Aberdeen Secondary Matric Results

At first glance, the results from Aberdeen Secondary School look to be disappointing, as the pass rate has dropped from 87.5% in 2010 to only 44% last year. However this needs to be looked at in context, as last year fifty pupils wrote the matric exams, as opposed to only eight the previous year. The teachers are in fact to be congratulated on helping 22 learners, the majority of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve a matriculation certificate. Three pupils, Elrice April, Ntombizandile Finnis and Brenden Flippies achieved results of a high enough standard to be able to study for a bachelor’s degree at university, and a further nine qualified for admission to a diploma course.

Ntombizandile Finnis was the top learner in grade twelve, just missing distinctions in isiXhosa and Afrikaans, and this modest young girl has been a high achiever throughout her school career. She confesses to not being particularly organized, but just settling down and working hard throughout the year. She, along with at least three of her former classmates, will be attending South Cape College in Beaufort West next year. Ntombizandile will be studying office administration, a three year course.

When The Advertiser met with several of the learners earlier in the year, it was apparent that many of them seemed unlikely to pass, and perhaps had been “helped” to pass grade eleven, either by the department of education or their teachers. It is understandable that educators feel that children should be given every chance to achieve a matriculation certificate, but it perhaps raises false expectations in a pupil if they are promoted to the next grade despite poor performance throughout the year. Possibly another year in grade eleven would have laid a firmer foundation for the matric year – or in the case of those either not academically inclined or interested, a course at an FET college such as Eastcape Midlands College in Graaff-Reinet or South Cape College in Beaufort West would be more beneficial.

Ntombizandile Finnis, top learner at Aberdeen Secondary

 

A group of matrics wait anxiously for their results