A disturbing feature of the exams was that there were 15,000 fewer candidates writing maths compared to 2019.
“It s really tragic and it all boils down to gatekeeping, where weaker pupils are persuaded to write maths literacy instead of maths. This is also directly related to this competition that has been created between schools and between provinces,” said the source.
Academics previously told TimesLIVE that the pass rate would also dip because progressed candidates (those who were progressed to grade 12 despite failing grade 11) had to write all seven subjects at one exam sitting for the first time last year.
Over the past few years, progressed pupils were allowed to write some subjects in October/November and the remainder in June the next year through a system known as the Multiple Exam Opportunity (MEO).
Don’t fail SA’s kids again, reopen schools, say top profs The NCCC wants this postponed to February 15, with the education minister set to address the issue on Friday 14 January 2021 - 19:30
An eminent professor of economics at Stellenbosch University has urged the department of basic education to reopen schools as soon as possible, in the interests of pupils.
Servaas van der Berg said “being out of school is bad for children mentally, psychologically and socially, and undermines their long-term academic and economic prospects”.
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