[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

30 January 2009

Programme Director
MPs, MPLs, MECs and other community leaders present
Partners from the business sector
The Acting HOD and staff of the department
Parents and learners
Honourable guests
Ladies and gentlemen.

It's that joyous time of the year again when we gather to celebrate the success of our children who have not only finished 12 years of school but have also done it in style .It is that rare occasion of the year when parents, learners, education officials, other stakeholders and well wishers rub shoulders and congratulate our children on a job well done.

On 30 December 2008 when the matric results were announced at the Parktown High School for girls, there was a great deal of anxiety born of the anticipation of the unknown seeing that the class of 2008 sat the first Outcome Base Education (OBE) matric examinations. Today's occasion, in contrast, is more relaxed because we are recognising the special achievements of our class 0f 2008.

Our first Outcomes Based Education (OBE) National Senior Certificate (NSC) matric examinations represent the culmination and crowning glory of years of struggle by the progressive forces in the country to devise an alternative education system to the apartheid education that entrenched racism and inequitable resource distribution.

Our Class of 2008 are the beneficiaries of the fruits of years of campaigning for “Peoples' Education for Peoples' Power.” The learners we are honouring today are a microcosm of approximately 1 800 000 learners in Gauteng, who like their counterparts throughout the country, have accessed a modern, innovative, liberating and creative curriculum. A curriculum that promotes independent and creative thinking and is underpinned by the principles of respect for democracy, equality, promotion of social justice, respect for human dignity and Ubuntu.

It is in this context that we salute you our children. You have every reason to feel on top of the world, because you deserve it. You are part of the class of 2008 whose key features are:
* The first cohort of learners who are mathematically literate (Every learner took either Maths or Maths Literacy as a compulsory subject).
* We were all provided with at least seven textbooks per child for all Grade 12 learning areas.

We can therefore proudly proclaim that, as a province in particular and the country in general that the OBE implementation in the Further Education and Training (FET) sector since 2006 has been successfully accomplished.

Even though we did not achieve our target of 80%, we are nonetheless proud of the class of 2008 because you achieved what you did under very trying circumstances as the “guinea pigs” of the system. The 76,4% that we obtained as a province is a great achievement in the circumstances.

We have maintained our resolve not to compromise on quality. The quality of the results remains very pleasing indeed. We have had a 16,9% increase in the number of learners who registered for the NCS National Senior Certificate as compared to the 2007 enrolment.

A brief analysis of the 2007 National Senior Certificate results indicates the following:
* We obtained a 76,4% pass rate, short of our 80% target.
* Of the 92 751 learners who sat the exam, 28 235 (30,4%) obtained an “endorsement” or results that allow them access to higher education to study towards a bachelor's degree. This figure represents a 10,3% increase over the 20,4% endorsement level achieved in 2007.
* There were 139 schools that can be defined as poorly performing as they achieved below the 60% pass rate. However, 103 schools showed an improvement in their pass rates.

Conclusion:
Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen please allow me to thank all those who made a contribution towards this achievement by our learners, parents (for nagging), the educators (for insisting on high quality work), the education officials, our education stakeholders and everybody who whispered a word of encouragement to these young people.

To you our children please continue on your exciting journey of educational exploration. The country needs those skills. Remember that you are our “stars” and "stars" by their nature illumine the path for others to follow.

Thank You.

Issued by: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government
30 January 2009
Source: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za)