As grade 12 pupils around the country brace themselves ahead of the release of the 2006 matric results on Thursday, theirs will not be the only eyes poring over the outcome of the all-important examinations.
Given South Africa’s massive skills shortage, particularly in the fields of science and technology, big business and the government are also likely to be keenly scrutinising the latest maths, science and chemistry scores.
This is in line with President Thabo Mbeki’s well-received ”Age of Hope” state-of-the-nation address — delivered earlier this year — in which he referred to a lack of suitably qualified technical personnel as one of the most pressing challenges facing the country.
Focusing on government’s Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (AsgiSA) programme, he said South Africa would ”have to pay particular attention to the issue of scarce skills that will negatively affect the capacity of both the public and the private sectors to meet the goals set by AsgiSA”.
Among other things, this would include ”targeting 529 schools to double the maths and science graduate output to 50 000 by 2008”.
Almost 550 000 full-time and 200 000 part-time candidates wrote the 2006 senior certificate examinations around the country in October and November for a total of 742 289 candidates — compared with 729 878 in 2005.
Less than 10% of 2006 candidates took maths and science on the higher grade, and pass rates in the past have been equally poor.
On the brighter side, however, higher-grade maths passes rose from just over 24 000 in 2004 to 26 383 in 2005, and higher-grade science from just under 27 000 to 29 965.
The Marang Wits Centre for Mathematics and Science Education is currently probing what is needed to teach these subjects more effectively.
Recent international surveys of maths and science proficiency levels at South African schools underscored the seriousness of the problem.
According to the Third International Maths and Science Study of grade eight learners, South Africa ranked bottom of the 50 countries that participated.
A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation numeracy study further showed that South African grade four learners were seriously lagging behind their counterparts in countries like Mauritius, Senegal and Malawi.
Education Minister Naledi Pandor will officially release the 2006 matric results at Parliament on Thursday with a live South African Broadcasting Corporation TV broadcast starting at 1pm, after the provinces have released their results.
While results will be published as usual in newspapers on Thursday or Friday, depending on the province, they will also be available on the various provincial education departments’ websites.
This year, 11 subject papers were set nationally, whereas in previous years, only five were nationally set and the rest set at provincial level.
This year’s results were approved for release by Umalusi — the council of quality assurance in education — last week.
”Umalusi ensured that examination irregularities were managed strictly in accordance with the applicable policy and regulations of the senior certificate and Umalusi policies, guidelines and requirements,” the chairperson of Umalusi’s council, Professor John Volmink, said.
The class of 2006, known as ”Madiba’s Children” because they started school in a newly democratic South Africa in 1995, were also the first batch of students to be introduced to Outcome Based Education.
”It is clear from both internal moderators and chief markers’ reports that the challenge level in the 2006 question papers was of an improved standard,” Volmink said.
Last year, the matric pass rate declined for the second year in succession to 68,3% for the class of 2005, compared with 70,7% in 2004 and 73,3% in 2003.
Pandor expressed her disappointment at the further decline last year, saying: ”How can anyone be satisfied when more than 30% of our children are failing? Surely you can’t have that. I’m not happy.”
Of the 347 184 who passed in 2005, 17% did so with a university entrance endorsement — a figure that Pandor also said she would like to see grow.
Meanwhile, the South African Depression and Anxiety Support Group (Sadag) has its counsellors ready for the calls that come through to the group’s suicide crisis line.
”This is a tough time for matriculants, and their parents. There’s a lot of pressure and high expectations to perform, and those learners who don’t do as well as hoped can feel dejected and hopeless”, said senior counsellor and trainer Janine Shamos.
While many parents feel isolated and alone, there is help available. Sadag has trained counsellors manning their toll-free crisis line — 0800 567 567 as well as their SMS line 31393 — from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
”Anyone feeling anxious or desperate is encouraged to call the line — we are here to help.
”Failure need not be the end of the world; it can be an incredible learning and growth opportunity,” Shamos said. — Sapa