Speech by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Ms Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, MPL, on the Release of the 2013 National Senior Certificate Results and the announcement of the Annual National Assessment Results held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) Durban
Programme Director
Honourable Premier; Senzo Mchunu;
My colleagues and Members of the Executive Council; Mayors present
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Education, Ms L. Hlongwa;
Members of the National Parliament and Provincial Legislature;
Head of Department, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi;
Senior Management of the Department of Education; Leaders and Representatives of Organised Labour;
Representatives of School Governing Bodies;
Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) partners. Our Social and Business Partners in Education;
Principals; Educators; Parents;
Our top achievers who are with us here today; Members of the Media Fraternity; Distinguished Guests; Ladies & Gentlemen
Our 2014 theme is...
We have a good story to tell...
Programme Director and Premier; firstly please allow me to take this opportunity to thank the honourable Premier, Mr. Senzo Mchunu and liberation movement I belong to, the African National Congress (ANC) whose selfless sacrifice has shown us the path of freedom for having entrusted me with the most important portfolio i.e. Education.
Secondly, please allow me to also acknowledge with gratitude the sterling works done by my immediate predecessor in the portfolio of education, Hon. Mchunu, our Premier. He has steered the ship through stormy seas and never abandoned ship.
We thank you Ndabezitha and the whole team led by the Head of the Department, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi. Indeed, Programme Director and Distinguished Guests; we have a good story to tell.
Let me start by paraphrasing the international scholar and author Mark Twain, who said and I quote: “never let schooling interfere with your education”. To the class of 2013, your schooling officially ends today, but your education has only just begun.
In the words of the father of our nation, Madiba, he said and I quote: “A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue and a pen, then you have something very special.”
Honourable Premier and Distinguished Guests, the good story I am about to tell today began in 1955 during the dark days of the apartheid regime. Men and women with a vision converged in a small town known as Kliptown and drafted what became the rallying cry for all freedom loving South Africans and our international friends throughout the struggle period. I am talking about the Congress of the People that met on that winter day of 26th June 1955 and produced the Freedom Charter.
It proclaims that “The Doors of Learning and Culture shall be opened! The government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life; the aim of education shall be to teach the youth to love their people and their culture, to honour human brotherhood, liberty and peace; Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children.” During the apartheid years, up and until the 1994 breakthrough, our education system was fragmented and discriminated against black people in general and rural blacks in particular.
It was only in 1996 that the new ANC-led government managed to successfully launch a single and integrated education system for the whole country. The 1994 freedom achieved by the toiling masses of South Africa under the leadership of the Tripartite Alliance not only ensured the freedom in general, but also the freedom of education from the system that was indoctrinated with the philosophies of apartheid. Our new system of education inculcates the ethos of non- racialism, non-sexism and inclusiveness. Our end goal as dictated by the Freedom Charter is to offer universal free and compulsory primary and secondary education.
Consequently, KZN province has improved the matric pass rate significantly since 1996. As an example, in 2008, the matric pass rate was only 57.8 percent. However by 2012, this figure had improved to 73.1 percent. Programme Director, this is part of a good story that we must tell proudly; so that posterity will know that we remain committed to the ideals of all struggle heroes and heroines who laid their lives for the education for all.
Investment in Education
Since 1994, our country has been investing in young people in a significant way. The ANC-led government spends 5.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) or about 20% (over 236 billion) of total state expenditure on education. Of this massive state education expenditure our share as the province of KwaZulu-Natal is R 37 billion. It’s through this massive investment in quality education; we are able to see the largest improvement in many areas of our schooling system especially in the area of infrastructure.
Over the years, since the ANC took the reins of power in this province; Programme Director, we have completed the building of the following infrastructure projects for our schools:
- 56 new schools,
- 6 473 standard classrooms,
- 886 Grade R classrooms
- 294 laboratories,
- 559 multi-purpose classrooms,
- 230 computer rooms,
- 208 media centres,
- 406 mobile classrooms,
- 372 administration blocks,
- 480 kitchens/ nutrition blocks,
- 17 715 toilet seats,
- 2 876 water tanks, 180 bore holes,
- 648 schools have been fenced, and
- 1 980 schools rehabilitated and renovated
No More Mud Schools
Since 2009 alone we have invested a budget of R13 billion in 3500 infrastructure projects. In the process of this massive infrastructure spending, 54 mud schools were upgraded into centres of excellence with modern infrastructure. The replacements of the 54 mud schools herald a new era in the province of KwaZulu-Natal – we have replaced and completely eradicated mud schools. We can proudly announce that none of our children learn under the trees or in unsafe and condemned structures.
Now that is a good story to tell...
A dedicated programme is arranged to mainstream the Learners with special educational needs. We have identified schools totalling around 142 (62 schools for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) and 81 Full Service Schools) are at various stages of planning and 68 of these schools are under construction.
Learners with special needs
We have increased the enrolment of learners with special needs from about 14000 in 2009 to 17 169 in 2013.
Learner transport
We are providing transport to more than 19000 learners whose homes are more than five kilometres away from schools.
Grade R success story
Honourable Premier I am also pleased to report that we have achieved 97% success rate towards universal access to Grade R.
Towards Free Education
No-fee schools have increased from a target of 60% in the 2009/10 to 83% in the current financial year.
National School Nutrition Programme
In a major assault against poverty and malnutrition, the late President Nelson Mandela initiated what was known as Primary School Nutrition Programme. The programme involves feeding learners at least one nutritious meal a day. This initiative has increased learner attendance and improved results. The programme has since evolved and renamed the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). The new programme provides nutritious meals to needy learners in quintile 1, 2 and 3 primary and secondary schools as well as targeted special schools and selected quintile 4 and 5 schools. In 2013/14 financial year, there are 2, 235,485 learners from 5275 schools benefiting from the NSNP. The 2013/14 budget for the NSNP in the province is R1, 2 billion which is a conditional grant from the National Treasury.
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS)
We have transformed our curriculum, with the latest implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) to ensure that it is accessible to all our educators and learners. Our curriculum has also been benchmarked against leading nations in the world and found to be comparable, confirming that our standards are comparable to the best in the world.
Challenges
Programme Director, a lot has been achieved but a lot more must still to be done. Despite this investment, there are still differences in the quality of education, the learners get. Many schools still lack basic amenities like electricity, water, libraries and laboratories. We also have a negative legacy of schools from rural areas that produce too many children who graduate from primary school but never reach Matriculation level. Only less than 50% of all the learners who joined our education system could reach matriculation after 12 years of learning. We are also facing a huge challenge of shortage of Science and Mathematics educators. Nothing short of a revolution in education will transform all our schools into centres of excellence. As we have learned from the Cuban revolutionary and the first President of free Cuba, Fidel Castro, “A revolution is not a bed of roses.”
ANC Mangaung conference
It is within this context, Programme Director, that in 2009, the ANC- led government declared Education as an apex priority. And, in its Mangaung 53rd National Conference in 2012, the ANC affirmed again the status of Basic Education as an apex priority for the country.
The ANC Mangaung conference noted that there is a general agreement that education has to be protected from disruptions. Disruption of schooling through industrial action and service delivery protests impact negatively on the stability of schools and the quality of education. The conference further resolved that a Presidential Commission be established to review the remuneration and conditions of employment of educators and make recommendations on salary adjustments and wage increases in a manner that protects education as national priority.
In his 2012 State of the Nation Address, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Jacob Zuma announced the formation of the Presidential Commission to review working conditions and remuneration of educators. It is clear from these initiatives that Education is taken seriously by the ANC-led government at all levels.
National Development Plan
The importance of Basic Education also finds expression in the government developmental blueprint, the National Development Plan (NDP). Our immediate plan, the NDP stipulates that free education must be introduced up to undergraduate level. It says we shall continue to test grade 3, 6, and 9 learners each year to measure improvement and identify problems. It enjoins us to ensure that educators are in class on time, teaching at least seven hours a day and that all schools must have all required teaching aids including workbooks and textbooks.
Equally, we expect learners to be attentive in class learning and respecting the learning environment including school property and educators. The NDP commits this government to eradicate mud schools in other provinces and improve ablution facilities, electricity and water.
Model Schools
In meeting the NDP plans, the province of KwaZulu-Natal has already developed a concept plan to deal head-on with infrastructure challenges. We are now building what we call Model Schools. These schools are catalysts for the excellence in schools. Our Model Schools are modelled along the lines of schools that work such as former Model C public schools, good township schools as well as some good rural schools in our province. So, we are not reinventing the wheel. Our Model Schools – apart from world class facilities will be characterised by among other things full complement of teaching aids including the following:
- Good and Complete Infrastructure including laboratories, libraries and facilities for different sporting codes.
- Effective and efficient school management. Highly effective principals.
- Quality and result driven school management team. Dedicated educators.
- Supportive and cooperative parents. Highly disciplined learners.
- Progressive and development focused Education Department.
Largest department in the country
Since the ANC has been leading our Government, Programme Director and Premier, we indeed have a good story to tell. Our education department is the largest in the country both in terms of budget allocation and number of learners and educators in the system. We have a total budget allocation of about R37 billion for our 6241 schools with 2.8 million learners, and 106 613 employees.
Examination Administration
Let me illustrate the extent of the magnitude of managerial expertise required by the department to succeed. We had 145 278 candidates who sat for the 2013 exams. This was an increase of over 20 000 learners. We had 1733 examination centres, 27 marking centres, 7681 markers, 1527 senior markers, 212 deputy markers, 68 chief markers, 71 internal moderators, and a whooping 2.3 million scripts had to be marked and moderated.
We are therefore pleased to announce Programme Director that the Quality Assurer Umalusi found that we have sound systems and the whole examination process was conducted with integrity. So, our results have been certified by Umalusi as a direct reflection of the ability of our learners, free of irregularities and having been conducted with integrity. This is our story, a good story to tell.
2013 Results
ANA Results
Since 2011, the Annual National Assessment (ANA) have been written by learners in Grades 1-6 and 9. The ANA results would in particular give us a sense of the progress we were making at the points of transition for learners in the Foundation Phase (Grade 3), Intermediate Phase (Grade 6) and Senior Phase (Grade 9) before learners entered the Further Education and Training Phase.
Our commitment to ensure accountability to the people of our country, the Department of Education indicated that by 2014, we would endeavour to ensure that 60% of our learners would read and write at the acceptable levels of competence.
On 5 December 2013, the Minister of Basic Education released the national results on learner performance in the 2013 ANA. The overall results have pointed to an overall upward movement of test scores in the 2013 ANA results in Grades 1-6 compared to 2012. However, the performance of learners in Grade 9 Mathematics has remained low in 2013 similar to the performance in 2012.
When releasing the ANA results Minister declared that ANA assessment will be introduced from Grade R in the near future.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 1.5 million learners sat for the ANA tests in September 2013. Another good story to tell is as follows –
The results of the 2013 ANA in Grades 3 and 6 in Mathematics and Languages are as follows:
The provincial stats are as follows:
|
GRADE |
LANGUAGE |
MATHEMATICS |
||||
|
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
|
3 |
53.5 |
57.4 |
60 |
42.2 |
55.5 |
60 |
|
6 |
40.9 |
57.4 |
60 |
28.1 |
41.2 |
60 |
|
9 |
37.7 |
39.3 |
60 |
12 |
14.4 |
60 |
However, performance in Mathematics at Grade 9 stands at 14.4% and 39.3% in Home Languages requires our continued attention.
Overall, it is pleasing to note that KwaZulu-Natal has recorded an improvement in the performance of learners in the 2013 Annual National Assessments compared to 2012. While we celebrate the improvements that we have recorded over this period of time, and that we are close to meeting the national target that has been set in this regard, we are clear that more needs to be done to ensure our competitiveness in these areas. Our target this year 2014 for all ANA assessment areas is 60% minimum.
In 2014, we shall ensure that the aspects of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy that require improvement are attended to and strengthened. In addition, we shall forge ahead with the programme for the KZN Initiative for the Improvement of Learning Outcomes (KZNIILO), a sub-programme of the National Education Collaboration Fund (NECF). We shall work with speed to ensure attainment of these goals.
In addition, we will ensure that the provincial curriculum management strategy is implemented and enhanced in our schools.
2013 Matric Results
Programme Director and Premier, as I mentioned before, the KwaZulu-Natal province boasts the largest education department in the country. For the 2013 Matriculation Examinations, a total of 145 278 fulltime candidates sat for the 2013 NSC. Throughout the duration of the writing of the 2013 NSC examinations, KZN schools, candidates and the examination system carried itself with the highest values of integrity.
Indeed, I am grateful for the manner in which the NSC examinations were conducted. We wish to express our gratitude to the principals and educators who served as invigilators. We are grateful to all educators who served at the different marking centres that were established in the province of the KZN for the conduct of the NSC examinations. We would also like to salute the educators, parents, communities, NGOs, business and all other stake holders who ensured that the NSC Class of 2013 have been supported to succeed.
The National Senior Certificate examinations have been running for the 6th year in succession since 2008.
Programme Director, Premier, and distinguished Guests - I am therefore pleased to announce as I said earlier, we have a good story to tell. The good story that we are telling today as the ANC-led Provincial Government is the following:
The KwaZulu-Natal Class of 2013 National Senior Certificate Examinations have attained a pass rate of 77.4%
The 2013 NSC pass rate represents a 4.3% increase in performance from the 2012 pass rate.
I am also pleased to announce that all the 12 Districts in KZN achieved a pass rate of 70% and more with Umlazi District achieving the highest pass rate of 83.7%.
|
District |
Order |
Pass Rate (%) |
|
Umlazi |
1 |
83.7 |
|
Pinetown |
2 |
81.5 |
|
UMgungundlovu |
3 |
79.6 |
|
Amajuba |
4 |
79.4 |
|
UThukela |
5 |
78.8 |
|
Zululand |
6 |
75.7 |
|
Ugu |
7 |
75.2 |
|
Umkhanyakude |
8 |
74.2 |
|
Uthungulu |
9 |
72.7 |
|
Ilembe |
10 |
72.4 |
|
UMzinyathi |
11 |
71.8 |
|
Sisonke |
12 |
70.7 |
Total number of candidates passing the NSC
A significant milestone in 2013 is that we have surpassed the 100 000 mark by achieving 112 403 learners passed in the NSC examinations. This is the first time the province has exceeded these numbers of learners passing the NSC examination, therefore contributing to the skills base of our country. In the history of NSC examination no province has ever achieved in one year what KwaZulu-Natal has achieved. Let us give the class of 2013 a big round of applause... Indeed, a good story gets better if it is retold differently; KwaZulu-Natal has made history by having the least number of matriculates who have failed in matriculation exam.
Number of Bachelor Passes
The increase in pass rate for the Class of 2013 is also accompanied by the number of quality passes that have been achieved by this cohort. A total of 47 202 learners achieved a Bachelors pass in 2013 compared to 34 779 in 2012. This development demonstrates the impact that the system is making in improving quality.
Number of Diploma Passes
A total of 42760 candidates achieved diploma passes as compared to 36841 in 2012. However, the good story is that fewer candidates obtained Higher Certificates passes at 22328 (which is the entire 2013 class of the Free State province with due respect and without any condescendence) in 2012 than any other year.
Mathematics and Physical Science Passes
Premier, Ladies and Gentlemen – in our quest to contribute to the knowledge economy of our country, we have continuously striven to improve the participation and performance of learners in Mathematics and Physical Science. In this regard, I wish to announce that the performance of learners in Mathematics for the Class of 2013 is 53.6%. This is an increase of 5% compared to 2012.
In Physical Science, the Class of 2013 achieved a pass rate of 66.4%, compared to 58% in 2012. In Life Sciences, the class of 2013 achieved 74.4 percent pass rate compared to 67% in 2012.
Context
Programme Director and Premier; please allow me to put these figures into context. The total number of Bachelor passes of 47 202 is equal to the entire learners who sat for exams in the Western Cape Province. Our total pass rate of both Bachelors and Diplomas is over 90 000, that is 10 000 more than the entire Gauteng class of 2013. The number of diploma passes at 42760 surpasses the entire Mpumalanga province class of 2013 which stood at 38836.
Seventy one percent of our schools performed beyond the national norm of 60 percent. Seven percent of our schools achieved 100 percent pass rate. Sixty nine percent of these high flyers are considered poor schools – Quintile 1 to 3. UMkhanyakude District is the most improved district in 2013 having scored 74.15 percent pass rate, an improvement of 9.0 percent. All districts achieved beyond the national norm – achieving a minimum pass rate of 70 percent. The national norm is 60 percent. Less than one percent of our schools has achieved below 20 percent. Only 32875 learners failed matric, the least number since the NSC examination were instituted.
Programme Director, as a land mark in women emancipation, pass rate of girl students is better than boys. We are pleased that 61445 girl learners passed as compared to only 50 958 boy learners.
Challenges
Programme Director, I must say these results represent a historical milestone for our province both in terms of numbers and quality. Indeed, our story is a good one.
However, we seem to have become victims of our own success. Over the years, we paid more attention in gateway subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Science and Technology. In the process, we seem to have neglected other subjects. The 2013 results show a marginal increase in the pass rate of commerce subjects. In 2014, our interventions will include subjects such as Business Studies, Accounting, and Economics.
Another big challenge in front of us is UMzinyathi District that showed the least improvement at 1.0 percent. We will as a department investigate the reasons for this minimal drop in performance and devise intervention strategies. We will pay particular attention to those few schools that performed below 35 percent. Apart from a package of interventions, we would hold the management teams of these schools to account for their poor performance in terms of the South African Schools Act. There is no room at the inn for lethargy and incompetence. People who are a misfit in our education system must either show their interest to learn to enable themselves or voluntarily leave or we will push them out. They must either ship in or ship out.
Congratulations to the Class of 2013
We pause to congratulate the Class of 2013. You have done our province and country proud. We look forward to your contribution to the development of our nation.
To those who did not perform as expected, do not lose heart. There are many options for improving your results or pursuing alternative career paths. Your results notwithstanding, this is not the end of the world. We all learn from trial and error. We would like to encourage all those who did not succeed not to despair. The Education Department will establish classes in selected education centres in each of the 12 districts to provide tuition support for learners who would like to sit for supplementary examinations and improve their chances of success. This applies also to learners who have passed and would like to improve their pass marks.
The ANC-led government, together with its social partners, will continue to prioritise job creation and skills development for accelerated economic growth and opportunities for young people in this country.
The Education Department is working closely with local Higher Education Institutions and FET colleges to promote the smooth transition of learners from the schooling system to post-school education, and pre-service teacher education.
Conclusion
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the educators for their dedication, sterling support and motivation; parents for the support they gave us; School Governing Bodies for their invaluable role in keeping our schools in check; teachers’ unions for their support and partnership; Radio Ukhozi for their educative Grade 12 broadcast lessons; Newspapers for educational supplements focusing on key matric subjects; non-governmental organisations for their professional inputs and on-going support in different ways; business community for supporting us by contributing in the resourcing and capacitating our schools and last but not least, our learners for their dedication and hard work.
A warm thank you to all members of the Education and Finance Portfolio Committees for your support and encouragement.
To our Head of Department, Dr N.S.P. Sishi and his team thank you for a job well done.
We also would like to extend our warm thanks to Mr Edward Mosuwe, our Senior General Manager for the Curriculum Management and Dr Barney Mthembu, our General Manager for Examinations, Assessment & Quality Assurance and also their teams for their enormous support and contributions.
I also wish to extend special thanks to the Premier, once again, for his support.
Lastly, I wish all learners the very best. We call upon all of you to help us improve on this year’s results. Working Together We Can Do More to improve the quality of education, bearing in mind, at all times, that the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.
Let us move towards consolidating our gains towards excellence in the year ahead.
On the point of consolidating our gains, let us make a special mention of a new initiative undertaken by the new Principal of Nomzinto High School in KwaNongoma. The Class of 2014 re-opened on the 02 January 2014. These Ladies and Gentlemen have never happened in our schooling system. The Principal Mr S.M. Nxumalo reported that all 36 matric learners in the school supported by their parents, educators and volunteers are already immersed in the work for the 2014 school year. Siyabonga Mkhatshwa.
Finally, Programme Director and Premier; we would like to honour and also acknowledge with respect the passing away of the father of our nation, late ANC leader, a recipient of the Order of Mapungubwe, the recipient of ANC’s highest honour Isithwalandwe, and the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate uTata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Madiba was the very first President of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa that dawned in 1994. We thank the Mandela family for having shared with us this gallant fighter of freedom, and the lifelong learner and the teacher of peace.
At the same time, we would like to remember all the learners, markers and educators who have lost their lives; some in the line of duty throughout the year 2013. We also pay a special respect to three markers who passed away during the marking process. We also would like to honour our two learners whose deaths constitute one of the greatest losses to the education fraternity in 2014, the Kandasamy siblings: Melarisa, 18 year old, and Megandren, 17 years old. Melarisa was a matric pupil at Crossmoor Secondary School. Later in the programme, we will posthumously announce the results of Melarisa’s and other learners who have departed us sadly.
May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace!
In conclusion, our ministry of education has been working on the education that inculcates the pedagogies that are derived from the sociological understanding and needs. We strongly believe that the education must train the students to fight for the nation that ensures equality among people. Let us remind all our people that the responsibility to continue to improve the education system is a societal issue. It cannot be that as a society we outsource the teaching of our future leaders to the education department only. We, collectively call upon all sectors of society to play their continued improvement of our education as we believe the team work is always better than individual performance. As government, we cannot do it alone.
Programme Director that was our good story. The best is yet to come.
I thank you
