Johnathan Paoli

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has vehemently condemned political parties for entering Gauteng public schools during curriculum delivery time, as a strategy of campaigning.

This follows a campaign trail by a certain political party at some schools in Eldorado Park on Thursday during school hours.

“We strongly condemn the intrusion of political parties into Gauteng public schools. Education environments must remain apolitical to ensure a focused and unbiased learning atmosphere, curriculum delivery time, must always be respected, no one must disrupt schools,” said Chiloane.

A video showing EFF members in Johannesburg allegedly handing out food parcels to learners at La Rochelle Primary School in the south of the city was doing the rounds, has prompted Chiloane’s response.

DA MPL Sergio dos Santos said that this type of political messaging within schools, and in particular during school hours, was unacceptable as it undermined the primary purpose of educational institutions.

“While the DA acknowledges and comends any organisation contributing to the welfare of the learners through the provision of food packs, we firmly reject the exploitation of such initiatives for political campaigning during school hours,” dos Santos said.

The IEC has said the elections will be held somewhere from May and August to elect a new National Assembly, and the legislature in each province.

“These will be the seventh elections held under democracy since the end of apartheid in 1994. The new national council of provinces will be elected at the first sitting of each provincial legislature,” the IEC said.

Concerns have been raised over the possibility of cutting off late applications for registration, and opposition parties have called for the disclosure of a provisional date at the least.

The IEC is expected to hold its final voter registration drive on the weekend of February 3 and 4.

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Johnathan Paoli

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi kicked off the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research in Boksburg and said that he remained excited over possible solutions which the conference could provide for the province.

The three-day conference is concurrently being held in São Miguel – Azores (Portugal) and in Johannesburg (South Africa), virtually with each edition of the conference bringing together researchers from over 40 countries, world-renowned authors, and research groups to share their experiences in the field of Qualitative Research.

Speaking at the opening address at the South African leg of the conference on Tuesday, Lesufi praised the role played by researchers in the development for the province, the nation, and the continent as a whole.

The premier expressed his excitement at the conference and said that the researchers did not only represent the people, but more importantly would be the innovative source of solutions which could assist the province, namely ensuring that the province’s economy remained being the biggest economy as well as the challenges of human settlement in light of the increasing wave of immigrants, both nationally and internationally that have flocked to the overcrowded areas of Gauteng.

“In this room, you carry the aspiration of the future, you carry the aspiration to reposition and represent us appropriately in ensuring that not only our province but our country and the continent by extension is better positioned to respond to the challenges we are facing currently,” Lesufi said.

The premier said that he wished them well and that in the next three days, he hoped they would supply solutions to some of the key challenges faced by the province.

Lesufi mentioned three particular challenges, namely the ongoing growth and sustainability of the provincial economy, the problem of housing and space in light of the increased immigration and lastly the issue of crime and its impact on the lives of the people and the functioning of business.

The premier said that if the three main issues could be packaged more effectively through research and innovative measures, the country would be in a position to continue to be beautiful and to reaffirm the future of the country, in terms of the economy, resources and legislative framework.

“If you can get the best minds to deal with the challenges that we are facing in our country, we’ll be a competitive country that will be in a position to take care of its residents,” the premier said.

Lesufi said that this engagement which requires effort, labour and time, in order to produce solutions and was proud to be in dialogue with delegates from across the globe who were willing to provide their experience and solutions that would aid everyone.

The World Conference on Qualitative Research (WCQR) is an annual event that brings together researchers, world-renowned authors, and research groups from 40+ countries1. The conference aims to promote the sharing and discussion of knowledge, new perspectives, experiences, and innovations in the field of Qualitative Research.

The conference is hosted by The Global Centre for Academic Research (GCAR) and the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre.

Lesufi said that he was proud to be a part of a conference that was being held for the first time on the African continent, with Gauteng being the host province.

The WCQR is a globally recognized platform that brings together researchers, scholars, and professionals from diverse fields to explore, discuss, and exchange ideas on qualitative research methodologies.

The conference includes a diverse program with renowned keynote speakers and the best authors and researchers in the field.

Lesufi said that as the host partner, the Gauteng government was committed to advancing knowledge, research and innovation that seeks to develop the economy of the Gauteng City Region.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Johnathan Paoli

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi criticized the province’s failure to achieve a complete 90% matric pass rate, and said he will withhold Gauteng Education and Youth Development MEC Matome Chiloane’ s performance bonus.

The premier was talking at the release of Gauteng’s class of 2023 results at the Microsoft Corporate Office in Bryanston, Johannesburg on Friday and confirmed that the performance agreement with Chiloane was that the province should achieve a 90% pass rate.

But Gauteng’s class of 2023 achieved a pass rate of 85,4%, a 0,95% and improvement compared to the class of 2022’s 84,4%. But still short of the 90% that would have seen Chiloane get a bonus.

The class of 2023 candidates comprised 132,570 full-time and 59,094 part-time candidates, with full-time candidates including 7,197 candidates, who progressed from Grade 11 in 2022 to Grade 12 in 2023, comparable to the 9,125 progressed candidates, who sat for exams in 2022.

Lesufi said directors of education districts that performed above 90% will be rewarded with performance bonuses.

He also urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill into law and said that teachers should be better paid and taken care of for their contribution in education. 

He also called for tax exemptions for public school teachers and a retention incentive while highlighting that private schools were poaching the best teachers by giving them higher salaries.

MEC Chiloane praised the pass rate and said that the province achieved the highest number of candidates qualifying for Bachelor studies since 1996, and the second highest in the country, with 56 554 who qualified for the pass.

Chiloane said there was also an increase in the percentage of candidates, who passed at the Higher Certificate level – these are mainly progressed learners.

The MEC pointed out, however, that there were four districts that had a slight decline due to the impact of the pandemic on learning.

The schools awarded by the MEC included Afrikaanse Hoer Meisieskool, Hoërskool Menlopark, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Parktown High School for Girls, and Hoërskool Randburg.

Chiloane applauded schools located within townships, specifically Mohaladitoe Secondary School in Sedibeng West for turning around the performance of the school from 56,6% to 93,8%, an exceptional improvement of just more than 37,2%.

“In 2009, township schools achieved an average pass rate of 60.1%, with non-township schools achieving 84.2%, making a gap of 24,1% points. In 2023, the gap declined to 9,7%, compared to 8,3% in 2022,” Chiloane said.

Township schools achieved a pass rate of 82,3% compared to 80,7% in 2022 and non-township schools achieved 92% compared to 89% in 2022.

Then 42,5% of progressed learners passed, compared to 45,5% of the progressed learners that wrote in 2022. This is a massive decline when compared to 2022. And 7,4% of these learners who passed, achieved a bachelor pass and almost 16,3% achieved a diploma pass.

He said 297 schools in 2023 achieved above 95%, compared to 290 in 2022, while in 2023, 143 schools achieved 100% compared to 149 in 2022.

“It must also be noted that just over 94,1% [of] Gauteng schools performed above the nationally defined benchmark for school under-performance of 65% compared to 92,6% in 2021,” the MEC said.

Chiloane said that authorities are expected to attend to schools that consistently perform below par, as the results indicated that 34 public and independent schools achieved less than 65%, compared to 53 public and independent schools in 2022.

The MEC confirmed that in the next few days, the department would meet with the school management teams of all public schools that performed below 65% and to hold them accountable for their poor performance.

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Inside Education Reporter

While last year’s matriculants have ended a journey, it’s just the beginning of a new adventure, said St Martin’s School Headmaster, Warren Venter.

He said that hope is the most powerful armour that students must be equipped with.

“We face a very uncertain world,” said Venter, “and the underlying fear of joblessness in a country where almost 40% of the population is unemployed, and nearly half of the nation is under 35. It can spell confidence disaster for any school leaver.”

This year St Martin’s expects to list several top achievers on the national results hit parade.

“Academic achievement is key to gain university entrance, to position yourself firmly in the starting blocks for the rest of your life,” said Venter. But he added that with diminishing prospects because of the current local and global climate, may dampen anyone’s spirit. “Yet, what South Africa needs more than anything is a new generation of leaders, of business people that can contribute positively to economic growth, that can help to heal our country in the many places that it has become unfastened.”

Hope, he said, and sharing ideals, resilience or strength or resolve with our youth is so important.

This year’s poll, the before and aftermath, the potential of South Africa amidst its challenges must be distilled and instilled.

“It is our responsibility as educators and as parents to remain positive, to engender a measure of idealism and dreams for the future. This is how we can ignite our youth, because after school, there is a long road ahead in adulthood, and it should be a journey they embark on with enthusiasm.”

Hope inspires students to set goals and work towards achieving them, even in the face of challenges. It nurtures a positive outlook, essential for mental and emotional well-being.

This positive mindset enables school leavers to navigate uncertainties and seize opportunities, contributing to personal growth and success.

“Hope is a driving force that encourages continuous learning and adaptability, key attributes in a rapidly evolving world,” said Venter.

To nurture hope in children, it’s important for teachers and parents to encourage realistic goal setting and to collaborate in establishing meaningful objectives said Venter.

“We must help students cope with setbacks, promote a positive outlook and support their interests and passions. After all, we are role models and demonstrating hope in our own lives allows us to lead by example,” he said.

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Sports Reporter

South Africa has a new champion.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa has congratulated mixed martial artist Dricus du Plessis on winning the United Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight title.

On Sunday, 21 January 2024, du Plessis defeated American Sean Strickland to make history as South Africa’s first UFC champion.

Remarking on du Plessis’s record-breaking win, Minister Kodwa says, “Dricus du Plessis has flown the South African flag high with his performances in the United Fighting Championship. I congratulate him on the remarkable achievement of being the first South African to be crowned UFC Champion.”

“It has been particularly special to see South Africans unite in their diversity to support their own, as du Plessis made history. This once again shows the power of South Africans when uniting and supporting their own. Let us carry this spirit, as South Africans continue to make history on global platforms in Sport, Arts and Culture,” said Kodwa.

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Inside Education Reporter

THE Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande said in a statement that he has become aware of the circulation of yet another set of false and ill-informed suggestions that he may have influenced the awarding of a NSFAS tender to Tilson Manyoni.

Firstly, Tilson Manyoni is not and has never been an advisor to the Minister, as erroneously suggested by some media houses, the statement said.

“The names of the advisors of the Minister are matters of public record and discoverable with little or no difficulty. Secondly, in terms of the Public Finance Management Act and applicable Treasury Regulations, Ministers are defined outside the value chain of procurement matters precisely to guarantee the integrity of such processes. Therefore, Minister Nzimande had absoluetly no role in the awarding of a NSFAS tender to Mr Manyoni or any other individual or company. These allegations are therefore both false and malicious.”

Thirdly, the statement added that the Minister is the Executive Authority and not the accounting officer of the Department of Higher Education and Training.

“Therefore, any queries relating to procurement procesess at NSFAS should rightfully be directed to the Chief Executive Officer or Board of NSFAS. It is both unfair and mischievous to expect the Minister to answer questions relating to the procurement detail of entites, when such entities have their own accounting officers, executives and boards.

“The Minister views the latest set of false allegations as part of the continuing attempts to tarnish his name and distract the Department from the important task of ensuring a smooth start to the 2024 academic year. The Minister wishes to reassure the public that, together with the executive of the Department and the leadership of the Department’s various entities, he stands firm on his commitment to ensuring that the country experiences a smooth start to the 2024 academic year.”

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Edwin Naidu

South Africa celebrated its highest National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate of 82.9% since the examinations began in 2008 as the Class of 2023 triumphed against COVID-19 pandemic.

But fact that around a third of youth do not successfully complete twelve years of education, leaving the education system without a formal qualification with which to join the labour market, is a concern that is often raised, according to the 2023 Exam Results Technical Report. Annually, it has been estimated that at least 300 000 matriculants join the ranks of unemployed.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga told matriculants, parents, national and provincial education leaders that the class of 2023 was severely impacted by the disruption to schooling due to the Covid -19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The full Grade 9 and Grade 10 curricula could not be covered in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

The latter part of the Grade 11 year can be considered closest to an ordinary academic year, as all learners returned to full schooling in 2022. The DBE attempted to establish the potential of this cohort compared to previous cohorts and to ensure that learner support programmes are tailored to meet their needs.

As a result, Learner support from 2021 to 2023 at national and provincial levels, was customised to mitigate reduced contact time and to address learning gaps and learning losses. These support programmes further attempted to improve learner performance across the system.

A total of 715 719 full time (FT) and 182 056 part time (PT) candidates respectively registered to sit for the October/ 2023 NSC examinations. But 897 775 candidates wrote the examination.

“The Class of 2023 was subjected to unusual and adverse learning conditions during their Grade 9 and Grade 10 academic years in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The cumulative effect of COVID-19 and the resultant learning losses and disengagement from education had a significant impact on this cohort,” said Motshekga.

The pandemic has affected schooling, including Grade 12 results, through three key factors:

declines in learner attendance during the pandemic;

declines in the availability of teachers due to illness and death;

and pandemic-related household traumas.

These effects, in turn, impacted negatively on what learners could learn.

The national pass rate for the Class of 2023 is 82.9% which is an increase of 2.8% from the 80.1% in 2022. Significant improvements in performance have been recorded in all subjects,
except a few. In the table below which represents the subjects with high enrolment, an improvement is noted in all subjects except History and Mathematical Literacy.

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination is in its sixteenth year of implementation in its current format and structure, and 2023 signifies 28 years of successful administration of public examinations in South Africa.

Motshekga was pleased to announce that an increase in admission to Bachelor studies, at 5,0% a year for the entire 1994 to 2023 period, has been the strongest. Youths qualifying annually for entry into a bachelor’s programme at a university has increased from around 100 000 in 1994, to over 250 000 in the last three years.

But there was no doubt that the pandemic has affected schooling, including Grade 12 results, through three key factors: declines in learner attendance during the pandemic; declines in the availability of teachers due to illness and death; and pandemic-related household traumas. These effects, in turn, impacted negatively on what learners could learn.

The Minister praised the swift and collaborative responses of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), teachers, parents, our partners in education and South Africans at large, which led to the development of a holistic recovery plan that, to a large degree, mitigated the negative impact of the achievement of the key learning milestones.

“The father of our great nation, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, believed that “Educating all our children must be one of our most urgent priorities. We all know that education, more than anything else, improves your chances of building better lives”, she said.

“These words resonate with the 2023 State of the Nation Address when the President of the Republic of South Africa, the Honourable Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, highlighted that “the performance of learners from poorer schools is steadily improving, confirming the value of the support that Government provides to them”. The President coined the improvement in Grade 12 results as “a silent revolution taking place in our schools”,” she added.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Lerato Mbhiza

THE Portfolio Committee members on Basic Education will this week visit schools to assess their state of readiness for the 2024 academic year.

Schools opened last Wednesday, and unlike previous years, all public schools in South Africa will resume academic programmes on the same day.

The  chairperson of the committee Rajaa Azzakani said the visit to schools is part of the committee’s programme to assess the readiness of the schools for the 2024 academic year.

“As part of the committee’s draft programme, committee members will engage stakeholders in the education sector to discuss the state of schooling for 2024”.

Azzakani  said the focus of the visit will include, among other things, assessing infrastructure; ablution facilities in schools, including pit-latrines eradication in the Eastern Cape; flood-damaged schools, especially school infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal after the floods; monitoring Grade R and early childhood development sites; the delivery of learner-teacher study material; school nutrition; learner transport and special schools support.

“The delegation will be in the North West until tomorrow. Later in the week, they will visit schools in the Eastern Cape. A second delegation of the committee is visiting Limpopo for the next two days and later  in the week will move to KwaZulu-Natal. Committee members are divided into two groups to ensure that they reach as many schools as possible in several provinces”.

She added that after they visit the schools, the delegation will also meet with the North West Department of Education, the National Department of Basic Education, including the Office of the MEC, HOD, Senior and District Officials, members of the Portfolio Committee on Education in the North West Provincial Legislature, Provincial House of Traditional Leaders, Student Governing Bodies Associations, Organised Labour and the South African Principals Association.

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