A second chance for matrics who failed

Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga says the Second Chance Matric Support Programme aims to provide support to learners who have not been able to meet the requirements of the NSC or the extended Senior Certificate (SC).

"Learners who would like to take advantage of this opportunity to complete their school leaving qualification should contact their nearest Education District office before 15 March 2017 to register to write the November 2017 examinations," says Mhlanga.

Mhlanga says the programme aims to support learners in a number of ways so that they will be adequately prepared to write the examinations.

1. Face to Face Classes:

These will be offered by Grade 12 teachers with an excellent track record. The Face to face classes will be available at 50 venues, mainly in rural and semi-rural areas, nationally for June and November examinations only.

2. Multimedia Broadcasting Solutions:

- Telematics Broadcasts at selected schools - nationally except GP

- Internet Broadcasting Programme (IBP) at selected schools in the Free State

- HD Open View Television Broadcast s - Channel 201 at 36 venues, nationally or privately (500 000 households connected)

- DStv Channel 319, Mindset Television Broadcasts (4.5 Million households connected)

- SABC Education Geleza Nathi broadcasts weekdays on SABC 1 from 5am to 6am with repeats at 11pm

- SABC Education Geleza Nathi YouTube videos

- Digital Online Course via Internet

3. Online course to support learners:

- Available throughout the year

- Compatible on all devices

- Available offline via the CAP at libraries, community centres, etc. (Mzanzi Online Libraries Project)

- Can be accessed on personal computers or at the 74 Vodacom centres, libraries, community centres, Libraries etc.

- No data costs for Vodacom subscribers utilising the Vodacom E - Learning site www.vodacom.co.za/e-school

- Second Chance Programme Facebook page

4. Printed Resources:

- Mind the Gap in 8 of the 11 subjects

- Past question papers

- Study tips

- Maths and Science textbooks

- Available at Face to Face classes or from District Offices and DBE Offices

The pass rate for the 2016 NSC examinations has increased to 72,5 percent.

Challenges facing education

Civil organisation Equal Education is adamant that the matric pass rate does not give a true reflection of the state of basic education.  

"The pass rate only records those learners who have made it to matric and misses the 40 to 50 percent of learners who drop out before that point," says Equal Education Deputy Head of Policy and Training, Daniel Sher.

Sher says there are many problems that need to be fixed. 

"The basic education system must account for its historic backlogs in infrastructure. We still have thousands of schools around the country without adequate infrastructure needed for learners to excel," says Sher.

Section 27's Kate Patterson agrees that infrastructure remains one of the department's biggest problems.

"We are hoping that there will be renewed energy put in from all the provincial education departments into infrastructure, making sure that schools have enough money to maintain their infrastructure and to properly resource their schools," says Patterson.

Patterson says there also has to be a focus on education at primary school level.

"What we see now is a disproportionate focus on matric and not enough on actually getting to Grade 12. Schools need to be focussing on making sure their conditions are good enough and provincial education departments need to be putting enough money and resources into schools to make sure that learners stay in that system once they are in it," says Patterson.