BARBERTON – The local department of correctional services’ (DCS), Umlalati Learning Centre, topped all prison centres in the country with a pass rate of 100 per cent in the 2013 matric exams. In a press statement, deputy minister for DCS, Ngoako Ramatlhodi, said he was impressed with the high number of prisoners who had enrolled for the examination.
“The number of students registering to write the matric examinations increased from 27 in 1994 to 140, with a major increase of 67 per cent in 2013 alone. We have more than doubled the number of students passing their matric examination with university admission certificates, from 14 in 2012 to 30 in 2013,” said Ramathlodi.
He said the overall pass rate was 59 per cent for 2013, with 67 of the 114 candidates who were successful.
“A total of 140 initially applied to write matric. You can see from their pass rate that they were not forced to learn; instead they chose to do so while serving their sentences,” he said.
The results for matric inmates were released last week, along with those of the rest of the country.
Thoko Khoza, Barberton department of education circuit manager, asked the learners to encourage their friends to go to school so that all classes could be fully attended. “To my powerful class of Barberton, let me say to you… bravo!,” said Khoza.
It was the first time the local correctional centre had enrolled grade twelves.
DCS regional commissioner, Alfred Tsetsane, said that more young learner inmates would be transferred to Barberton and Rustenburg correctional centres. Barberton had an average subject performance rate of 54,9 per cent.
Inmates across the country got a total of 60 distinctions. Fifty-three distinctions were registered at Usethubeni Youth Centre in Durban, four at Johannesburg Medium C and three at Vuselela Learning Centre in North West.
The top prison performers were Thabo Mohlanga, who got an 80,5 per cent average, Musa Cele with 79,3 per cent, Celumusa Mhlonga who got 77 per cent and Senzo Khanyezi and Lonwabo Mhlanga who both got 76,4 per cent.
