Johannesburg - The Department of Education in the North West says it was targeting a top three spot in this year’s matric results.
The province achieved a 79.8% pass rate in the 2022 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, which was an increase of 1.6% over 2021.
“Reviewing the learners’ results from the first term has been identified as a useful way to keep track of performance in schools across the province,” the department said.
The matter was discussed during an engagement session between North West Education ME, Viola Motsumi and district directors on Wednesday in Mahikeng.
In the session, Motsumi encouraged circuit managers to work hard to ensure that schools achieve great results by the end of the 2023 academic year. She also cautioned the subject advisers about the importance of mentoring and coaching of teachers.
“From now on, schools achieving less than 70% will be considered vulnerable,” she said.
Motsumi further called for education stakeholders to carry the top three vision.
“I humbly plead with all our education stakeholders to rally together the department to make our vision of the top three see the light when the minister of basic education announces 2023 year-end results,” she added.
The department officials who were part of the engagements emphasised that all special and farm schools within the province will be roped in to form part of the drive for excellence in the province.
The department said there was significant increase in the percentage of distinctions obtained in subjects in the first school term compared to the fourth term of last year.
“However, internal indicators show a decline in performance of 2023 first term as a result the department plans to intensify its intervention strategies to assist underperforming schools through the Dial-a-Tutor programme, extra classes, vacation camps, first and last push as well as educator development with much emphasis on incubation of teachers in underperforming subjects inclusive of gateway subjects per term,” it said.
The district directors also assured the MEC that they will deliver the best quality results by the end of term four of 2023 and improve the province’s status.
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