Nine Limpopo schools have obtained a 0% pass rate in the 2019 matric exams. Five of the schools are in the Sekhukhune District, two in Capricorn and two in Waterberg.
Education MEC Polly Boshielo said this during the announcement of the provincial matric results held in Polokwane on Wednesday. The province attained an overall pass rate of 73.2% and it is the least performing nationally.
The number of schools that did not have a single learner passing Grade 12 in Limpopo has increased to nine, as compared to three in 2018. The schools are Roedtan Combined, Kgabedi, Makobateng, Makama, Kanama, Manawe, Mokhulwane, Matsebe and Mahlaba.
Education MEC Polly Boshielo gave a breakdown of the numbers.
Boshielo says the main contributing factor to the poor results in the 0% schools is low learner enrollment because it affects the allocation of resources and teachers.
The schools presented a combined number of 65 candidates, with Mokhulwane secondary in Sekhukhune having one candidate. She blames communities for resisting the merging of 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 refuses us to help them.”
Meanwhile, the schools that obtained a 0% pass rate in the 2018 matric results, do not feature in the current list. The schools that got 0% pass rate in 2018 are Senwane, Ramoroke and Letshekga-Malokwane secondary schools.
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