The Free State has beaten traditional top performing provinces Gauteng and the Western Cape to the post in this year’s matric results.
The provincial pass rate has increased from 81.1 percent in 2012 to 87.4 percent last year.
Minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga, announced on Monday that 67 855 distinctions were achieved in 2013, a significant jump from the 55 650 distinctions earned in 2012
Free State jumped two places from third position in 2012, pushing Gauteng into second place, although the country’s richest and most populous province increased its pass rate to 87 percent from 83.9 percent in 2012.
A buoyant Free State education MEC, Tate Makgoe, lauded the districts for averaging an 80 percent pass rate.
Thabo Mofutsanyana outstripped other districts when it achieved an 88.4 percent pass rate with Motheo coming second with an 87.9 percent pass rate and Xhariep third with 86.9 percent. Lejweleputswa is fourth with 86.6 percent while Fezile Dabi came last with a creditable 86.0 percent pass rate.
Makgoe said he was proud that rural Thabo Mofutsanyana district had made it onto the list of the top 10 performing districts in the country.
“We are talking about a district with no resources, no model C schools but (it) managed to exceed expectations,” said Makgoe.
The MEC attributed the collaboration between the department, parents, teacher unions, civil society and the private sector for the excellent results.
He upped the ante and pledged that the province will achieve a 90 percent pass rate this year.
“Never again shall we undermine ourselves as a province. We managed to beat the Western Cape and Gauteng although the Western Cape is a small area with a manageable number of schools and matric classes.
“We were also told that Gauteng could never be beaten. It always looks impossible until it is done,” added Makgoe.
Makgoe said his department would continue to grapple with serious challenges such as teachers who sexually abuse female learners, corruption in schools and a lack of commitment to teaching and learning in some schools.
“The transformation of the province’s results was a product of the department’s intervention, teachers’ commitment, and the dedication of disciplined learners.
“We provided some of the poverty stricken learners with food at school. They (learners) slept in school halls during exam time.”
According to Makgoe, matric camps, extra classes and dedicated teachers were also instrumental in helping the province achieve the remarkable results.
“We, with this strategy managed to attain 355 distinctions in mathematics in the province, which proves that the quality of those passes would be able to enter tertiary institutions.
“Seventy percent of our matrics are now able to access tertiary institutions which now means that over 10 000 students will need access to tertiary institutions, creating an issue of space and accessibility.”
Meanwhile, the Western Cape jumped up from 82.8 percent in 2012 to 85.1 percent. North West achieved an 87.2 percent pass rate up from 79.5 percent in 2012, making it the most improved province in the country.
Limpopo improved its rate by 4.7 percent to jump up to 71.8 percent in 2013 compared to 66.9 percent the year before.
KwaZulu-Natal which holds the highest number of learners improved its pass rate by 4.3 percent to 77.4 percent compared to 73.1 percent in 2012. The Eastern Cape which had the lowest pass rate in 2012 (61.6 percent) raised its rate to 64.9 percent showing a steady rise in performance. The only province to experience a decline in its pass rate was the Northern Cape which scored 74.6 percent in 2012 but dropped to 74. 5, in 2013.
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