EFF STATEMENT ON NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE RESULTS FOR 2017

Thursday, January 4, 2018

The EFF congratulates all the leaners that set for the 2017 National Senior Certificate exams. In particular, we congratulate the top achievers who managed to work against all the odds and produce results with flying colours. We congratulate teachers, parents and the various departmental administrative staff for working hard to produce these results. 

The EFF reiterates its call to all students to report to the universities and colleges of their choice this year and further their studies, taking advantage of free education. Universities and colleges must make all means possible to process applications of all who will pitch at their doors. 

The EFF would like to register that whilst the percentage of matriculants who passed is measured against those who set for exams in 2017, this number excludes the actual number of students who started in grade 1. Taking the 2006 Grade 1 enrolment of 1 185 198, and the number of those who wrote (651 707), it means a total of 533 491 either dropped out, went to FET or are still in the schooling system in lower grades. Unless we are able to account for these matriculants, we should take it that the actual pass rate for 2017 is 41%.

A responsible country must be able to account for all the youth who went into the system from grade 1 and tell the complete story of its capability to educate a generation. Our education system is the cornerstone of generational preparation, which must at least, give an account of all the youth who passes in it. Failure to do so is direct participation in child neglect. 

We wish all the learners the best in their future endeavours, vowing that the EFF will be there in all post-matric institutions to ensure that they receive, to the best of their capacity, all the young people who need them. 

Finally, we vow that we shall never rest until economic freedom is bestowed upon our land so that not only do we educate our young, but they also get access to the means of production to advance their talents in the economy.

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 4 January 2018