FF Plus congratulates Independent Examinations Board (including BCVO) and SACAI with their good results – holding its breath for departmental results

18 January 2023

The South African educational landscape comprises three institutions that assess exams for the National Senior Certificate: The Department of Basic Education by means of nine provincial departments, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), which serves independent schools, and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) that specifically serves online educational institutions.

The FF Plus wants to congratulate the two independent institutions with their good results, which were released today. The departmental results will be released tomorrow.

Although the IEB serves some of the country's most expensive and prestigious schools, not all IEB learners come from privileged backgrounds. Many IEB schools are remote and grapple with socio-economic problems. In addition, the Beweging vir Christelike Volkseie Onderwys (BCVO) also uses the IEB's examination services. Their independence and dedication to good quality education is really all that these schools have in common.

In light thereof, it is remarkable that the IEB's approximately 13 000 candidates were able to achieve a pass rate of 98,42% with 89,3% meeting the requirements for degree studies.

If the BCVO's results are considered on their own, they have a 100% pass rate and all candidates qualify for tertiary studies.

SACAI specifically serves educational institutions offering online teaching. These institutions have no control over learners' everyday activities and offer varying degrees of support.

Many learners resorted to this form of education after they fell behind with public education during the lockdown.

Against this backdrop, SACAI was able to help its nearly 5 000 learners achieve a pass rate of 72% with the majority qualifying for tertiary education. 

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Premier and former provincial MEC for Education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, made the news headlines on 10 January because he condemned the fact that the IEB and SACAI's results are announced separately.

The reason behind it is probably the fact that he knows the departmental results will pale in comparison

Departmental results are improved annually by schools where school governing bodies ensure quality education. This often happens not thanks to the government, but in spite of it.

Meanwhile, new reports of government educators complaining about the circumstances at marking centres are surfacing more and more

In some places, no provision had been made for power outages and there was also no water available during loadshedding either. This is characteristic of a department that is unable to properly render services.

The FF Plus heartily congratulates every learner who achieved good results. Even the best system depends on learners also doing their best.

And those who failed to obtain their Senior Certificate this year are encouraged to try again. Although matric is certainly not everything, it does offer a solid foundation on which to keep building with further studies.

Issued by Wynand Boshoff, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Basic Education, 18 January 2023