VIJAY NAIDOO: Good Business Basics – Gatekeeping for Matric success misses the point
More focus is needed on the quality of exiting students passes, rather than the quantity.
The annual National Schools Jamboree otherwise known as the Matric Final examinations rolled around a week or so ago.
Presided over by ringmaster Angie Motshekga, also known as the Honourable Minister of Basic Education, and her nine provincial Education MECs, it was preceded by the usual jockeying for position to be the top province, and confident declarations that all preparations were in place etc, etc.
This laser-like focus on the Matric exit exams belies the fact that provincial education systems are, to all extent and purposes, chronic underperformers, unable to grapple with and solve longstanding issues such as dilapidated buildings, pit toilets and the non-delivery of textbooks.
It would seem that the provincial MECs’ entire year plan is focused on the final exams in question
This anomalous situation would be warranted if the value of a Matric pass was equivalent to a golden key that unlocked a myriad of opportunities for the exiting students.
The reality is drastically different, with the systematic lowering of the bar, resulting in a Matric pass being viewed with very little value by potential employers.
The competition between provinces for the pyrrhic victory of highest pass rate has resulted in practises such as gatekeeping – where weaker students are not progressed and reduced subject choices, by pushing maths literacy, for example, instead of core maths.
So, the higher the prevalence of gatekeeping, the higher the pass rate. Free State province, which scooped the award for the highest pass rate nationally in 2021 has been accused of using gatekeeping quite ruthlessly to achieve this.
Distinguished educationalist Prof Mary Metcalfe, writing in the Sunday Times recently, decried the competition between provinces, stating ‘I would love to see less emphasis on the winning province, and less competition between MECs…’
Similar sentiments were expressed by Sylvan Blignaut, Professor in post graduate studies at Nelson Mandela University…..’It is sad that the system has become so examination driven with this focus on high stakes exams’.
Final word from Professor Jonathan Jansen, world renowned education expert who says.. ‘the marketplace is not fooled by glowing Matric marks’. This, in the context of staggeringly high youth unemployment.
The reality is that the value of a Matric pass as key to future employment is almost zero.
More worrying, as a qualifier for further education, the quality of exiting graduates is becoming suspect.
More focus is needed on the quality of exiting students passes, rather than the quantity
Vijay Naidoo is the CEO of the Port Shepstone Business Forum. He writes in his personal capacity. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.
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