While the Eastern Cape’s matric pass rate has increased, the number of pupils writing the exams continues to drop.
The statistic has raised concern as to whether the fanfare surrounding the annual announcement is a true reflection of the state of education in the province.
While the class of 2018 managed to increase the provincial pass rate from 65% in 2017 to 70.6% in 2018, the number of matrics writing exams dropped from 92,748 in 2016 to 82,257 in 2017and 81,842 in 2018.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Educational Leadership Institute in East London, provincial education superintendent-general Themba Kojana said the issue of pupils falling by the wayside was not just the problem of the department.
While conceding that thousands more pupils should have formed part of the class of 2018, he said the department’s influence was limited to the boundaries of schools.
“To raise a child there are three crucial points. One, every child matters; two, it takes a village, and thirdly, education is a societal matter.
“Through combining these three streams we will be able to assist these kids,” Kojana said.
“Our environment is the school, and placing the blame for dropouts solely on the department is not fair,” he said.
“We only have the children for a few hours of the day, they are at home and in the streets, which all has an influence and usually affects the dropout rate.
“We will gladly meet and are willing to collaborate with any and all people or organisations to address the issue.
“But to place blame on the department is not a true reflection of what is happening.”
Education MEC Mlungisi Mvoko also said the issue of dropouts could not be laid at the department’s door as it was an issue of society at large.
He said through programmes such as scholar transport and nutrition schemes, the department was trying several different approaches to ensure pupils remained in school.
Eastern Cape department of education deputy director-general of planning Penny Vinjevold said: “Up until 2017 we were focused on matrics, which I will admit was a problem.
“However, as of 2018 we refocused our plan to include all grades, with the major focus being placed on the foundation phase.
“Up until we re-evaluated we were losing an average of 30,000 pupils in grade 1 in a year. Last year the percentage of retained pupils in the phase improved from 79% to 83%.”
Vinjevold said despite the number of matrics dropping by 415 pupils provincially, the number of pupils who passed in 2018 compared with 2017 increased by 3,000.
DA Eastern Cape MPL Edmund van Vuuren said: “On Thursday the Eastern Cape celebrated breaking through the 70% matric pass rate, but it doesn’t tell the full story.”
He said thousands of matrics who enrolled at the beginning of the year never actually wrote the exams.
“Were they culled to boost the final pass rate?” he said.