Predicting the upcoming 2010 Matric Results

Right now there are many hundreds of thousands of ex-matriculants anxiously waiting for their Matric results to come out on Thursday 6 January 2011.

With this in mind, I’d like to stick my neck out a bit and make two predictions for the 2010 Matric results.

 

  1. My first prediction (and one I make with a reasonable degree of confidence) is that Ikamvanites will once again excel despite the incredible obstacles they encounter in their schooling careers. The MEC for Education in Gauteng, Barbara Creecy, recently indicated that our township schools cover an average of only 60% of the curriculum each year which has a devastating compounding effect each year a learner progresses. (click here for her talk). Despite this, the IkamvaYouth Matric group will once again be an inspiring example of a group of individuals taking their futures into their hands though hard work, collaboration, dedication and commitment. As a result, many more township school learners will access quality post-school opportunities and many more will return to IkamvaYouth as volunteers to help others do the same.

  2. The second prediction (and this is more a hunch) is that the overall matric pass-rates will stay the same or close to the same as 2009 – and may even improve by a couple percentage points. Now if you’ve been following the traumatic schooling year that was 2010 you’d probably think this would be a somewhat surprising (read: miraculous) result. If this is indeed correct, then it would seem that the schools have achieved phenomenally well despite the massive disruptions of a 5-week public servant’s strike and the extended holidays for the Soccer World Cup. Or at least thats one interpretation. The other interpretation (and I’ll leave it to you to decide which one is a truer reflection) is that we will now have conclusive proof that you can take teachers out of the classroom for 5 full weeks and add additional disruptions and not see any major negative impact on the end results. If this does not prove how dysfunctional our schooling system really is then nothing will. It is somewhat perverse to think that it would actually be more reassuring if there was a significant drop in 2010’s Matric results but I don’t think we’re going to see it.

We’ll know for sure next week whether any of these predictions are accurate and then we’ll no doubt be inundated by analysis from the experts who may agree or disagree with the above but the bottom line (in my opinion) is that we continue to shuffle deck-chairs why the titanic is sinking.

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As IkamvaYouth we’ll no doubt put together an official response to the Matric Results and try to identify areas where we – as a country – can begin to solve this problem. On the one hand we will wildly celebrate the SUCCESS of our amazing Ikamvanites while at the same time, on the other hand, we will continue to be moved by the annual loss of learners who leave school with limited future prospects.

 

 

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Andrew (in his own capacity)

 

Want to make a difference or help us expand? Then sponsor a learner or IkamvaYouth branch today? Or Volunteer.

Lloyd Lungu

031 909 3590
lloyd@ikamvayouth.org
2525 Ngcede Grove, Umlazi AA Library, 4031

Lloyd is a self-disciplined and highly goal-driven Industrial Psychology Honours graduate. He is currently a Master's candidate completing his second year of M.Com in Industrial Psychology at the University of the Free State. Lloyd joined IkamvaYouth as a learner in 2012, after matriculating he came back and volunteered as a tutor for the duration of his undergraduate studies at UKZN. He later worked as an Intern in the Chesterville branch. His passion for youth empowerment and inclusion has grown enormously through his time and experience gained within IkamvaYouth and has inspired him to provide career guidance to young township people. He is currently working at the Umlazi Branch as a Branch Assistant.