warriors against indignity, pledge to continue our work with renewed vigour. Programme director, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners for their sponsorship of today’s event. I would like to thank them for their commitment in investing in our communities as I said earlier, this is a positive signal for self-development.

A special words of thanks to the Members of the Executive Council, Portfolio Committee on Education and Members of the Provincial Legislature for their personal and professional support that sustains me and the Department always.

I wish to offer a word of thanks to the Chairperson and Secretary of my party, the African National Congress; Messrs Ace Magashule and Sibongile Besane respectively.

May I also extend a word of gratitude to the following sponsors for providing incentives to our best performers in the 2008 national senior certificate examination; ABSA, FNB, Vodacom, Central University of Technology (CUT),
Maskew Miller Longman and Macmillan.

Programme director, the challenge before us is to make the best out of what we have because the future of our children, the province and the country lies with us. History will judge us by what we do today for our beloved country. Success is our only option because our communities and learners depend on us. To the learners who did not make it this year, I urge them to redouble their efforts next year. Failing Grade 12 is a temporary setback, and not a permanent disaster. With more hard work, success is within reach. Your success is the success of the nation. Once again, a special word of thanks to the principals, teachers, learners, parents, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and school communities at large.

In particular, I wish to thank all districts for their hard work. Programme director, I wish to extend a warm hand of gratitude to the Acting Superintendent-General for the Free State Department of Education, Mr Daddy Phukuntsi, members of the strategic management and leadership committee and senior management team for their sterling role in bringing about initiatives that helped transform education in our province. I am happy to inform you ladies and gentlemen, that the Free State Department of Education (FSDoE) has been placed on an irreversible process of change, aimed at delivering an improved service in all spheres of its mandate to the people of the Free State.

I wish to record my gratitude and appreciation to all learning facilitators, school management and governance developers for their tireless efforts in helping us realise our vision and mission of improving the lives of our citizens by providing them with quality education and training. Without your individual efforts there would be no meaningful education transformation in our province. I must thank the unions for relative labour peace that resulted in a conducive and enabling environment for the effective delivery of education I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the organising committee of the well done function in conjunction with the communication unit for their sterling work.

Let me take this opportunity to thank the media contingent present here today, as it plays a vital role in reaching corners of the province and the country that we cannot reach. Director of ceremonies, I wish to urge all learners, especially those that come from disadvantaged and low-income backgrounds to apply for financial assistance from the significant resources that government has allocated the National Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in order to pursue their higher education studies. They are encouraged to contact the financial aid bureau in the institutions of their choice.

Honourable Premier, ladies and gentlemen, to us as a Department of Education, today’s ceremony marks the end of celebrations of the 2008 national senior certificate results and the beginning of hard work towards further improvement of the results of 2009. We are looking forward to the challenges of 2009, to work with our schools, teachers and parents, governing bodies and unions, to continue improving the quality of education in this province. We have a vision and that is to improve the quality of life of all Free State citizens by providing quality life-long education and training and our job as education is to develop the human resource development strategy to implement the plan and fulfil the vision. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure and privilege to now present to you the hostess, the Premier of the Free State, the Honourable Ms Beatrice Marshoff. I thank you!

Issued by: Department of Education, Free State Provincial Government
30 December 2008