Gauteng achievements not thanks to Lesufi

AfriForum sincerely congratulates all matriculants, teachers and parents in Gauteng with their exceptional achievements and hard work. These all contributed to the high success rate that Gauteng as a province accomplished and placed the province at the top of the list of 2018’s matric results.

Many matriculants from across Gauteng were honoured today at the release of this province’s results at Unisa in Pretoria.

Tshwane South was named the district with the highest pass rate in Gauteng with 91,2%. This achievement can be attributed to excellent schools, dedicated teachers, good mother-tongue education and governing bodies that made supplementary appointments possible, thereby ensuring that learners received more attention compared to overflowing rural schools.

“It is ironic, however – learner numbers and mother-tongue education are in fact two of the issues that Panyasa Lesufi, MEC for Gauteng Education, incessantly attacked in 2018. Gauteng’s excellent achievements can therefore not be attributed to Lesufi, but were achieved despite him,” says Carien Bloem, AfriForum’s Coordinator for Education.

Mr Solly Msimanga, Mayor of the Tshwane Metro City, pointed out that more attention should be given to quality in schools and technical schools to prepare the country for the new economic era. “All schools are not on the same standard and schools should be the paragon of the good product that Gauteng schools want to deliver,” Msimanga said.

“AfriForum agrees with Msimanga’s statement and is happy that the issue of too few schools, as well as dysfunctional schools, will not go unseen. Development to promote job creation and economic growth are planned for Gauteng, but one should guard against building on a cracked foundation,” Bloem says.

Bloem also points out that many learners in Gauteng did not complete their school careers and therefor do not have basic qualifications. “This is worrisome in light of the problematic unemployment figures that the country and province are already facing.”