Education shortcomings need special attention

THIS week thousands of matrics received news of their final exam results that either had them jumping with joy or sinking through the floor in despair.

Out of the five provinces that recorded a drop in matric pass rates, KZN’s figures decreased the most – from 77.4% in 2013 to 69.7% in 2014.

But it has not all been bad news for this region.

Zululand’s top pupils for last year are mostly from underprivileged areas and had incredibly inspiring stories to tell about how they overcame challenges to secure eight distinctions and reach for their dreams.

It serves as testament to what hard work, perseverance and a positive outlook on life can accomplish.

What they also had in common was supportive family members, teachers and principals.

All the star performers interviewed by the Zululand Observer attributed their success of pocketing seven or eight distinctions to their knowledgeable and reassuring mentors.

Sadly, not all schools can say they are well equipped with a full body of qualified teachers and a firm principal who instill discipline and order.

In fact, last year it was reported that there were more than 4 000 unqualified teachers teaching in KZN schools.

So what happens when matric finals knock on these schools’ doors, threatening to expose their poor standards?

They cheat.

Exam quality watchdog Umalusi identified 39 schools in KZN implicated in ‘group copying’.

What is most disappointing about this is that invigilators, trusted to be responsible authorities, instead chose to encourage deceitful behaviour in the exam centres – essentially teaching many of this province’s youth that dishonesty is acceptable.

Schools are not only essential for teaching pupils subject content, but also to instill discipline, social skills, manners and ethics.

When our schools do the exact opposite, they snatch away much of our youngsters’ potential to become upstanding adults who have a positive impact on society and contribute to this nation’s economy.

It is shameful that so many of these matrics who have fallen prey to an ‘easy pass’, could very well have been among the top achievers, seriously detracting from the validity of those who earned their achievements honestly.