The Free State Department of Education has financially rewarded ten schools that attained good results in Mathematics in the 2023 final matric examination. Each school received R100 000 in prize money.
This is an ongoing, concerted effort aimed at encouraging more learners to take up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, otherwise referred to as Stem subjects. Despite less than 10 000 learners passing Mathematics and Physical Science, of the 30 673 learners who wrote Mathematics last year, the MEC for Education, Makalo Mohale, revealed that there was an improvement in the pass rate. A total of 8 974 candidates passed Mathematics in 2023, compared to the 8 834 in 2022.
“The pass rate is 69,86%, representing a 5,3% increase from the 64,57% attained in 2022. In 2021 the pass rate was 66,7%,” he said.
Of the top 100 learners, four attained a 100% pass in Maths, two got 99% while the other pair received 96% and 84%. Those who attained 100% are Kamohelo Mosikili, Mpumelelo Nhlapo, Stevens Cara and Moalusi Semane. The pair who secured 99% are Mojalefa Mohoalali and Lara Potgieter, while Nabeel Seedat received 94% and Johannes Booysen attained 96%.
Mohale said the number of learners who passed Physical Science was 8 290, with Mosikili the only to attain 100%, of the 8 290 who passed the subject. The pass rate for Physical Science in 2023 is 80,17%, while in 2022 it was 80,56% and in 2021 it was 75,1%.
Mohale said his department was continuing the work to increase the intake of Mathematics in schools in line with the target set out in the National Development Plan.
“The province is continuing to award top-performing Mathematics schools with a higher participation rate of 80 learners and above since 2012. We have undertaken to increase the number of Gr. 12 learners who pass Mathematics and Physical Science subjects.
“Key interventions focused on improving performance in Mathematics, Physical Science and Accounting, supporting underperforming schools and their principals,” said Mohale.
He revealed that 6 555 learners had passed Accounting in 2023, of the 8 042 who wrote the exam; representing 81,51%, while in 2022 it was 83,79% and 81,9% in 2021.
Announcing the 2023 national matric results on Thursday, 18 January, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said the 2023 matric class Maths pass rate had increased to 63,5% from the 55% of 2022. She stated, however, that all provinces were expected to achieve the targeted 50% intake of Mathematics and Physical Science. Motshekga said since 2020 there has been a gradual uptick in the overall Maths pass rate.
The top ten secondary schools in the Free State that received R100 000 are the following: Adelaide Tambo in Welkom; Beacon, Lekgulo, Rantsane and Reahola in Qwaqwa; C&N Hoër Meisieskool Oranje, Eunice, Grey College and Jim Fouche in Bloemfontein; and Trio in Kroonstad. Eunice received special mention as the top Mathematics and Science school in the province.
Meanwhile, Nyari Samushonga, chief executive of WeThinkCode,_a technical training academy, pointed out that while the growing pass rate percentage was being celebrated, the proportion of students writing Maths in matric was going down.
“At this point, 38% of the students that take the matric final exams actually include Maths as one of the subjects that they take.”
“The percentage goes up, but where we have previously had 80%, 70%, 60%, 50% and 40% of learners, the number of people taking Maths in matric is reducing” said Samushonga.
