Cape Town - In the same week that saw questions around why embattled Education Minister Angie Motshekga was not axed in the cabinet reshuffle, her department has admitted that a committee set up nine months ago to investigate the quality of the matric certificate has yet to start its work.
The class of 2012 achieved a 73.9 percent pass rate, the highest since the National Senior Certificate (NSC) was introduced in 2008. However, just 26.6 percent of pupils received a pass that would allow them to attend university, and that, allied to a 30 percent pass mark, prompted widespread criticism of a “dumbing down” of matric.
In a move widely hailed at the time, Motshekga published a notice in the Government Gazette last October establishing a task team to evaluate key aspects of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) qualification. But, to date, not even the names of the committee members have been gazetted.
With only six months to complete its work, the ministerial task team will have no impact on this year’s matrics at all, despite widespread criticism about the quality of the matric certificate.
Leading academic and University of Free State vice-chancellor Jonathan Jansen said: “The fact that the committee hasn’t started its work yet probably tells you that it’s not that important to them,” he said.
“The matric pass rate is the only thing the minister has to hold on to. In the face of all her trouble with Equal Education and the results of international tests, if she can convince the president that it’s fine, the matric results are going up, she’ll keep her job,” he said.
Jansen said his university was drawing a line in the sand with regards to the quality of the matric qualification. He pointed out that the department did not lose credibility in the job market if the quality of the matric certificate was called into question, but that universities stood to lose a great deal if the quality of their degree was questioned.
“We need to stop making this a political and media event and get the basics right. Basics include making sure kids are in class, they have a routine, teachers are teaching, and unions aren’t disrupting,” he continued.”
Basic Education department spokeswoman Hope Mokgatlhe said the resignation of one of the members had caused the delay. A replacement had been found, and Motshekga had approved all the names, which were set to be gazetted next week. The committee would hold its first meeting on July 26.
But DA spokeswoman on education Annette Lovemore slammed the delays, saying that every time the question of the quality of the NSC was raised, the response was that a period of five years needed to pass before an evaluation could take place.
“Well, it’s been five years. And we welcomed the announcement that this committee would be formed, but the fact that it hasn’t even started its work is worrisome,” she said.
Brad Brockman, education NGO Equal Education secretary-general, said questions should raised about why there was a delay, and when the final report would be published.
“They should be held accountable,” he said.
Education specialist Graeme Bloch said “there isn’t a problem with the quality of the matric qualification, but there is a problem with the quality of the matric”.
Meanwhile, a separate committee established to look into maths, science and technology in education has finished its work and handed its report to the minister, Mokgatlhe said.
South Africa was ranked second last in the world when it came to maths and science education by a World Economic Forum study this year. Only Yemen scored worse.
Independent on Saturday