60 days before matric examinations - how are Dinaledi schools in Khayelitsha faring?

Naledi Pandor introduced the Dinaledi programme to significantly improve performance and increase participation in mathematics, life sciences and physical sciences at schools in the townships.

In Khayelitsha there are 20 high schools; seven are Dinaledi schools. Out of these seven schools, only two in 2012 had learners who passed by achieving marks above 30% in maths, and three schools had learners who achieved marks above 30% in physical science.

Maths is a main focus for university entry. Of the 441 Dinaledi learners who wrote maths in 2012, only 213 got marks above 30%. The rest failed.

Bulumko High, a Dinaledi school, had less than 19% of learners achieve maths marks above 30%, and less than 25% achieve physical science marks above 30%.

Kwamfundo High, also a Dinaledi school, had less than 50% of learners pass both maths and physical science.

COSAT is the only school in Khayelitsha that had a 98% pass rate both in maths and physical science. In 2012, the school had only six learners fail physical science and only one learner fail maths.

In the previous two years, the school achieved a 100% matric pass rate. The Western Cape Education Department awarded the school R15 000 for having 100% learners pass maths in 2012.

According to the principal at COSAT, Phadiela Cooper, the school does not have any teaching techniques different from other schools in the area.

“We have committed and dedicated teachers who maximize their time spent with the student and who spend extra hours with them including Saturdays and holidays. We do not compromise teaching and learning times.”

Schools like Intlanganiso and Chris Hani, which are not Dinaledi schools, had above 50% of learners pass both maths and physical science. Intlanganiso achieved a 95% pass rate in maths and above 65% in physical science.

Learners who study commercial subjects complain that their schools focus more on maths and science and do not regard their subjects as important.

Mpilo Kondla, who is currently in matric, said that he doesn’t understand the fuss about maths and science in his school because learners failed those subjects.

“In my school the pass rate for commercial subjects last year was above 60%. Maths was less than 45%. Our subjects are not regarded as important but we are the ones bringing up the marks at the end of the year,” said Kondla.

This article has been fact-checked by GroundUp