Maths results won't add up - again

MATRIC pupils are expected to fail maths in large numbers yet again.

Dr Sizwe Mabizela, chair of Umalusi's council, hinted that pupils' maths performance would not be impressive when the results are released on Wednesday.

Approving the release of the matric results on Friday, Mabizela said that the country should "continue to be concerned about poor performance in maths".

He denied that pupils' performance was dismal, but said it left a lot to be desired.

"We need to support our teachers. We need to invest in the teaching and learning of maths to pull learners to the middle or upper level."

Last year, only 30.9% of the 263034 maths candidates achieved 40% and more in the subject.

A total of 620266 candidates registered for the whole exam this year.

Announcing that the council had found the exams to be fair, valid and credible, Mabizela said that of the 56 subjects presented to Umalusi for standardisation, the raw marks in 45 subjects were accepted.

"Moderation with minor upward shifts were effected in three subjects while moderation with minor downward shifts were effected for eight subjects."

The subjects in which marks were adjusted included life sciences, agricultural sciences, agricultural management practices, electrical technology, business studies, accounting, economics, history, English first additional language, Zulu home language and Tshivenda home language.

Lynn Bowie, a lecturer in maths education at the University of the Witwatersrand, also warned this week of the possibility of a high failure rate in maths. "If you look at the annual national assessment results, it shows very clearly that the crisis is not a matric crisis but a system-wide crisis starting way back in primary school."

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and education analysts have expressed optimism that at least 70% of this year's matrics will pass the National Senior Certificate exams.

Last year's 67.8% national pass rate - a sharp increase of 7.2% on the previous year - took even Motshekga by surprise.

Motshekga, who will officially release the matric results on Wednesday, said that she would be "very surprised" if there was an improvement in the pass rate in the Eastern Cape.

The beleaguered provincial education department, which was placed under the administration of her department earlier this year because of a host of problems, achieved a pass rate of 58.3% last year.

On the national pass rate, Motshekga said: "It's touch and go. I really hope we get an increment or at least to break the 70% mark so that we can reach the target of 80% set for 2014."

Motshekga said that there were clear plans in the 92 education districts to use both the matric results and those of the annual national assessments to target and support underperforming schools.

Among the initiatives introduced by her to improve matric results are:

• Introducing English as a first additional language to grade one pupils when schools re-open in the new year to help them become proficient in the language; and
• A partnership with the Shuttleworth Foundation which will result in every maths and science pupil in grades 10-12 receiving resource material.

Motshekga said the new curriculum, which is being implemented over the next few years, starting with grades one, two, three and 10 this year, would ensure that pupils are assessed continuously throughout their schooling career.

"Previously, children were only tested properly when they went to grades nine, 10 and 11 and, as a result, there were huge failure rates in these grades."

Professor John Volmink, chief executive of the department's National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (Needu), predicted a 2% to 3% increase in the pass rate.

"There were no major disruptions this year and the standard of the matric exams has matured." But Volmink cautioned against not reading too much into the matric results.

"All that is celebrated in this country is the pass rate, which simply tells how many wrote and how many failed. It doesn't tell you anything about those who were held back in the previous grade."

He expressed concern over the trend of schools engaging in "gatekeeping" - a practice involving deliberately holding back weaker pupils in grade 11 because of fears that the school's matric pass rate would drop.

"They are being held back at the whim of the teacher and I feel extremely angry about that. I would very strongly recommend that a systematic study be undertaken so that we can eliminate this practice."

Volmink said some schools, especially in the townships, were also guilty of encouraging pupils to study maths literacy instead of maths. "Many schools I have been to have introduced soft options so that results can improve because nobody questions the subjects. All they look at is the pass rate."

Professor Sarah Gravett, dean of education at the University of Johannesburg, also felt that a "small increase" was on the cards.