Matric exams are just around the corner but for Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary School the matric syllabus hasn’t been concluded yet.
Matric exams are just around the corner but for Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary School the matric syllabus hasn’t been concluded yet.
The school in Grahamstown East achieved a dismal 9.6% pass rate in last year’s matric examinations. According to the acting headmaster, Mangaliso Nkwinti, attendance during the winter school, which was held for the matrics during the June/July holidays, was very low.
“It is always hard getting the kids to come to school during celebrations such as the Fifa World Cup,” said Nkwinti.
In order to avoid poor results like those achieved by the pupils the previous year, the school has implemented afternoon classes to ensure that the syllabus will be complete before prelims begin at the end of August.
Mfuneko Dangazele, Department of Education chief education specialist, said that trying to improve the results of Nathaniel Nyaluza is their priority.
He explained that the employment of a new maths and science teacher has already proven to be beneficial to learners.
Circuit manager Robin Solwandle, says that he goes to the school almost every day with subject advisors to make sure that the academic programmes are running smoothly. The teachers at the school are also positive that the results will be better this year.
When Grocott’s Mail visited the school, a very overwhelmed and stressed acting headmaster emerged. He believed that some of hismatrics had been deregistered from the matric exams, so he was busy with the registration procedure.
Dangazele and Solwandle refuted the allegation, saying that such a situation could not be possible.He said that Nyaluza was one of many secondary schools that is currently busy with a verification process of matric pupils under the orders of the provincial office.
