Less than a third of EC students enrolled in 2001 made it to matric

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Less than a third of learners in the Eastern Cape who enrolled in school twelve years ago will be writing their matric this year.

That's according to figures released by Eastern Cape Education MEC, Mandla Makupula, in a written reply to a question from the Democratic Alliance.

DA MPL, Edmund van Vuuren, says according to Makupula, 74% of learners who entered the system in 2001, did not make it to matric in 2012.

He says of the 26% who made it all the way to matric last year, only 14% or 39 443 actually passed matric.

Van Vuuren says these alarming statistics are another indictment of the how the education system in the Eastern Cape is far below the national average and how it is failing the children of the province.

While reasons for children drop out of school can be attributed to poverty, teenage pregnancy, lack of interest in schooling and repetition of grades, social problems should not deter us from making our schools places of hope and places of nurture and a change for a better future.

What is needed is a strong and effective school leadership, employing quality teachers who can instil a love for their subjects in learners, developing discipline and confidence, providing a safe environment and meaningful subject combinations which will give learners the necessary tools to gain decent employment.

The DA believes that a core minimum of resources must be guaranteed for each school. When in government, we will take steps including linking schooling to Child Support Grants, to reduce the drop-out rate. We will also ensure that the school nutrition programme is available to learners all the way to matric.

Structures have to be monitored and mended not just in the Department of Education but also to the Department of Social Development.

The DA refuses to let the future of so many children go down the drain. Education is the ticket out of poverty. No more pupils should be allowed to fall through the cracks.