NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION 430

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 15/03/2013

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 08/2013)

Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many learners in each province are currently repeating (a) grade 10 and (b) grade 11;

(2) what (a) remedial assistance has her department developed to assist learners who will progress to grade 12 without meeting promotion requirements and (b) options will be available to learners who have repeated a grade in the further education and training phase and do not meet the National Senior Certificate certification requirements? NW580E

REPLY:

(1) The latest estimates for repetition in Grade 10 and Grade 11 are around 15% to 19%, accounting for around 220 000 learners. We are gratified to note however, that drop out rates in the same grades have declined according to the National Income Dynamics Survey results released in 2012, and the number of out of school youth has also declined according to household data released by Statistics South Africa in 2011 and recently presented to the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Basic Education.

(2) (a) Learners who repeat Grade 10 and 11 must meet promotion requirements before progressing to Grade 12. This contributes to the high repetition rates observed in these grades. As a more general intervention in the later grades, teacher development and support programmes have been designed using the results of the qualitative assessments of learners' responses from scripts which identified areas of weaknesses and gaps in learner performance in the National Senior Certificate Examination. Thereafter, a remedial plan was developed with identified gaps and what teachers need to do to address the content gaps. This remedial plan was shared with provinces during the DBE Road-shows in March 2013 and also during discussions with District Managers.

Support materials have also been developed in the form of Mind the Gap self study guides, developed by subject specialists and exemplar papers - all of which are available on the Department of Basic Education's website. Extra classes in the form of Saturday schools have been convened using expert teachers. These classes will be extended during winter and spring vacations.

(b) For learners who have not met the National Senior Certificate requirements, supplementary examinations are conducted in March each year to give them an opportunity to pass the examination. In addition, learners who do not satisfy supplementary examination requirements are allowed to register as part-time repeaters for one or two subjects that may be outstanding for the achievement of the National Senior Certificate. Provinces also offer supplementary programmes for adult learners who may register as part-time candidates.

Issued by Parliament, May 15 2013

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