97% pass IEB matric exams

2009-12-30 09:30

Johannesburg - Over 97% of candidates passed this year's National Senior Certificate examination conducted by the Independent Examinations Board (IEB).

Of the 97.42% who passed, 79.54% of the candidates qualified for university entry, said IEB CEO Anne Oberholzer on Tuesday.

"Another 15.27% qualify for entry to diploma study and 2.61% for the Higher Certificate level," said Oberholzer.

This year's IEB pass rate was slightly up from last year's 97.03%, she said.

168 schools

The IEB exams were written by 8 056 pupils from 168 schools across the country, in accordance with the provisions of Umalusi which had approved the results.

Oberholzer said they had identified 56 pupils with an "outstanding achievement" in six or more subjects and who had achieved 80% or more in Life Orientation.

2009 was the second year in which the new National Senior Certificate was run.

Oberholzer said the transition from the National Senior Certificate to the new National Senior Certificate in 2008 was "seamless", with pupils maintaining their "exceptionally high standards of performance".

Proud

"It is clear that the combined efforts of learners and teachers with the support of parents and school managers have produced a set of results of which learners can be proud," she said.

"Being only the second year of implementation, there are areas of the curriculum and assessment that are still settling down. New subjects such as Mathematics Literacy and Life Orientation are establishing their credibility in an increasingly sceptical education environment."

Oberholzer said there was an increase by 10% of Mathematics learners at IEB schools taking Mathematics Paper 3.

- SAPA