Talk Radio 702<\/a><\/strong>, following widespread criticism of the department’s decision to ‘lower’ the pass mark for maths to 20% for grade 8 and 9.<\/p>\nThe department controversially sent out a directive to schools saying that students who passed all their subjects, but only managed to get over 20% for maths, should be put through to the next year.<\/p>\n
After the story broke, the department released a statement saying that the policy change arose from reports received from school principals and provincial officials across the country alerting the DBE of the extremely poor performance of Senior Phase learners due to the compulsory requirement of learners having to pass Mathematics at 40%.<\/p>\n
Promotion and progression requirements raised the pass requirement for home language to 50% and included mathematics as a compulsory pass requirement at 40%. This led to current students being disadvantaged by the promotion requirements, the departments said, necessitating the ‘special condonation’.<\/p>\n
According to Mweli, it made no sense for students who, in grade 10, would be taking maths literacy for technical maths, to have to pass at 40%.<\/p>\n
“We are also saying that for the senior certificate you really don\u2019t need to pass at 40% if you are not going to do mathematics,” he said.<\/p>\n
“20% in mathematics\u201a when you are going to do mathematical literature or technical maths\u201a is sufficient because you are not going to do mathematics\u201a\u201d Mweli said.<\/p>\n
According to the DA, the ‘sweeping change’ is at odds with government’s own National Development Plan, which states that \u201c90% of learners in grades 3, 6 and 9 must achieve 50 percent or more\u201d in maths.<\/p>\n
Shadow minister of basic Education, Gavin Davis said that the timing of the policy change was also suspect – coming at the end of the year – with many more questions surrounding the move.<\/p>\n
“Instead of giving learners a free pass, we should be equipping learners to succeed in mathematics,” he said.<\/p>\n
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