Media Statement on the percentage of Bachelor's Degree passes, 08 January 2010

The Department of Basic Education wishes to clarify the issue of the percentage of learners who had attained a bachelor's degree pass in the National Senior Certificate examinations of 2009.

To put the matter straight, the figure of 32 percent quoted in the Minister of Basic Education's speech regarding the percentage of learners who had attained a bachelors' degree pass was indeed a calculation based on the total number of learners who had passed and not on the number of learners who sat for the National Senior Certificate.

In 2008, the percentage of learners who attained a bachelor's degree pass in the National Senior Certificate examinations was 18% of those who wrote. Once the additional passes arising from supplementary examinations from 2009 were included, that percentage increased to about 20% of those who had written.

The correct percentage for the number of learners who have attained a bachelor's degree pass in the end of year examinations in 2009 is 19.8% without the inclusion of additional bachelor's degree passes that are to be expected after the supplementary examinations to be written in February 2010.

The incorrect percentage was a genuine error by the Department of Basic Education that was then provided to Minister Motshekga. In the interests of the public it is necessary to point out that as soon as this error was noted during the Minister's statement on the NSC results at the Union Building on 07 January 2010, all journalists present were alerted to the fact.

Neither the Minister nor the Department of Basic Education wishes to mislead the public on matters that have such importance for the country as a whole. The Minister and the Department have throughout this process been forthright with the public and have presented the disappointing results for public scrutiny and have indeed been commended for emphasising the steps that need to be taken to remedy the situation going forward.

Statement issued by Dr. Granville Whittle, Chief Director: Media Liaison and National and Provincial Communication, The Department of Basic Education, January 8 2009

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