Gauteng MEC defends matric subject adjustments
The Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Shadow Minister for Education Gavin Davis recently wrote an open letter to Umalusi questioning why marks have been adjusted for 32 subjects compared to 29 in the previous year.
In the letter, Davis disclosed information about the matric 2016 mark adjustments which was revealed during a recent “standardisation meeting” with Umalusi and the department which he attended.
Upward mark adjustments normally take place when “the exam paper was demonstrably more difficult than previous years”.
Davis said no evidence was put forward to “demonstrate that these papers were of a higher standard” and that the starting point for adjusting the marks was not the papers, but the results.
“Some of the subjects saw a dramatic upwards adjustment,” said Davis, including maths and maths literacy.
Now Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has spoken out against Davis and defended the process, saying the correct processes were followed reports EWN.
“Mr Davis lacks understanding and needs to receive a basic course from the notion of standardisation and education”.
“And the rationale for it is very important because it allows us to balance the gaps and it also allows us to manage the quality of education and Umalusi is an independent body.”
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will announce the national pass rate for the matric class of 2016 on Wednesday evening.
Read: Half of 2016’s matric subjects will have their marks adjusted upwards
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