EDUCATION MILESTONE: TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS POSITIVE GROWTH IN LIMPOPO GRADE 12 PASS RATE
We celebrate the Limpopo Department of Education's excellent performance in improving the provincial pass rate by 15% within two consecutive years; signifying a serious attitude towards improving quality outcomes in our education system.
Yesterday, the ANC'S deputy Chairman, Cde. Dickson Masemola, announced the provincial Education Department's Matric results which has indicated an impressive 63.9% for 2011 Grade 12 learners.
Of greater significance, we specifically commend the Provincial Education Department's focus on turning around under-performing schools and managing to do this by transforming 369 schools from being underperforming schools in 2009 to attaining a positive result just two years on. This, in turn, points to the overall performance of the provincial Education Department. This kind of achievement would not have been possible had it not been for the focus and attention paid to issues of governance, competence and general enthusiasm to actualise change thereby bringing forth more hope in the hearts and minds of our people.
An excellent indicator of the state of education in the province, the ANC understands this 15% improvement as a good sign leading towards the attainment of the organisational goals the ANC has for our society. Such as those aimed at improving South Africa's performance in areas like: research, teaching, innovation and commercial application of high level Science, engineering and technology.
Once more - the province's resolve to make a positive and tangible change in the lives of our citizens has been brought to life.
As further indication of the ANC government's true commitment to improving the quality of lives of our people; we invite all members of Limpopo communities to join us when we launch our first ever joint "Limpopo Goes Back to School" Campaign later this month.
This campaign will see all affected members of our Mass Democratic Movement as well as Progressive Youth Alliance structures partake in a drive to visit schools around the province, to monitor their general resource condition and overall state of readiness to start effective teaching and learning at schools as of the very first day.
Key to this initiative is to assess the learning and working conditions of both learners and teachers. It is also further to determine the availability of teaching aids (books, stationery etc.), the ‘professional' approach of school management systems as well as the general conduct and attitude of learners on the first day of school.
As a revolutionary organisation that has wedged a 100 year long struggle for emancipation politically, socially and economically; the ANC Limpopo aims to support its leaders in government in attaining the National Democratic Revolution target of eradicating illiteracy and ignorance for a more prosperous, non-racial, non-sexist, society.
Also befitting the current festive spirit of our organisation's Centennial commemorations presently underway in Mangaung, Free State, we congratulate and encourage all 2011 Grade 12 leaners who passed as well as those who did not succeed, to remember the long and agonising 27 years of imprisonment endured by our very own exemplary first presidential leader and life-long scholar, the honourable Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela (Madiba) who famously said: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
This, coupled with our ANC's 100-year endurance as a tenacious liberation movement should serve as sufficient motivation to the 36% unsuccessful learners to go back and give it another shot.
More especially, we congratulate and acknowledge the superb performance of our 2011 provincial top three students:
No1. Mukhethwa Jeoffry Murodovha of Mbilwi Secondary School in Sebasa, Vhembe
No.2 Marissa Oerlemans of Hoerskool Pietersburg, Polokwane Capricorn Dis
No.3 Lufuno Kevin Leon Mutepe of Mbilwi Secondary School, Sibasa, Vhembe
In our 21 October 2011 media statement where-in we wished Grade 12 learners a successful examination; the ANC supported the provincial Department's objective to increase the number of Matric passes as well as to improve the quality of those passes. We further reiterated our support of the department's current turn-around strategy which partly aims to increase the number of Grade 12 learners qualifying for a university Bachelor's programme, improve the number of passes more specifically in Mathematics and Physical Science.
We are proud that all the above have been positively affirmed. All five Districts/ Regions in Limpopo have increased their number of passes.
The ANC notes also with immense pride the collective efforts of Members of Parliament, Traditional Leadership, Mayors and Councillors, SGB's, Parents, Teachers, Officials in the department of Education and its Political Leadership for bringing about these critical milestones in our primary education sector.
As we have done before, the ANC Limpopo once again supports current goals of the Education Department to implement its Action Plan 2014 towards 2025, to continue improving the quality of education, its emphasis on Mathematics and Science, teacher staff retention plans, the special focus on underperforming schools, implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), focus on accountability and the continuous provision of infrastructure - especially in rural, peri-urban and township areas.
The Limpopo Class of 2011 has done the province proud by attaining these remarkable passes; we are confident the momentum will be sustained.
Statement issued by ANC Limpopo provincial spokesperson, Cde. Makondelele Mathivha, January 6 2012
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