The 2012 matric class attending public school in 2001 began as a group of 1,130,659. By the time the group reached matric, there were only 512,133 learners remaining. This means only 45% of the learners who began Grade 1 in 2001 made it to the start of matric in 2012. (bit.ly/10lycbs, Equal Education)
This week’s theme: Back to school
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It would be interesting to take that further and look at those who make it to matric, how many accessed a quality pass (diploma or higher).
To further the fact above – if we simplify the number to 100 grade 1s entering the schooling system, of those 48 will make it to matric. Of those 48, only 22 will take maths as a subject, and of those 22 only 10 will pass. From those 10 only 4 will pass with a score of higher that 50%.
That means 1 in 25 learners who enter the schooling system will leave it with a meaningful understanding of maths, leaving 24 out of 25 with limited access to tertiary education and employment opportunities.
Why is addressing this not on the highest agenda as the greatest necessity to South Africa’s future?
Can the statistics show what happened with the reamining 55%? This would help in addressing the issues surrounding children not being able to reach matric.
As a country we need to track issues and address them single headedly instead of a happazard approach that creates more problems than solving them.
More information about learner retention, including calculations made by Equal Education, can be found on their website:
http://www.equaleducation.org.za/node/763
2001 Grd 1s are in matric this year. Class of 2012 started school in 2000? What happen to this info? Typo?
Lungile – Those children that started Grade 1 in 2001 and studied straight through for 12 years did in fact matriculate in 2012. (i.e. 2001, 2002, … , 2012)