Matric Results 2021 | A look into highlights, challenges faced by the Free State

Learners from the matric class of 2021 are eagerly awaiting their results scheduled to be released on 20 February 2022.

The Free State has proven to be the province to beat, outperforming all provinces and retaining the highest matric pass rate since 2016.

With only two days before the release of the matric results, SABC News looks at some of the highlights and challenges the Free State has encountered during the 2021 academic year.

Performance stats

As the top-performing province in 2020, the Free State recorded an 85% matric pass rate, which was a 3% drop from their 88% pass rate in 2019.

Despite a few challenges over the years, the province has also managed to obtain a pass rate of over 80% since 2016.

• Having the highest matric pass rate of 88% in 2016, the Free State was named the top-performing province. This was a 6% improvement on the year before.
• With a pass rate of 90% in 2017, the province remained the top-performer.
• Recording its highest pass rate since it was first named the top-performing province, the Free State saw an impressive pass rate of 91% in 2018.
• In 2019, the province recorded 88%, still outperforming other provinces.

2020 – A turbulent yet rewarding year 

Proving to be one of the hardest academic years in South Africa due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Free State still retained its number one ranking, achieving an 85% pass rate.

The province also increased the number of learners who obtained bachelors to 44%, an increase from 40.4% in the previous year.

Following the release of the 2020 matric results, the Department of Education in the Free State announced that it would start preparing the matric class of 2021 for their exams earlier.

This after the department also admitted that the grade 11 group (going into matric in 2021) was adversely affected by the outbreak after missing classes.

Celebrating it’s 85% pass rate, the provincial education department dedicated its victory to educators who succumbed to coronavirus-related complications.

In the related video below from February last year, the Free State Department of Education said it was pleased with the 2020 matric results:

2021 – Schooling disruptions due to COVID-19

The 2021 academic year in South Africa experienced several disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As with other provinces, many schools in the Free State had to temporarily close after teachers, learners and other staff tested positive for COVID-19.

The second school term was cut short when the country moved to adjusted Alert Level 4 of the Lockdown following a third wave of the pandemic, mainly driven by the highly contagious Delta variant.

The province also experienced a spike in coronavirus cases in schools after the start of the third term.

In one incident during mid-August, Grey College High School in Bloemfontein recorded 60 cases amongst teachers and learners.

Later that month, two schools in Wepener opposite one another, namely Tlotliso Primary School and Qibing High School suspended teaching due to reported COVID-19 cases.

Parents, learners, and various stakeholders within the education sector expressed their concerns over disruptions in learning, with many matric learners being worried that they would fall behind with their academic year.

In the video below from August last year, concerns mounted as Free State schools battled with rising COVID-19 infections:

Mixed emotions ahead of exams 

Despite challenges caused by disruptions to the school calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schooling resumed in the Free State, and the education department focused its energy on catch-up programs for matric learners.

As the matric final exams began, learners in the province expressed mixed emotions, with others saying they were well prepared, while others said they were anxious.

In October last year, SABC News Reporter Palesa Moeti spoke to some matric learners in Bloemfontein ahead of the start of the final exams:

Storm damage to marking centre

Another major challenge faced by the Free State was damage caused to a marking centre at the Albert Moroka High School in Thaba Nchu in December.

On 15 December, a storm wreaked havoc and markers had to find cover.

About 112 markers were inside the hall when the incident took place, with one of them sustaining minor injuries.

The roof of the school hall, a classroom, a block of toilets and old staff room building were damaged.

There were 16 000 Business Studies paper two and 9 000 Accounting paper two at the marking centre.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) had indicated that the storm damage will not cause a delay in the release of the matric results.

Teachers who managed to save the exam papers were lauded by the Department of Basic Education: 

Will the Free State retain its number one spot?

Ahead of the start of final exams in October last year, the Free State Education Department expressed confidence that all preparations made ahead of the exams would once again earn it the number one spot in the country’s matric results.

Premier of the Free State Province, Sisi Ntombela, wishes the matric class of 2021 well in their final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. #MatricClassof2021 @MECTateMakgoe @DBE_SA pic.twitter.com/0hlGAeUqQu

— FS Government (@fsgov) October 27, 2021

Thirty-six thousand full-time candidates and 7 100 part-time candidates in the province wrote exams to obtain their National Senior Certificate.

The Free State has since said that it’s targeting a 90% matric pass rate for 2021.

-Additional reporting by Aphumelele Mdlalane & Ishmael Modiba