DA calls for axing of KZN education MEC

DA MP Mbali Ntuli on Wednesday said the poor matric performance in the 2015 examinations was evidence that learners in KZN were not in “safe hands”.

“Despite the many assurances by MEC Nkonyeni and her department that all was on track in the run-up to exams, the reality is that KZN’s education department does not have its finger on the pulse and our schools are out of control,” said Ntuli.

On Tuesday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the KZN matric pass rate had plummeted so much it had become South Africa’s worst performing province. Last year’s pass rate of 69.7% dwindled to 60.7% in the 2015 matric results.

The DA said the difference between the Western Cape education department and that of KwaZulu Natal was “shocking”.

“Quality education is the passport to opportunity and a brighter future for young South Africans. Yet the ANC is systemically denying people where it governs and KZN is a prime example,” said Ntuli.

“There can be no more excuses. KZN needs an MEC who does not dodge the real issues and who is fully committed to fixing our education system from the bottom up. It does not need an MEC who is a political appointment. He must no longer place party patronage above the needs of our learners.”

KZN Education Head of provincial government communication, Thami Ngwenya, however, said improvement in the marks of matrics was more visible when subjects results were “put individually”.

“The overall percentage of the matric pass rate has declined, but the number of learners who qualified for a Bachelors has increased,” said Ngwenya

Ngwenya dismissed the DA’s call for the premier to remove Nkonyeni, saying the party was only making a “political statement”.

“Those issues are decisions made by the premier. The appointment and removal of an MEC will be done by him,” said Ngwenya

Photo: DA