ANC CONGRATULTES CLASS OF 2014

6 JANUARY 2014

The African National Congress joins the nation in sending its hearty congratulations to the Matric Class of 2014. Their success in the final assessments for Grade 12 is a success of the country as a whole; building on the foundation that has been laid by so many - educators, parents, policy makers, the learners themselves and society in general - in pursuit of education and knowledge; an apex priority of our government and an undisputed catalyst for our nation's development.

In order to create a better future for our youth and to realize our nation's possibility to be an exemplar of African and global progress and development, much more must still be done to deliver on the calls by successive conferences of the ANC for improved quality, access and equity in education. We have already done much in our quest to ensure that, in South Africa, education is free, compulsory and universal for all learners.

The deliberate and focused interventions by the ANC government, including the implementation of a curriculum of a very high standard, are indicators of our resolve to give practical expression to improving the quality of the education outcomes. Ours now is to ensure greater throughput from Grade R to Grade 12, ensuring that no child gets left behind by the education system.

Working together with the Higher Education and Technical Training Sector, it is imperative that limitless opportunities are provided for further training, skill development and lifelong learning following this important first step of success in the National Senior Certificate.

The ANC is mindful of the fact that many of our students were not successful in these examinations and urge them to remain resolute, maintain their optimism and where they qualify, take up the opportunity offered for Supplementary Examinations in February and March of this year. Education remains the most critical tool with which one can change their circumstances and those of their country.

The ANC congratulates Gauteng for being the best performing province in terms of the matric pass rate as well as having the highest number of candidates qualifying for Bachelor studies in 2014. We are further immensely proud of the strides that have been made by other provinces such as the North West and the Free State who have continued to post impressive results without the resource base of the urban provinces. We trust their success will spur greater improvement in those that continue to struggle to attain or maintain the same outcomes.

Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, January 6 2015

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