'Promote grade 11 failures'

2007-04-20 17:26

Johannesburg - The KwaZulu-Natal department of education has told schools to promote grade 11 pupils who failed last year to matric, reported The Witness on Friday.

Department head Cassius Lubisi said in a circular sent to all stakeholders on April 14 that most failed grade 11s opted to repeat grade 11 at school.

He said: "These pupils are therefore doing the New Curriculum Statement with all the changes that accompany the introduction of the new curriculum.

"The investigation has also shown that most pupils are not coping with this shift.

"Equally, some schools cannot provide additional assistance to these pupils."

A number principals had criticised the department's order.

Allan Thompson, KZN spokesperson for the National Teachers Union, expressed shock at the circular and said it was a "good formula of disaster".

He said the system would not work, but would contribute to a continued decline in matric results in the province.

"Perhaps we're just prophets of doom, but I just can't see us achieving even that 66% in matric (last year's pass rate) this year," said Thompson.

- SAPA