The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo wishes the 79 762 full time, 15 925 part time November candidates and 52 940 June exam candidates in the province all the best as they commence with their National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams tomorrow. This is in spite of grave failures by the Limpopo Department of Education throughout the year.
This year’s exams will offer a new challenge to matric learners because of the difficult circumstances they endured in their preparation for the exams, largely due to disruptions to teaching and learning caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We acknowledge their dedication and perseverance during this difficult period.
The DA is gravely concerned by the Department’s shambolic preparations for the upcoming exams. There was an underperformance and lower mark averages in 2020 preparatory exams in Mathematics, Mathematics Literacy, Accounting, Physical Sciences, Agriculture and Geography when compared with the 2019 results. These subjects are critical for entrance into higher education programmes and will offer greater availability of job opportunities.
Challenges in the preparations for the NSC exams have further been compounded by a failing education system. This has exposed our learners in Limpopo province to challenging circumstances such as dilapidated infrastructure, inappropriate and unsafe sanitation facilities, despite MEC Polly Boshielo’s promise to eradicate them in the last financial year. These learners also suffer due to a lack of learning materials, a faulty scholar transport and an inadequate nutrition programme, which stopped feeding learners during the Covid-19 crisis.
These challenges are largely caused by mismanagement and a lack of the political will to improve the quality of education in Limpopo by an uncaring ANC government. Incompetence and poor planning saw foreign educators stuck outside the country, in addition to this there was an inconsistent and unreliable supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to schools and unpreparedness for reopening of schools for certain grades earlier on in the year.
While it is commendable that the Department has tried to respond and support learners through Saturday classes, spring classes, enrichment classes and provision of previous question papers, we hope that it will be enough to ensure success for all matriculants.
We hope the Limpopo Department of Education will manage to improve our NSC results from last year’s pass rate of 73.2 % which was the lowest in the country and reach an 80% pass rate that Limpopo Premier Chupu Mathabatha has promised to achieve since 2014 and failed to reach continuously.
The DA urges all Grade 12 learners to do their best and calls on parents to provide them with encouragement and support. We believe that obtaining a matric certificate is the stepping stone to a future filled with opportunity and will allow many learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to escape poverty and unemployment.