tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/matric-results-23759/articlesMatric results – The Conversation2024-03-25T12:34:09Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2246512024-03-25T12:34:09Z2024-03-25T12:34:09ZRural schools in South Africa can produce good exam results too: study shows what’s behind one success story<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580094/original/file-20240306-18-8y5hh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A child walking to school in the rural village of Qunu in South Africa.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jennifer Bruce/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Each weekday, hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers in South Africa’s rural areas (which make up <a href="https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/South-Africa/rural_population_percent/">just over 31%</a> of the country’s total area) make the journey to school. It’s often difficult. Poor road networks and a lack of easy access to transport make just <a href="https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/server/api/core/bitstreams/7b3fd97c-b13b-4d4c-bcf8-491d8b53c63f/content">getting to and from school a challenge</a>.</p>
<p>Many rural schools are dilapidated and poorly equipped. It’s very unusual for these schools to have <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002023000400011&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en">libraries, computer rooms or science laboratories</a>.</p>
<p>There has been some improvement in matric (school-leaving) exam results in the largely rural provinces. In 2016 the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces, which are home to <a href="http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?domain=3&indicator=13">about 72% of rural South African children</a>, were <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/148871/2016-matric-pass-rate-climbs-to-72-5/">ranked last</a> among all nine provinces. The most recent results, for the matric class of 2023, show progress in these underperforming areas: KwaZulu-Natal, for instance, <a href="https://schoolclick.co.za/matric-results-percentage/">was ranked second</a> out of the three rural provinces, with 86.3% of its matric candidates passing the final exam. </p>
<p>But despite some bright spots, there is a sense among experts and pundits that rural education needs to be <a href="https://www.investec.com/en_za/focus/future-impact/reimagining-education-in-rural-SA.html">entirely re-imagined</a>.</p>
<p>I am an education researcher with a particular interest in rural schooling. In <a href="https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/real/issue/80017/1264412">a recent research paper</a> I focused on a rural South African high school, interviewing the principal, a deputy principal, three heads of department (academic subjects) and one non-academic staff member.</p>
<p>Today the school consistently performs well in the annual matric exams. From 2020 to 2023, the percentage of the school’s matric pupils who passed the final exams was 66.7%, 92.1%, 81.3% and 88.6%, respectively. This is significantly higher than other schools in the same area. </p>
<p>The school is as poorly equipped as its nearby counterparts. It does not have good infrastructure. The pupils still have to travel, as others do, a long way on bad roads to get to school. Yet it is a star performer. </p>
<p>The secret to its success, my research found, is the resilience of its leadership team. Resilience in this instance relates to how the teachers and other staff are able to withstand the difficult challenges of lack of infrastructure and its learners’ poor socio-economic background to ensure academic success.</p>
<p>My findings suggest that rural school leaders must develop resilience in their pursuit for learners’ success. They must also strive to avoid total reliance on the government for support. The government must, by law, fund and maintain the education sector. But the reality is that this support isn’t always forthcoming.</p>
<p>This means that rural school leaders must be proactive and – as the school in my study has done – consider other possible avenues to solve their problems.</p>
<h2>The case study</h2>
<p>The school I studied <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-no-fee-school-system-cant-undo-inequality-178559">does not charge fees</a>. Its 737 learners come from various villages in the vicinity. (Though, as a result of the impressive matric pass rate, more people from other towns are also enrolling their children.) </p>
<p>Some years ago the principal, tired of constant delays in receiving government support, opted to explore alternative means of support. He began travelling to businesses in nearby towns to ask for assistance and found that the school’s remote location made it a tough sell. However, he persisted and was able to get some financial support from various businesses. This was used to buy textbooks and mathematical sets; some was set aside for maintaining or even restructuring school buildings. </p>
<p>The principal’s persistence and belief in the school’s ability to thrive was echoed by the teachers. He and the teachers began buying school uniforms and shoes, with their own money, to help pupils who couldn’t afford these basic essentials feel more comfortable and committed to their schooling. The staff also organised extra classes after school hours and on weekends to help pupils stay on top of the curriculum.</p>
<p>A few years ago teachers also began travelling to and from the school together in one minibus taxi. The road is terrible, and even the few teachers who owned cars didn’t want to risk the drive. The shared transport fostered harmony among the staff: they got to know each other, chatted about their lives and their pupils, and were able to ask their colleagues for advice in a relatively informal setting.</p>
<p>This shows that what ordinarily could be a form of disadvantage – a long, difficult commute to school – can be turned into an advantage. </p>
<p>All this illustrates what is possible when school leaders and teachers explore all possible means of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334569987_Successful_Leadership_in_Rural_Schools_Cultivating_Collaboration">collaborating</a> with one another to achieve success in their schools.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-rural-schools-reveal-the-rewards-of-getting-the-basics-right-53320">Poor rural schools reveal the rewards of getting 'the basics' right</a>
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<h2>Building resilience</h2>
<p>My findings echo those of <a href="https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/small-school-rural-community-study-study-report">a 2022 study</a> which found that leadership is especially critical to rural schools’ success – even in wealthier countries with decent infrastructure.</p>
<p>And this latest study underscores a point I and a colleague made in a 2019 <a href="https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC-16eb6f6e92">research paper</a>: that, with or without the desired infrastructure, having the right leadership in place can still ensure success for rural schools.</p>
<p>To do this, deserving rural school leaders must be recognised by the government and their peers, perhaps with awards for good performance. Platforms should be created where those rural school leaders who have turned their schools around for the better can share their successes, failures and lessons, as well as offering encouragement to others.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/resilience-gives-students-an-edge-in-rural-african-universities-164885">Resilience gives students an edge in rural African universities</a>
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<p>It is easy for rural teachers working in tough circumstances to focus on the immediate challenges and to become disheartened. By focusing on the bigger picture – their learners’ futures and potential to succeed – they will be able to build resilience and create the best possible learning environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224651/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chinaza Uleanya does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Rural school leaders must develop resilience in their pursuit for learners’ success.Chinaza Uleanya, Associate professor, University of JohannesburgLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2217872024-01-27T09:17:25Z2024-01-27T09:17:25ZMatric results: South Africa’s record school pass rates aren’t what they seem – what’s really happening in the education system<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571116/original/file-20240124-19-jpr4hb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">South Africa's minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Luba Lesolle/Gallo Images via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Africa’s matric (grade 12) class of 2023, which wrote final school-leaving exams late last year, has been hailed by the country’s minister of basic education for achieving “<a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/extraordinary-class-of-2023-records-best-pass-percentage-in-national-senior-certificate-history-20240119">extraordinary</a>” results. Of the 691,160 candidates who wrote the National Senior Certificate exams, 82.9% – that’s 572,983 – passed, up from 80.1% of the class of 2022. And more candidates than ever before obtained marks that allow them to study for a bachelor’s degree.</p>
<p>All of the country’s nine provinces managed to improve on their 2022 pass rates. This is despite the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-learning-losses-what-south-africas-education-system-must-focus-on-to-recover-176622">after-effects of the COVID pandemic</a> in 2020 and 2021, when this class was in grade 9 and grade 10 respectively. The results also reflect a steady uptick in the overall national pass rate, <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/364476/south-africas-matric-pass-rate-2008-to-2019/">which has risen</a> from 60% in 2009 and stabilised over the past two years at above 80%.</p>
<p>As is clear from this summary, the release of the results focused a great deal on the numbers. As a former teacher, school principal, education circuit manager, academic expert in curriculum studies and current vice-dean of teaching and learning at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, I would caution against this approach. South Africans should not confuse quantity with quality.</p>
<p>The fanfare and hype around the results risks obscuring the big picture, which is that the actual pass rate – when dropouts are taken into account – is far lower and has been for many years. This points to huge problems within the education system.</p>
<h2>‘Real’ numbers</h2>
<p>This year, as has become the case annually, there’s been furious debate between politicians and education experts about the quality of the results. </p>
<p>Some experts <a href="https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/reports/why-matric-pass-rate-not-reliable-benchmark-education-quality">openly</a> say that government is striving for numbers instead of focusing on quality. For example, a matric class in a township (underdeveloped, generally urban areas largely inhabited by Black South Africans) will boast a pass rate of 80%. But only a few of those matriculants qualify to study at a university. </p>
<p>The essence of the debate revolves around what <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-pass-rate-da-claims-real-rate-is-55-3/">some call</a> the “real” pass rate, measured by the number of matriculants who passed as a fraction of the number who started school together 12 years earlier. </p>
<p>In 2012, 1,208,973 learners entered the first year of school, grade 1. Of these, only 928,050 were in grade 11 and only 740,566 enrolled for grade 12 (matric) in 2023. Thus, 468,407 pupils (almost 40%) <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-results-2023-dropout-real-pass-rate-atm-da/">disappeared into the system</a>. Given this attrition, some analysts and politicians argue that the actual pass rate is only <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/education-experts-pour-cold-water-over-das-553-real-matric-pass-rate-20240119">just over 55%</a>.</p>
<p>This issue of “real pass rates” also plays out in the unhealthy competition between provinces. There are nine provinces in South Africa. Eight are governed by the African National Congress (ANC), which also governs nationally. The Democratic Alliance (DA) governs one province, the Western Cape. Each year when the results are released, it becomes a competition to see which province’s matrics performed best. </p>
<p>The Free State province has achieved the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/free-state-remains-first-for-the-fifth-year-running/ar-AA1ncb9E">best pass rate for the last five years</a>. However, it also has the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/experts-welcome-matric-pass-rate-increase-but-note-450000-learners-dropped-out-along-the-way/ar-AA1nciwj">highest dropout rate</a> of all nine provinces, <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-results-2023-dropout-real-pass-rate-atm-da/">leading to allegations</a> by the DA and some analysts that authorities hold poorly performing pupils back to create a better matric pass rate. Some of those learners will later proceed to grade 12; others drop out entirely. For instance, almost half of the learners in the Free State who were in grade 10 in 2021 <a href="https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24/skole-studente/myskool/matrieks/vrystaat-se-top-prestasie-ruik-mos-na-kroekery-20240120">did not make it to matric in 2023</a>. </p>
<p>By contrast, the Western Cape only performed the 5th best but boasts a comparatively high throughput rate. </p>
<p>There is a strong feeling among educationists – and I completely agree – that a province’s “pass rate” should be published alongside its “dropout rate” to give a full perspective of the true situation. </p>
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<img alt="A graph showing the number of pupils who dropped out before reaching the matric class of 2023" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://charts.theoutlier.co.za/">The Outlier</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
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<h2>What’s gone wrong</h2>
<p>The ecstasy over the results also ignores the many challenges that the majority of pupils face on a daily basis.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/overcrowding-in-classrooms-a-challenge-facing-sa-teachers-sadtu/">Overcrowding</a> is one big problem, particularly at primary school level. The <a href="https://tdd.sun.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/E.-Wills-2023-Teacher-Shortages-class-sizes-LE-ratios.pdf">average class size</a> for grade 6 is 61 in Limpopo, 59 in Mpumalanga and 54 in KwaZulu-Natal. This <a href="https://www.mopse.co.zw/sites/default/files/public/downloads/2022%20Annual%20Education%20Statistics%20Report.pdf">compares poorly</a> with some neighbouring countries, such as Botswana and Zimbabwe.</p>
<p>Effective teaching, especially in the basic skills such as reading and writing, is impossible because no individual attention is possible. </p>
<p>Add to that the fact that many schools do not have libraries and it’s clear why <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">only 1 out of 5 pupils in grade 4</a>, aged on average 9 or 10, can read with comprehension. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">South Africa's 10 year-olds are struggling to read -- it can be fixed</a>
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<p>A second problem is that most South African schools do not have the necessary physical resources to create an environment conducive to learning. The lack of libraries is one example. Another is that many schools in poor communities do not have science or computer laboratories. Yet pupils are strongly encouraged to take STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, because these are seen as giving young people the best opportunity of employment.</p>
<h2>A glimmer of hope</h2>
<p>It’s not all hopeless, however. There are certainly things to celebrate, including the achievements of <a href="https://briefly.co.za/education/178071-matric-results-2023-meet-melissa-muller-south-africas-top-achiever-future-mechatronics-engineer/">top-performing</a> individuals. Hardworking teachers also deserve thanks for the seldom-appreciated work they do, particularly in under-resourced rural areas.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/01/19/khayelitsha-school-celebrates-99-matric-pass-rate">especially beautiful story</a> is that of the Khayelitsha Centre of Science and Technology. Situated in one of the Western Cape’s poorest residential areas, this school boasts a 2023 pass rate of 99% and 107 distinctions (a mark of 80% or higher), including 10 in mathematics. </p>
<p>Having carefully studied the results I am also delighted to see how many distinctions are emerging from schools in impoverished communities which charge no fees or very low fees. It is also heartening to see that pupils growing up in poverty are making a growing contribution to the pool of excellence.</p>
<p>These examples prove the value of good governance in schools, which creates an environment that is conducive for learning even in the absence of resources.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221787/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Le Cordeur does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The fanfare and hype around the results risks obscuring the big picture.Michael Le Cordeur, Professor and Vice- dean Teaching and Learning, Education Faculty, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1980742023-01-18T15:55:17Z2023-01-18T15:55:17ZMy child isn’t happy with their final exam results. How can I support them?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505086/original/file-20230118-22-x6e3z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teens look to their parents for love and support in hard times.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every January, the day arrives that South Africans know can decide their fates: the “matric” exam results are announced. In 2023, <a href="https://sundayworld.co.za/news/education/umalusi-gives-the-release-of-matric-results-the-green-light/">a total of 919 532 pupils</a> wrote these all-important exams from October to November. They’ll receive their individual results on 19 January.</p>
<p>Many probably feel ambivalent about this massive moment in their educational journey. On the one hand, there is the feeling of completeness because the school years are done. On the other, there is a basket of emotions: stress, anxiety and excitement at the prospect of the unknown. Matrics (or Grade 12s) and their parents know that the <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/NationalSeniorCertificate(NSC)Examinations.aspx">National Senior Certificate</a>, issued when matric is successfully completed, is a ticket to the future. </p>
<p>The results dictate whether you qualify to apply to a tertiary institution or not; this a big deal in a society that sees university qualifications as the ideal (or only) <a href="http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/760/363">path to wealth, image and fame</a>. University qualifications are <a href="https://theconversation.com/history-explains-why-black-south-africans-still-mistrust-vocational-training-46998">also viewed as superior</a> to vocational training.</p>
<p>So, those who don’t achieve the required matric marks will not be able to attend university. It can shatter dreams and cause huge disappointment, along with feelings of failure, hopelessness and helplessness. The way a parent or caregiver responds in this situation is extremely important.</p>
<p>As a researcher specialising in parent-child relationships, here’s my advice for guiding children through what can be a tough, scary and disappointing time.</p>
<h2>Positive support</h2>
<p>There are four key things your children need to hear if they are disappointed and feeling like a failure:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Getting up after a fall is important</p></li>
<li><p>Success is relative: everyone is different and has different abilities</p></li>
<li><p>There are many ways to achieve success other than getting a university degree</p></li>
<li><p>As a parent you believe your child is capable of doing anything.</p></li>
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<p>This kind of positive, loving support is critical. The research I’ve conducted with various colleagues shows that parents are important in adolescents’ <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40894-015-0003-y">decision-making</a>, <a href="http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/760/363">life goals and aspirations</a>. They also play a key role in shaping teens’ <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0081246316653744">psychological wellbeing</a>, as well as modelling both <a href="https://repository.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/handle/10566/2843">healthy</a> and risky behaviours.</p>
<p>Negative parenting practices like rejection, neglect, psychological control, pressure to perform, overprotectiveness and indulgent parenting are associated with difficulty in making good decisions. Children may panic about making decisions, become indecisive – especially about career choices – or make risky decisions.</p>
<p>It is normal for parents to be disappointed that their child’s results were not as expected. However, as a start, take a deep breath and realise that your child is struggling to come to terms with their results, too, and may believe they are a failure. This is not the time to scold and berate them about not achieving. </p>
<p>Remember, the Grade 12 year that’s just passed has, by and large, been about achieving success and feeling the pressure to perform. This situation just amplifies their stress and anxiety.</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath allows for calmness in your approach to supporting your child. A more positive approach, which includes being responsive, supportive, approachable, encouraging and understanding, would be very helpful as a start to diffusing a very emotional situation for your child. </p>
<h2>Room to talk and plan</h2>
<p>Allow your child to talk about how they’re feeling about the outcome, without interrupting. It would be a good idea to find out if your child has thoughts about the way forward. This could be the first of a few paced conversations over a few weeks. This will allow for some perspective and give your child the chance to think things through. That helps them to develop feelings of ownership in decision-making as well as boosting their confidence and competence. This is important for the satisfaction of psychological needs to achieve psychological wellbeing.</p>
<p>If they haven’t thought about what comes next, you could consider exploring the options together, building a plan B and C since plan A was not achieved. For instance, your child could request re-marks for subjects where they expected to perform better. Or they could enrol for the Department of Basic Education’s <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/programmes/secondchanceprogramme.aspx">Second Chance Programme</a>.</p>
<p>Monitor your child and their wellbeing in this time. You may feel that you need to draw in others, such as a counsellor, psychologist or social worker, or a teacher or friend your child is close to, to help map out the next steps, providing options or just as an additional support for you and your child.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198074/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicolette V Roman receives funding from the National Research Foundation for her SARChI: Developing Human Capabilities and Social Cohesion through the Family. She is also a member of the Family Strengthening Steering Committee for the Western Cape Government.</span></em></p>The way a parent or caregiver responds in this situation is extremely important.Nicolette V Roman, SARChI: Human Capabilities, Social Cohesion and the Family, University of the Western CapeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1300772020-01-23T13:51:06Z2020-01-23T13:51:06ZHow to fix the gap between school and work in South Africa<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/310937/original/file-20200120-69555-9zr7pp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The world of work is changing constantly, profoundly, and faster. This is <a href="https://www.workfront.com/blog/2017-trends-7-biggest-changes-coming-to-the-workplace">clear from</a> the outsourcing of work, waves of technological advances, increasing automation in business, and big data analysis driving the growth of industries. </p>
<p>The needs of industry are shifting constantly and the education system should be responding to provide needs-based support. </p>
<p>Education theorists, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have to remember that the occupational situation differs from country to country. They also need to remember that changing work contexts are influencing employees and job-seekers in distinct ways. Work is becoming increasingly more complex. This means that there’s a growing need for lifelong learning, teamwork, and networking as well as an increased emphasis on digital skills to promote career <a href="https://www.wbdg.org/resources/changing-nature-organizations-work-and-workplace">adaptability and employability</a>.</p>
<p>They also have to bear in mind that the industrial sector is <a href="https://www.fxstreet.com/analysis/what-is-behind-shrinking-manufacturing-201911291511">shrinking</a>. Accordingly, work-seekers in the Global South have been turning to the service sector as well as to the informal economy with a fair amount of success. This trend is likely to <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2222-34362019000100006">continue</a>. </p>
<p>The issue is whether education systems are keeping pace with the changes.</p>
<h2>Gateway subjects</h2>
<p>To understand whether young South Africans have the skills required by the current world of work after 12 years in school I use the lens of the so-called gateway subjects. These are maths and physical sciences and, to an extent, accounting. These form the <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/concern-over-gateway-subjects-1447965">foundation</a> for scientific, economic, and industrial development and research. </p>
<p>Multiple <a href="https://www.itweb.co.za/content/DZQ58MVJZXoMzXy2">educationists and researchers</a> have contended that learners who’ve passed maths and physical sciences and have acquired the basic aspects of information communication skills and robotics have a competitive advantage in the occupational world over those that have not. South Africa simply cannot afford the unacceptably low percentage of school learners who pass Grade 12 with mathematics and physical sciences. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-south-africas-declining-maths-performance-is-a-worry-129563">Why South Africa's declining maths performance is a worry</a>
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<p>Why the emphasis on maths and physical sciences? </p>
<p>Having passed Grade 12 with maths and physical sciences helps because these subjects contribute at least <a href="https://www.fin24.com/Economy/breaking-sas-economic-growth-shrinks-by-06-in-third-quarter-20191203">22% to the economy</a>. Likewise, having passed either information communication technology or even computer-assisted technology helps to <a href="https://borgenproject.org/how-technology-is-helping-economies/">advance</a> the economy by reducing production costs, boosting the growth of new businesses, and improving communication. </p>
<p>It also helps to acquire <a href="https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2017/01/31/6-critical-skills-tomorrows-workplace/">“soft skills”</a> such as career adaptability, emotional-social intelligence, career resilience, creativity, innovation, and the ability to collaborate and to network, among other things. These skills are increasingly being seen as <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anantagarwal/2018/10/02/data-reveals-why-the-soft-in-soft-skills-is-a-major-misnomer/#6b612da06f7b">“hard skills”</a> in the 21st century workplace because they’re strongly <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/50/12630">aligned</a> with market needs.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, they aren’t being taught and learned adequately at school.</p>
<h2>South Africa’s overly academic school system</h2>
<p>A number of problems afflict South Africa’s education system.</p>
<p>Black learners continue to feel the effects of apartheid’s education system which <a href="https://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-5/supproting-materials/apartheid-education">spent</a> more on education for white learners. This means that the vast majority of black learners in the neediest environments get inadequate teaching and learning. </p>
<p>Unless the disparity between rich children and poor children is addressed, the gap between the achievements of learners in well-resourced schools and disadvantaged learners in resource-scarce schools will persist.</p>
<p>The effects of this disparity are felt for the rest of the pupils’ lives. One consequence is that they they struggle to succeed in university studies. </p>
<p>An added difficulty is that the country’s overly academic school system sends the message to learners and their parents that learners should strive to study at a university and that it is ‘better’ to study at a university than, for instance, at a TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) College. </p>
<p>I’m <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030227982">in favour</a> of introducing a system that facilitates differentiated training from an early stage. </p>
<p>At the end of grade nine – at about 15 years old – most learners are already able decide whether they want to pursue academic or more vocational studies. This is the point where the system should start channelling them in career-related directions that will give them their best chance of eventually pursuing careers that “fit” their personalities – including their interests and aptitudes and enable them to enact their central life themes. </p>
<p>Another key factor that needs to be addressed is the matter of inadequate career counselling for pupils – black learners especially. During apartheid, the disadvantaged black majority of students were <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-6300-154-0_1">denied access</a> to career counselling in schools. Even today, the <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002017000400011">vast majority</a> of black learners still receive little career counselling at school and cannot afford to pay a career counsellor. </p>
<p>Funding should be <a href="https://sastudy.co.za/article/what-is-a-seta/">made available</a> by the government and employers to enable learners to consult career counsellors. Group-based career counselling is a viable solution to the challenge of providing career counselling in schools with large numbers of pupils. </p>
<h2>Solutions</h2>
<p>I maintain that there are solutions for these challenges. What’s needed is the will to use resources that are available and to move forward expeditiously.</p>
<p>To help narrow the disparity gap I’ve <a href="https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/pretoria-news/20200108/281569472661080">argued</a> in favour of making it compulsory for graduating teachers and educational psychologists to do community service in rural areas and <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/publication/the-economics-of-south-african-townships-special-focus-on-diepsloot">townships</a>. These professionals must be given incentives, their safety must be ensured, and they must be paid a decent salary. </p>
<p>Another step that could be taken is to rehire <a href="https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/16042/Maree_Critical(2010).pdf?sequence=1">the many</a> teachers who have been retrenched or who have taken severance package deals.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/130077/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kobus Maree does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There are a few things South Africa needs to do to close the gap between what the education system produces and what the job market needs.Kobus Maree, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of PretoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1295632020-01-09T17:08:57Z2020-01-09T17:08:57ZWhy South Africa’s declining maths performance is a worry<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309280/original/file-20200109-80107-18meh2w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1015%2C134%2C2726%2C2345&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announces South Africa's 2019 matric results and congratulates top achievers.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flickr.com/photos/governmentza/49349311572/in/dateposted/">Flickr/GCIS</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Africa’s Department of Basic Education recently released the country’s National Senior Certificate results for the <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/2019%20NSC%20Examination%20Report.pdf?ver=2020-01-07-155811-230">class of 2019</a>. These are commonly known as the “matric results” and they determine school-leavers’ admission and placement into tertiary level study. About 81.3% of those who wrote the matriculation exams passed. There has been much well-deserved celebration of this achievement of the highest post-apartheid national matric pass rate. </p>
<p>What the country is not hearing about from the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, is the drop in performance in mathematics. It is one of the <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/schools-warned-against-scrapping-hard-subjects-to-achieve-100-pass-marks-30974367">“gateway” subjects</a>, subjects which are considered critical for the country’s economic growth and development.</p>
<p>This decline can be measured in two ways. There is a reduction in the number of students writing mathematics from 270,516 in 2018 to 222,034 <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Resources/Reports.aspx">in 2019</a>. The second measure is the performance: only 54% of the pupils who wrote the exam passed it. This pass rate is down from 58% in 2018. The minimum score for a pass is 30%. This means only 54% of mathematics exam candidates achieved a mark of at least 30%. Of all the maths candidates only 2% (4,415) <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Resources/Reports.aspx">achieved distinctions</a>. A distinction is a score of 80%-100%. This is down from 2.5% in 2018.</p>
<h2>Why does this matter?</h2>
<p>The drop in numbers of pupils writing the grade 12 mathematics exam should be of great concern. Performance in mathematics matters for university entrance. Without it, school leavers are not eligible for programmes at university in science or engineering or some in commerce. A decline signals the closing of the doors of opportunity in these fields to a growing number of students. This will only increase inequality. Economics researcher Nic Spaull’s <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-18811-5_1">research</a> has shown that the top 200 high schools in the country produce 97% of the mathematics distinctions. The majority of these schools charge significant fees. </p>
<p>The deterioration in performance is also of great concern. Getting a pass (30%) may secure a diploma or university entrance but these low pass marks will not prepare students to succeed at mathematics at university level. </p>
<p>This development runs contrary to the needs of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Fourth-Industrial-Revolution-2119734">fourth industrial revolution</a>, which requires highly competent graduates in the science, technology, engineering and maths areas. Strong performance in mathematics is essential for careers in computing, programming, finance and machine learning. </p>
<h2>Universities need to shoulder the blame</h2>
<p>Universities cannot absolve themselves of this national challenge. At the University of Cape Town data from the <a href="https://www.uct.ac.za/main/teaching-and-learning/courses-impeding-graduation">Courses Impeding Graduation</a> project is being analysed to better understand incoming students’ challenges, specifically in courses like Mathematics 1. </p>
<p>In this course a worrying pattern of performance emerged. A minimum mark of 70% for maths in matric is needed to get into Mathematics 1 at the university. Based on several years of data, an average of 33% of students fail this course. Those students who enter with a 90% mark for maths in matric score a pass in Mathematics 1 with an average mean of 64%. Those students who achieved between 80% and 89% in matric fail the course with an average mean of 47%. Those who achieved between 70% and 79% in matric fail with an average mean of 43%. </p>
<p>Unless a student achieved a distinction for mathematics at school level they are at risk of failing it at university level. Students who fail Mathematics 1 will inevitably take longer to complete their degree and are at higher risk of being excluded from the university.</p>
<h2>Dealing with the problem</h2>
<p>The University of Cape Town is taking responsibility for its share in these dismal results. A number of interventions have been put in place over recent years to provide additional support to students. These include “maths labs”, Saturday workshops, and even providing multilingual resources to support students who are not yet fluent in the medium of instruction.</p>
<p>Expert maths teachers have been appointed to lecture this challenging course. But the overall failure rates of approximately one third of the class have remained stubbornly in place. A decision was taken in 2019 to revise the Mathematics 1 curriculum to ensure a greater alignment between schooling and university curriculum. </p>
<p>This kind of curriculum review raises a number of complex issues: what is the appropriate content to ensure a relatively seamless transition from school maths to university maths? Do different disciplinary areas like actuarial science, chemistry and engineering need different kinds of mathematics courses? How can the pacing of the curriculum accommodate different learning needs? How can educational technology support innovative forms of teaching and learning mathematics? These are global issues, not unique to South Africa.</p>
<p>The national euphoria around the national pass rate means nothing if it hides problems such as declining mathematics performance.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129563/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suellen Shay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Performance in mathematics matters for university entrance. Without it, school leavers are not eligible for many programmes.Suellen Shay, Professor, University of Cape TownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1294652020-01-09T17:07:58Z2020-01-09T17:07:58ZStudent success is about more than hard work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/309078/original/file-20200108-107243-ncyxf9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Entering university from a middle-class family is easier.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It is that time of year again when South Africans celebrate National Senior Certificate results, ushering a generation of youth out of the school system and into the world. Of the <a href="https://mg.co.za/article/2020-01-08-matric-class-hits-80-pass-mark-for-the-first-time">788,717</a> who successfully completed these exams, 186,058 achieved passes that potentially open the doors of university study. </p>
<p>As we read about the results, we take delight in the success stories, like the student from a poorer background scoring multiple distinctions despite having no properly qualified maths or science teacher. Or the rural student who earned a university entrance despite walking long distances to school each day. These achievements <a href="https://www.politicsweb.co.za/documents/matric-pass-rate-a-poor-indicator--ee">should be celebrated</a>, as they are truly exceptional. </p>
<p>But the problem with these stories, uplifting as they may be, is that they often carry a subtext. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“If he can do it, why can’t <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/363480/4-tables-and-graphs-you-should-see-ahead-of-south-africas-matric-results/">the rest of them</a>?” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The presumption that hard work alone leads to success – and that laziness leads to failure – follows the student into the university. Here, despite a wealth of careful research that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01425692.2011.527723">proclaims otherwise</a>, most people believe that success emerges from the intelligence and work ethic of <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Theorizing-Social-Class-and-Education-1st-Edition/Reay-Vincent/p/book/9780415842297">the individual</a>.</p>
<p>In a recent journal article, we have <a href="http://cristal.epubs.ac.za/index.php/cristal/article/view/184">argued</a> that academics often ignore the research on student failure that shows it emerges from a number of factors. Many of these factors are beyond the attributes inherent in the student. Instead, most hold on to the simplistic common sense assumption that success comes to those who deserve it. Academics who hold this view are prone to assume that students are successful because of what an individual student does or does not do. </p>
<p>But the reality is a far more complex interplay of individual attributes with social structures which unfairly affect some more than others. </p>
<h2>The lure of meritocratic explanations</h2>
<p>There is a widely held view that education is a <a href="http://cristal.epubs.ac.za/index.php/cristal/article/view/80">meritocracy</a>, where success is determined by the merit of the individual. The term was coined in British sociologist Michael Young’s 1958 book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Meritocracy-Classics-Organization-Management/dp/1560007044">The Rise of the Meritocracy</a>. In it, he described a dystopian society stratified by educational level and intelligence. The term has been appropriated to suggest that those who do well at university do so on the basis of personal effort and acumen rather than as a result of their privileged background.</p>
<p>University academics have <a href="https://www.africanminds.co.za/dd-product/going-to-university-the-influence-of-higher-education-on-the-lives-of-young-south-africans/">access to research</a> looking at the complex mechanisms of higher education. Despite this, many are likely to believe that the university <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-class-and-social-capital-affect-university-students-92602">is a meritocracy</a>. Believing that students succeed or fail on their own merits sits more comfortably than scrutinising the role universities play in reinforcing divisions in society.</p>
<p>In every country around the world, higher education success most strongly correlates to <a href="https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781137534804">social class</a>. Parental education levels, wealth, social influence and status are the strongest indicator of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/212017/the-tyranny-of-the-meritocracy-by-lani-guinier/">university success</a>. But class does not work in isolation from other forces. </p>
<p>Social class intersects in varying ways with race, gender, language, and so on. In some countries, for example, race is used as a means of dividing society and assigning social class. In many countries, gender too plays a role in who gets access to the powerful knowledge offered by the academy. All of these factors and more have a role to play. But it is social class that most consistently tracks <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/46608">higher education success</a> across geographical contexts.</p>
<p>If you did well at university, chances are that you worked hard and you’re bright. But those two characteristics probably account for a much smaller part of your success than most of us would care to admit.</p>
<h2>What class privilege looks like</h2>
<p>Entering university from a middle-class family doesn’t only confer financial, health, educational, emotional and nutritional benefits. It also provides less visible privileges. A middle-class student probably had role models like relatives who went to university, possibly even the same university, who could explain the university system. It’s likely that they took part in everyday conversations about professional identities, and they could probably draw on social networks to assist them in adapting to university life and then entering the workplace.</p>
<p>The late French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu <a href="https://books.google.co.za/books?vid=ISBN0803983204&id=vl0n9_wrrbUC&dq=%22Reproduction+in+Education%22">argued</a> that underprivileged students fail not because they are less intelligent than middle-class students but because the curriculum is biased towards what middle-class students are already accustomed to. It is this that reinforces the relationship between social class and success in higher education around the world.</p>
<p>Many of the privileges that middle-class students enjoy are so arcane as to be invisible, even to themselves. These students often bring with them a sense that their role at university is to engage not just with facts but with the disciplinary rules for how knowledge gets made. Typically they are willing to challenge what is presented to them and to seek flaws in the evidence provided in the texts they encounter. They also have a stronger confidence in their right to be there and to participate fully. These, and many other ways, aid middle-class students to enter the academy primed for success.</p>
<h2>What needs to happen?</h2>
<p>Academics who are committed to social justice often have to grapple with the fact that the university does not reward students on the basis of merit so much as on privilege. This calls for teaching in ways that constantly seek to make the expectations of the classroom transparent and the disciplinary norms and values explicit. </p>
<p>Teachers need to make these practices clear to students and, in the process, harness <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03075079.2011.582096">students’ agency</a> to craft their own place in the world and their own contribution to knowledge. Regular feedback on student work, for example, allows students to begin to see what counts as knowledge in the particular discipline.</p>
<p>It is also important to expose academic practices to scrutiny. Increasingly the academy is being challenged to consider forms of knowledge long omitted by the <a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-cant-decolonise-the-curriculum-without-defining-it-first-63948">colonial order</a>. </p>
<p>The university promises society that it will produce both powerful knowledge and competent graduates adept at using such knowledge to tackle societal and environmental problems. But not all university practices are inherently powerful and much powerful knowledge remains outside its walls.</p>
<p>If some students enter the university with easier access to the practices needed for success, nobody can pretend that institutions are a meritocracy rewarding attributes inherent in <a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-cant-just-wash-their-hands-of-student-failure-40664">the individual</a>. Understanding the complex relationship between social class and educational success requires that educators reconsider almost all aspects of their teaching.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129465/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Simpiwe Sobuwa is the Vice-Chariperson of the Professional Board for Emergency Care and a Council Member of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. I however write this article in my academic capacity.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sioux McKenna does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many of the privileges that middle-class students enjoy are not obvious, even to themselves.Sioux McKenna, Director of Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes UniversitySimpiwe Sobuwa, Head of Department: Emergency Medical Care & Rescue, Durban University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1094412019-01-07T13:23:51Z2019-01-07T13:23:51ZWhat South Africa’s matric pass rate means for universities<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/252645/original/file-20190107-32142-znnkea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">South African universities aren't doing justice even to top performing high school graduates. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Africa’s Minister of Basic Education announced a 2018 matric pass rate of <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Newsroom/Speeches/tabid/950/ctl/Details/mid/8127/ItemID/5972/Default.aspx">78.2%</a> in the first week of January as well as a number of other significant achievements. These are academic results of students in their final year of high school. The results are used to gauge the state of the country’s education system. Based on this performance, the argument is that South Africa’s education system is on the right track and making steady, if slow, progress.</p>
<p>Whether the country accepts this or not, the question that needs to be asked is what these matric results mean for higher education, and more importantly, for the future professions that top matriculants aspire to.</p>
<p>One of the purposes of the National Senior Certificate – South Africa’s main school-leaving certificate – is to identify students who are sufficiently prepared for tertiary study. While tertiary education is not for everyone, the country needs a pool of talented matriculants to provide the high level skills it needs for its economy and broader society. </p>
<p>So how is South Africa doing? I illustrate the progress by looking at the subject of mathematics. Mathematics develops logical reasoning and problem-solving and hence a “gateway” subject for many of the professions such as engineering, commerce and health sciences.</p>
<p>What do the final exam results say about the size and quality of the pool of matriculants who passed mathematics? What does their performance at tertiary level demonstrate about the pool of graduates ready to enter a workforce affected by changing work environments, particularly the rise of technology? </p>
<h2>Small pool</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Resources/Reports.aspx">data</a> suggest that the pool of matriculants who wrote mathematics is small and not strong. Over the past five years significantly less than 50% of the matric final exam writers wrote mathematics as a subject. Of the 11 top subjects, mathematics is consistently the lowest performing. In 2018, out of a total of 270,516 mathematics writers, 37% passed with 40% and above. The percentage pass has been consistently between 30 and 35%. </p>
<p>From the point of view of selective universities who require 80% and above for programmes in commerce, engineering, science, health sciences and quantitative social sciences, the pool is extremely small. Out of the total mathematics writers, 5828 passed with distinction (80% or above) which is only 2.6% of mathematics writers. </p>
<p>From this very small pool universities then compete to attract and retain this highly talented students. How well are they doing? Data collected on the past three years performance (2015-2017) of an entry level mathematics course in one of South Africa’s selective universities shows a sobering reality: those who come in with a National Senior Certificate mathematics mark of 90% and above pass the course (with an average mean of 64%). Those who entered with a score below 90%, fail the course. </p>
<p>This is a course convened and taught by award-winning, highly committed teaching staff, where significant resources have been allocated to provide additional support for students, including an extended degree taught by highly experienced teaching staff. </p>
<h2>Failure of higher education</h2>
<p>South Africa can draw two conclusions from this data: firstly, although growing and strengthening this pool will require efforts at primary and secondary level, the onus for growing the pool of qualified graduates lies with higher education. This underscores the argument made in 2013 by the Council on Higher Education which pointed to <a href="https://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Full_Report.pdf">systemic failure</a> of universities because they were failing to graduate the strongest pool of students that the schooling system had to offer.</p>
<p>Even if the schooling system is able to enlarge the pool of matriculates passing mathematics, the data suggests that this will not inevitably result in a larger pool of students who succeed in mathematics as a gateway to their chosen field of study. There is a great deal of work to be done at university level to grow and strengthen the pool from the existing talented school leavers.</p>
<p>Secondly, the problem of the “gap” between schooling completion and university preparedness is not new. Nor are solutions: South Africa has 30 years of interventions aimed at addressing this problem. However, a critical look at the high failure rates in these gateway courses (such as mathematics, physics, statistics, economics) despite a wide range of interventions would suggest that the sector is not doing as well as it should.</p>
<p>Perhaps some of the persistent educational problems, in part due to gross educational inequalities, require a different way of thinking. Perhaps the higher education sector needs to shift its resources from interventions for those deemed “at risk” (thereby leaving the rest unchanged) and to focus on systemic change. This means focusing on structural changes and the core business of teaching and learning itself –- curriculum that is flexible to accommodate diversity, teaching that actively engages students, assessment that not only tests but promotes learning. </p>
<p>Contrary to the perception that this constitutes a “lowering of standards”, these systemic changes will profoundly raise the quality of teaching for all.</p>
<p>Higher education has no choice but to work with the pool of talent it receives. The challenge is how.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109441/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suellen Shay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>South African universities are failing to graduate the strongest students the schooling system has to offer.Suellen Shay, Professor, University of Cape TownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/708532017-01-05T08:49:23Z2017-01-05T08:49:23ZWhy caution is called for when analysing South Africa’s matric results<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/151797/original/image-20170105-18650-1kp9fgr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There are big problems in South Africa's school systems. These aren't often discussed when matric results are released.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>South Africans are poring over the latest set of <a href="http://www.enca.com/south-africa/2016-matric-results-by-numbers">matric results</a> which show how the country’s school leavers performed in their final exams after 12 years of formal schooling. Nearly 718 000 people wrote the exams and 72.5% of them passed – a small increase on last year.</em></p>
<p><em>The results always generate a great deal of debate – and often anger. The Conversation Africa’s education editor Natasha Joseph asked Associate Professor Elizabeth Walton to explain the results and why it’s crucial to remember the young people behind the numbers.</em></p>
<p><strong>There’s a huge focus on matric results every year, particularly on the national pass rate. Is this a useful obsession?</strong></p>
<p>I am not convinced that this annual obsession with matric results is productive. The national pass rate is a very blunt instrument with which to dissect South Africa’s very complex educational problems. The national pass rate obscures important differences in provincial achievements, the urban/rural divide and the unequal outcomes for learners in poorer schools. </p>
<p>It also does not tell us much about the quality of the passes, nor about the subjects taken. The national pass rate also reflects only the learners who sat the exam. It does not take into account the <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Publications/General%20Household%20Survey%202013.pdf?ver=2015-07-07-111309-287">numbers of early school leavers</a> who did not make it to matric. </p>
<p>This year the <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Newsroom/Speeches/tabid/950/ctl/Details/mid/3816/ItemID/4238/Default.aspx">announcement</a> by Angie Motshekga, the Minister of Basic Education, showed 828 020 candidates registered for the examinations. But only 717 971 – full time and part time – actually wrote the exams. This means that more than 100 000 learners made it to grade 12, but fell before the final hurdle.</p>
<p><strong>Is a final set of exams at the end of 12 years of schooling the best way for South Africa to judge pupils’ readiness for entering the world of work or continuing on to tertiary education? What other options exist?</strong></p>
<p>Many education systems around the world combine a school-based assessment component with some external standardised assessment as a school leaving qualification. But it seems to me that we should not be looking at a major change at this stage. The system needs to settle and mature. I do think, though, it would be good to revisit South African academic Professor Stephanie Allais’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africa-should-scrap-simple-pass-or-fail-exam-results-for-school-leavers-34928">proposal</a> that the current pass or fail system be scrapped.</p>
<p>She suggests that learners should instead be allowed to complete grade 12 with a basket of subjects and results which could then be presented to an employer or institution of higher learning. This would shift the focus from the national pass rate to the enrolment and results of individual subjects. It might also mean that schools could be less concerned with an overall school pass rate and rather focus on subject-level improvement over time. </p>
<p>It is possible to improve a school’s pass rate without actually improving teaching and learning; for example by finding ways to exclude learners who may compromise a school’s results, or by not offering subjects that are perceived to be difficult, like maths and physical science. </p>
<p>I also think we need to be realistic in terms of what we expect a matric qualification to signal. The minister of basic education has <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Newsroom/Speeches/tabid/950/ctl/Details/mid/3816/ItemID/4238/Default.aspx">noted</a> that it is an exit qualification and not primarily a tool for evaluating the progress of the system.</p>
<p>For those who are not looking to pursue further education, a matric certificate is expected to provide proof of preparation for the world of work. Others expect it provide evidence of the foundations of academic literacy and subject competence that will enable success in higher learning. These expectations are not always compatible with what South Africans regard as “basic education”. </p>
<p>To address this “one-size-fits-all” matric, the Department of Basic Education has <a href="http://www.gov.za/speeches/basic-education-department-briefs-portfolio-committee-skills-revolution-15-mar-2016-0000">proposed</a> a three stream education system with an Academic Stream, a Technical Vocational Stream and a Technical Occupational Stream. This is expected to address the problem of early school leaving and prepare learners for the world of work. </p>
<p><strong>Maths and science results often get the most attention. They are obviously important “canaries in the coal mine” that point to the system’s overall health. But are there subjects that deserve more attention and whose results can paint a picture of what’s going wrong – or right?</strong></p>
<p>I think it is vital that maths and science retain our attention, for several reasons. These are gateway subjects for the science, technology, engineering and maths occupations South Africa <a href="http://www.dhet.gov.za/Gazette/Government%20Gazette%20No%2039604,%2019%20January%202016.%20List%20of%20Occupations%20in%20High%20Demand%202015.pdf">urgently needs</a> to develop. They’re also subjects that bear huge scars of apartheid’s legacy.</p>
<p>They also build sequentially: poor foundations are not easily addressed by late interventions. Having said that I do think that languages, particularly indigenous African languages, also need our focus to secure their growth and development. The introduction of <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RMnJX-XwQYE%3d&tabid=420&portalid=0&mid=2373">South African Sign Language</a> as a home language examined at matric level is a definite success story.</p>
<p><strong>What if you’re a young person who’s failed matric? What’s your best option?</strong></p>
<p>This is an important question, because any analysis of the matric results must hold in tension the system and the individual. We cannot ignore the fact that there are real young people with hopes and dreams behind all the numbers. Failure is devastating – particularly in the face of a trend that sees South Africans celebrating individual “top achievers” in newspapers and at prestigious events.</p>
<p>I think we should be wary of this. It assumes that success at school is purely the result of individual effort and ability. Those who don’t succeed are <a href="http://randburgsun.co.za/311238/update-public-shocked-by-lowered-maths-pass-rate/">presumed to be lazy</a> and disinterested in education. These celebrations convey the message that everyone is equally positioned to succeed in a meritocratic process. </p>
<p>In fact, educational success in South Africa has much to do with <a href="http://ci.org.za/depts/ci/pubs/pdf/general/gauge2015/Child_Gauge_2015-Schooling.pdf">household income</a>, the <a href="http://www.ekon.sun.ac.za/wpapers/2007/wp162007/wp-16-2007.pdf">location of the school </a> and good early childhood and foundation phase <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-76822015000200003">education opportunities</a>.</p>
<p>Some learners will be upset because they expected to do well; this sometimes happens when the demands of school-based assessment have not been as rigorous as the <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/NationalSeniorCertificate(NSC)Examinations.aspx">National Senior Certificate</a> exams set by the Department of Basic Education. </p>
<p>There are opportunities to rewrite through the department’s <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/NationalSeniorCertificate(NSC)Examinations/SecondChanceProgramme/tabid/956/Default.aspx">Second Chance Programme </a>. Learners should also seek <a href="http://lifelinesa.co.za/">counselling support</a> for persistent feelings of hopelessness.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/70853/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elizabeth Walton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>South Africa’s annual matric pass rate obscures important differences in provincial achievements, the rural and urban divide and the unequal outcomes for learners in poorer schools.Elizabeth Walton, Associate professor, University of the WitwatersrandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/528342016-01-06T15:15:44Z2016-01-06T15:15:44ZSouth Africa’s universities may not be ready for the latest crop of school leavers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107378/original/image-20160106-29944-1ujzfdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Prospective students rush the gates of the University of Johannesburg during a deadly 2012 stampede. Are South Africa's universities ready for the latest crop of matriculants?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Adrian De Kock/EPA </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When South Africa’s annual matric results are announced, it is important to listen to what is said - and, more importantly, to what is not. </p>
<p>Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga offered a sober account of the 2015 results, particularly about the <a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2016-01-05-matric-pass-rate-drops-to-707">significant drop</a> in pass rate from 75% in 2014 to 70% in 2015. There were some reasons to celebrate: the ministry’s interventions to support “progressed learners” are to be commended. These are pupils who were pushed through from Grade 11 to matric even though their results didn’t qualify them to progress.</p>
<p>Nearly 40% of these learners passed and a not insignificant number obtained Bachelor’s passes, which means they can now apply for university study, and many were awarded distinctions, or “A” symbols. This suggests that the investment has been worthwhile. Many of these learners were given the opportunity to show their true potential.</p>
<p>But what about the things Motshekga didn’t say? In the higher education sector, we are interested in what the results say about the extent to which the 2015 matriculants are prepared for university study. To answer this question, one needs to look a little deeper.</p>
<h2>Methods of measurement</h2>
<p>There are two ways to measure admissions into and preparedness for university in South Africa. One is the National Senior Certificate, the other the National <a href="http://www.nbt.ac.za/node/89">Benchmark Tests</a>. The benchmark tests are taken by nearly 80,000 university applicants across the country each year. Together these measures offer complementary data for universities’ admissions decisions. The senior certificate is an indicator of learners’ past school achievement in a range of subjects. The National Benchmark Tests are an indicator of likely future performance against more general competencies, such as academic literacy, quantitative literacy and mathematics. </p>
<p>Not all university programmes require Maths and Science, but these subjects are good indicators of university preparedness. They are also essential for entry into programmes such as Science, Commerce, Engineering and Health Science and some specialisations in the Social Sciences arena. Motshekga said during the results announcement that the number of passes in Maths and Science increased between 2014 and 2015. She qualified this by noting, though, that the percentage pass had dropped. </p>
<p>A technical report is always released alongside the official results announcement. The detail about Maths and Sciences passes in <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JgmMMi8JtFI%3d&tabid=358&mid=1325">this report</a> is both interesting and important:</p>
<p>While the number of students enrolled for each of these subjects increased, the overall percentage of students enrolled from these subjects remained the same across the two years: 33% of learners in both 2014 and 2015 wrote Mathematics and 24% learners wrote Physical Science. In comparison the percentage of learners writing Mathematics Literacy increased from 46% to 49% between the two years. Mathematics Literacy is a subject introduced in 2006 and typically perceived to be <a href="http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2014/07/24/department-prefers-pupils-to-take-maths-rather-than-maths-literacy">less academically challenging</a> than Mathematics.</p>
<p>In terms of performance, while <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JgmMMi8JtFI%3d&tabid=358&mid=1325">more learners</a> passed in each of these subjects the percentage of passes for Mathematics is down: in 2015 49% of those writing scored 30% and above, compared to 53% who scored the same in 2014. This means that of the 33% of learners who wrote Mathematics in 2015, only half scored above 30%, which constitutes a pass. Of the approximately 25% who wrote Physical Science as a subject, 59% scored 30% and above, down from 61% in 2014. </p>
<p>Overall these results are of concern for learners who want to go to university and study a science-related subject.</p>
<h2>A sobering picture</h2>
<p>The National Benchmark Test results for the 2015 writers provide an equally sobering picture of performance in these key competency areas. Pupils are scored against three benchmarks: basic, intermediate and proficient. These benchmarks are set by disciplinary experts around the country who represent most of South Africa’s universities.</p>
<p>‘Basic’ predicts that students will face serious challenges and require extensive and long term support. ‘Intermediate’ predicts that students will face some challenges and require some support. ‘Proficient’ predicts that students will be able to cope with regular programme of study. Here’s what the 2015 test results tell us:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>45% of those writing the Maths benchmark test scored ‘basic’. This means that they will have serious challenges with university level Mathematics. </p></li>
<li><p>Only 10% scored ‘proficient’, meaning that they would be expected to cope with regular mainstream provision. This provides strong evidence that, despite all the achievements of the Department of Basic Education, the overwhelming majority of matriculants are not prepared for university level study in science-based fields. </p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Are universities ready?</h2>
<p>There is a flip side to the issue of student preparedness: are universities ready for these incoming matriculants? The data I’ve outlined above provides a compelling body of evidence for universities to revisit their assumptions about what constitutes entry level readiness.</p>
<p>This requires a hard and critical look at the undergraduate curriculum. For instance, the University of Johannesburg is <a href="http://www.enca.com/south-africa/uj-ready-enrol-10500-new-students">preparing</a> to enrol 10,500 new students in 2016. To what extent does it have the necessary Maths and Science curriculum in place at entry level to cater for the diversity of educational preparedness among those new students? </p>
<p>Some will need no support. But the majority will need extensive academic guidance and help. </p>
<p>The reality is that until there is significant reform of South Africa’s undergraduate curriculum, with a particular focus on Mathematics and Science, universities will remain unprepared - even for those who made it through matric, obtained Bachelor’s passes and are, in Motshekga’s own words, “the best of the best” that the schooling system has to offer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/52834/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suellen Shay receives funding from the National Research Foundation and from Department of Higher Education and Training (both are research funding). </span></em></p>South Africa’s matric results and data from national benchmarking tests suggest that many school leavers aren’t ready for university. It’s also worth asking: are universities ready for them?Suellen Shay, Dean and Associate Professor, University of Cape TownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/527802016-01-06T06:45:20Z2016-01-06T06:45:20ZWhat final exam results reveal about South Africa’s school system<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/107289/original/image-20160105-28991-ym1sve.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">South Africa's matric results are held up as probably the most important moment in the basic education system.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">GCIS/Flickr</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>South Africa’s Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga <a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/2015-matric-pass-rate-drops-to-707-20160105">announced</a> on January 5 that 70.7% of the country’s matrics – learners who wrote their final Grade 12 exams in 2015 – passed. Some can now apply for hotly contested university places; others will choose vocational training, take a gap year or try to head straight into the workforce.</em></p>
<p><em>Some experts <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africa-should-scrap-simple-pass-or-fail-exam-results-for-school-leavers-34928">say</a> that there’s too much focus on these results and not enough elsewhere in the country’s troubled education system. The Conversation Africa’s education editor Natasha Joseph asked Alan Cliff, associate professor in higher education at the University of Cape Town, to put the results into context.</em></p>
<p><strong>Do you think that too much is made of the matric results? Is South Africa focusing too much on them and not enough on other education milestones?</strong></p>
<p>At one level, you could argue that too much is made of the school-leaving examination result. However, there is a clear structural or systemic signal that is very important: those who want to go on to higher education require adequate minimum school leaving exam results. In the same way, those who are job hunting straight out of school must provide proof of adequate achievement in the exam.</p>
<p>So it’s not surprising that much is made of the matric exam result. Historically, it’s been assumed to be a good proxy for requisite achievement in core areas of knowledge and competence. The problem is that it’s difficult to determine what the proxy means, both at the knowledge and competence levels. That’s especially true in a context where the historical and residual effects of unequal schooling and uneven teacher expertise remain profound.</p>
<p>To focus on other education milestones, such as the results of the <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/AnnualNationalAssessment/tabid/424/Default.aspx">Annual National Assessments</a> or pupils’ performance at the end of Grade 9 – when they can legally <a href="http://www.ci.org.za/depts/ci/pubs/pdf/resources/guides/Ages%20Guide%20April%202011%20e-version.pdf">leave school</a> – we need to be confident that the disparities in the primary and secondary schooling systems have been reduced or eradicated. We’re not confident of this. </p>
<p>We also need to know what it is that is being assessed through these milestones – which means being sure that teachers or assessors are adequately trained experts with experience. </p>
<p>Finally, we need to understand the validity claims that are made on the basis of these milestones. Educators, test-takers and the public need to know what’s being assessed, why it’s being done and that inferences about the assessment are appropriate.</p>
<p>As a system-wide calibration of what school-leavers know and can do, the matric exam remains the only practicable means of standardised assessment. </p>
<p><strong>2. <a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2016-01-05-matric-results-2015-sets-new-records-for-enrollment">166,263</a> of the 799,306 candidates who sat for these exams passed well enough to qualify for university admission. Approximately how many of them will be accepted – and how many are actually ready for the rigours of university?</strong></p>
<p>Pretty much all students who qualify to be admitted to higher education will be accepted somewhere in the system. Remember that only between 5% and 10% of school leavers will qualify with a bachelor’s pass.</p>
<p>Research shows us that only <a href="https://theconversation.com/moving-beyond-the-educational-blame-game-in-south-africa-43071">about one-third</a> of <em>all</em> school-leavers who qualify for higher education can be said to be ready for a university’s academic literacy requirements. This stems from the historical and current inequities at secondary school level. These are then unavoidably replicated in the higher education sector, which faces massive and multiple challenges in supporting its students. </p>
<p>However, blaming the secondary sector for school-leavers’ perceived or actual shortcomings is not going to advance the goal of better-prepared school-leavers and graduates. National development is the responsibility of all sectors.</p>
<p><strong>3. Do you believe there’s too much focus on university education at the expense of, for instance, vocational training? Are people falling through the cracks because there’s such a drive for university degrees even for matriculants who are better suited to artisanal, administrative or “non-degree” work?</strong></p>
<p>There probably is too much focus on university education. This is <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/29d9258a-eb3b-11e3-8a5f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3wOKqGdeU">not just</a> a South African challenge though, and it will remain for as long as university education is held in higher esteem than other forms of post-school education.</p>
<p>The issue is that school-leavers themselves believe university education to be “worth” more than other forms of education. And this belief has some relation to reality, in that university graduates are more prized than graduates from other post-school training.</p>
<p>Worldwide, countries have tried to “sell” other forms of training as being different to – not better than – university education, but school-leavers, their parents and the wider society are <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/mar/11/furthereducation.news">not buying that</a>. </p>
<p>The added issue in South Africa is that channelling school-leavers into different forms of post-school education carries <a href="https://theconversation.com/history-explains-why-black-south-africans-still-mistrust-vocational-training-46998">nefarious connotations</a> of historical “gate-keeping” or social engineering. So it is very difficult to motivate to a school-leaver that vocational training is a better option than university education. University education still picks itself.</p>
<p><strong>4. Your own research through the National Benchmark Test Project shows that South Africa’s matriculants are, generally, hugely underprepared even after 12 years at school. What do you think is going wrong at the basic education stage?</strong></p>
<p>First, the resourcing of primary and secondary schooling. The Department of Basic Education has made huge attempts to address the inequities of schooling provision across the country. But the reality is that many schools are still hugely under-resourced.</p>
<p>Even with equal resources, the bigger challenge is the lack of qualified and experienced school teachers at primary and secondary level. There’s also a relative lack of incentive for school-leavers to train as teachers and of infrastructure to support excellent training.</p>
<p>The third major contributor historically is the nature and quality of the assessment systems that are in place. These enable students to pass examinations by engaging with cognitively less demanding forms of assessment.</p>
<p>This has been pointed to in a number <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=VIFw9JGiNNo%3D&tabid=358&mid=1301">of studies</a> which show that the proportion of cognitively more demanding questions in the school-leaving examination has reduced over the last ten to 15 years, significantly in relation to the assessment of English Second Language learning - and this has a direct impact upon facility in the language of teaching and learning. It’s an issue which prompted <a href="http://www.vukuzenzele.gov.za/matric-pass-requirements-under-review">the review</a> of the assessment system that’s currently underway.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/52780/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Their school careers are over – but what did South Africa’s matric class of 2015 actually learn, and how many of them are ready for what comes next?Natasha Joseph, Commissioning EditorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.