Durban - For the third year in a row, KwaZulu-Natal has noted a steady improvement in the maths and science pass rates, with more than 50% of matrics who sat for exams last year passing maths.
For mathematics, in 2016, only 37.91% of matrics passed, improving to 41.59% in 2017 and a marked improvement of 50.6% last year (class of 2018).
In physical science, the numbers have also been on an upwards trajectory between 2016 and 2018, with the figures improving from 57.76%, 65.11% and 73.6% respectively, through the years.
These figures were revealed by KZN’s Education MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane, who has now overseen an overall increase in the provincial matric pass rate for three consecutive years.
In 2016, the overall matric pass rate was 66.4%, while it was 72.8% in 2017 and for 2018, it was 76.2%.
“Having congratulated the Class of 2018 for outdoing themselves, I think it is also important, at this point, that we also shower with accolades our teachers who work very hard to ensure that our learners succeed. Teachers play a huge role and are at the coalface of the education system. It is for this reason that we declare our fondness of our teachers and will strive to ensure that their working conditions are improved,” said Dlungwane.
Regarding schools in the province that had achieved 100% matric pass rates, Dlungwane said the province was on the up, with 121 schools in the province attaining 100% passes. Among the 121 schools, 32 of them were Quintile 1 schools - poor schools with the least resources.
“In 2016 we had 85 schools; 109 schools in 2017 and in 2018 we increased the number to 121 schools of which 32 are Quintile 1 schools and three are special schools,” he said.