Almost 20 years since democracy, Grahamstown's matrics bear the brunt of the city’s socio-economic inequalities, the education department's inability to make things better, and the vast backlogs facing distant township schools, writes Ashley Westaway.
Almost 20 years since democracy, Grahamstown's matrics bear the brunt of the city’s socio-economic inequalities, the education department's inability to make things better, and the vast backlogs facing distant township schools, writes Ashley Westaway.
Not only did our city experience a major decline of performance in 2012, it also saw educational inequalities grow.
In 2011 the eight township schools produced 60% of the NSCs and 29% of the university-level passes, with the three former Model C schools producing 40% of the passes and 71% of the university passes. In 2012, the eight township schools, which serviced the vast majority of the city’s matriculants, produced only 56% of the city’s NSCs and a mere 24% of university passes.
This decline is both tragic and inexcusable. While the maintenance of standards at Graeme College, Hoerskool PJ Olivier and Victoria Girls' High is to be commended, the poor performance of the township schools is cause for both concern and action.
Together, the eight township schools only registered 37 university-level passes in 2012 – down from 53 in 2011. None of these schools was able to produce a distinction in mathematics, and there was a lone distinction in physical science, produced by Vuyokazi Twani at Nombulelo.
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This is an excerpt from a longer article by Dr. Westaway on the difficulties facing education in Grahamstown, published in Grocott's Mail on Tuesday 8 January.
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