Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education MEC Mbali Frazer said the provincial government has set an 80% target for the matric pass rate for the class of 2022.
He said all districts were instructed to perform at 80% and above.
Frazer was speaking on Wednesday at the National Teachers’ Union conference in Durban.
She said throughout the year the department partnered with numerous stakeholders in rolling out the academic improvement plan which sought to improve the overall matric pass rate as well as the performance in gateway subjects such as physical science, life science, agricultural sciences, maths and other technical subjects.
Frazer said their focus is not only on the matric pass rate.
“The department has been consistently rolling out programmes that seek to improve the performance of the entire education system, because we want to see learners in all grades excelling in their subjects. These programmes include supporting and upskilling our educators, so they are better capacitated to deliver according to the needs of the curriculum,” she said.
Frazer urged principals to pay for water and electricity.
“We cannot continue having instances where teaching and learning are disrupted because schools have been disconnected by municipalities for non-payment. If there is a query on a municipal bill, the principal has a right to lodge a dispute with the municipality, but please don’t just sit back and do nothing because the debt will escalate due to interest and other penalties,” she said.
Frazer added that the safety of teachers and pupils is crucial, and she pleaded with the communities to protect schools from criminals. She said the Department of Basic Education also has a protocol agreement which was signed more than years ago to help fight crimes in schools.
She added that police regularly conduct awareness activities as well as search-and-seizure of dangerous weapons and drugs as part of an ongoing campaign to clamp down on criminal activities by pupils. She said by agreement, every school is linked to a local police station.
Daily News