Limpopo Education MEC Polly Boshielo has welcomed the province’s 3.8% increase in the 2019 matric pass rate.
Boshielo was announcing the province’s matric results in Polokwane on Wednesday.
She says the class of 2019 has made great strides towards the province’s 80% target, despite its 73.2% pass rate being the lowest nationally.
“I am very delighted to announce that the Province’s Class of 2019 has achieved a new record of 73.2%. This represents an increase of 3.8% as compared to the performance of 2018. This is a clear indication that we are on track towards achieving the 80% matric pass rate as set in our Limpopo Development Plan. We are on the rise.”
Meanwhile, nine schools in the province have obtained a 0% pass rate in the 2019 matric exams.
Five of them are in the Sekhukhune District, two in Capricorn and two others are in Waterberg.
Boshielo has attributed the poor results to low learner enrollment.
She also blames communities for resisting emerging schools.
“We have been appealing to our communities to work with the department on the rationalisation of schools with low enrollments so that they are effectively merged with other schools. This process is done to advance quality education and not for personal and sentimental purposes as it is often misunderstood.”
“The small schools have proven to be costly to the system, unsustainable and not viable. So when we try to assist these learners, our community refuse us to help them.”
The MEC has also lamented the shortage of teachers besieging the province. “Our educators are aging, our teachers between 50 to and those who are between and of course those who are between 20 and 24 are only 849. So if these teachers from 50 to 54 decide to resign our system will collapse,” she says.
