While most pupils in the Northern Cape will be enjoying a break from their school books during the holidays that kicked off on Thursday, 3,743 matric pupils in the Province will be hard at work at autumn school camps.
WHILE most pupils in the Northern Cape will be enjoying a break from their school books during the holidays that kicked off on Thursday, 3,743 matric pupils in the Province will be hard at work at autumn school camps.
Grade 12 pupils will from Thursday, March 30 until April 6 attend the Autumn Camp Programme that is aimed at enhancing their exam performance.
The Northern Cape MEC for Education, Zolile Monakali, this week visited Diamantveld High School and Girl’s High School in Kimberley, which have been selected as two of the schools in the Province where learning will be taking place over the holidays.
During his visit to Girls’ High, Monakali urged pupils to make great use of the opportunity as it will ensure them a successful future.
“We have 19 autumn camps across the Province and learners from 122 schools will attend the camps … We want all of you to give your full co-operation during this camp and want the results of your hard work to show in your final marks,” Monakali told the pupils.
“By passing your last year with flying colours, you are not just impressing us, but you are setting yourself up for success in the future. There are many resources available to those who have proven themselves worthy when they pass well. So do not just attend school to fill the numbers in the class, but attend school to be the one who stands out amongst the crowd.
“Achieving your best is a sign of respect – respect for your teachers, the family you come from, but most importantly it is a sign of respect to yourself and how worthy you think you are.”
Monakali told the pupils that it is up to them to return the Province to the number one position.
“In 1994, the Northern Cape was the best-performing province in the Grade 12 results. How did it happen that we dropped to number eight in the country when we compare our final Grade 12 results? The learners from 1994 are no different from you here, as they attended the same schools as you, they are also from the same communities as you. In fact, you have it much better than the learners back then, as the department has ensured that we supply your needs, even beyond the classroom.
“When we look at the ratings of the levels of provinces who are performing exceptionally during the 2022 final National Senior Certificate examinations, our neighbours the Free State walked off with the award for being the best-performing province. The resources and conditions the learners in the Free State live under are the same as the ones we have in our province, so why are they listed as the best when the syllabus is the same?
“We cannot feel inferior to the Free State and must give our best … it will be worth the sacrifice. In 2020 the Northern Cape had a Grade 12 pass rate of 66%, in 2021 we were at 71.4% and in 2022 we had a pass rate of 74.1%. For 2023 we are aiming to be above the national average.
“We need learners who will have the confidence to compete against other learners from other parts of the country. An above-national average pass rate will give them that confidence. We are hoping to break the ceiling by having an 81.1% pass rate,” Monakali said.
Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said the autumn camps are designed to enhance the Grade 12 pupils’ performance.
“This camp is particularly for schools that have underperformed during the 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations. The programme is strategically designed to assist learners in all aspects of the current matric syllabus, but especially in those areas that were highlighted as problematic during the 2022 Diagnostic Report and the Northern Cape Item Analysis,” said Van der Merwe.
“Learners will have notes, exercises and suggested solutions each day on the topics covered as well as past Grade 12 examination pacers. They will be assisted with a conceptual understanding of core topics that they will be examined on in their final exams. Tutoring will be done by experienced teachers who have a record of high learner achievement.
“Life-orientation sessions on life skills and career pathing will also be infused into the programme.
“We believe that the autumn camps will contribute to an overall learner academic performance and the success rate of our Grade 12 learners.”
