Minister Grant's Speech at the Cape Winelands NSC Top Achievers Awards Ceremony

Programme Director,

Executive Mayors of the various Municipalities, their deputies and councilors,

Members of Parliament – Mr Kobus Marais and Helen Lamoela,

District Director Juan Benjamin and former Director Clifton Frolick,

Officials of the WCED and dignitaries,

Principals, educators and learners,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

 

Goeie naand, Good Evening, Molweni.

 

I am delighted to be here to celebrate and congratulate the class of 2013 for their "quality performance" after they succeeded in beating the records of all our key indicators of success. 

 

These indicators include increases in the numbers passing and candidates with access to bachelor’s degree and improvements in the numbers writing mathematics and physical science. As a result we have also seen decreases in the number of underperforming schools. 

 

It certainly was a "quality result."

 

Well done to you all.

 

The contribution of the learners and schools from the Cape Winelands District present here today was certainly part of the Western Cape’s success. 

 

Your outstanding achievement in the NSC is something to be proud of. You have made your school communities and your education district proud. 

 

Julle verteenwoordig kwaliteit, en kwaliteit is wat hierdie staat beoog om te bereik wanneer dit kom by opvoeding, gepaardgaande met die ondersteuning van ons armer skole.

 

In the 2013 NSC, the Western Cape improved on its indicators of quality, particularly in improving the numbers achieving access to a bachelor degree. 

 

The Western Cape not only beat our own records in access to Bachelor’s degree study, but also performed the best in the country in this regard. 

 

Increasing the numbers of candidates achieving bachelor passes is significant as it demonstrates a steady improvement in the quality of passes within the system. 

 

Examination results are, however, not about numbers in isolation, they are about better life chances for our young people. It also means that more learners than ever before will now have the opportunity to apply for admission at higher education institutions. 

 

And that means you.

 

Altogether: 19 477 candidates qualified for Bachelor Degree study in the Western Cape. This is 3 158 more quality passes in 2013 than in 2012. 

 

Terwyl ons daarop trots kan wees dat meer as 40% van ons kandidate toegang tot B-graadstudie verkry het, weet ons dat ons hierdie uitslag nog verder kan  verbeter. Sedert 2009 het die totale aantal kandidate wat kwalifiseer vir Baccalaureus-toelatings, jaar vir jaar, geleidelik toegeneem van 14 324 in 2009 tot 19 477 in 2013.

 

We are determined to continue with this trend. 

 

While I can talk about the Province’s achievements for hours, I think its best I focus a bit more on the Cape Winelands success. That is why we are here tonight. 

 

I would like to congratulate the district and all of its schools for improving on their results. 

 

The district improved its overall pass rate from 84.3% to 86.6% - which is above the provincial average. What is significant is that 520 more candidates passed than in 2012. 

 

We also saw improvements in the bachelor passes. 359 additional candidates achieved access to bachelor degree study than in 2012. The percentage of those achieving bachelor degree study increased by 2.9% from 39.4% to 42.3%. Once again, the Cape Winelands district achieved results higher than the provincial average. 

 

Well done.

 

I was also extremely happy to see that the number of underperforming schools in this district decreased significantly. In 2012 there were five schools that achieved under 60% in the NSC. In 2013 this figure decreased by three. There are now only two underperforming schools which we will support this year. Next year we are aiming for zero. 

 

Ek wens al die skole geluk wat vandag hier vereer sal word, óf julle uitstekend presteer het in individuele prestasies , julle slaagsyfer verbeter het, óf aantal slaagsyfers wat vir B-graadstudie kwalifiseer, verbeter het. Elkeen van julle streef die bereiking óf verbetering van gehalte na, en daarvoor verdien julle om geluk gewens en vereer te word. 

 

Thank you to the Principals that have met and improved on their targets for 2013, as well as our educators who had successfully prepared their candidates. 

 

To each of the individual award winners, thank you for the hard work that you have put into your studies.  I wish you all the best for your future success. To your proud parents and guardians, thank you for supporting your children throughout their school careers. 

 

'n Groot dankie aan die Distrik personeel vir hulle toewyding en ondersteuning aan ons skole dwarsdeur 2013. U bydrae tot vanjaar se gehalteprestasie het nie ongesiens verbygegaan nie.

 

I would like to end by thanking Mr Frolick for his contribution to the success of this district. While he has left the district office, his talent and expertise still remains in the WCED. So he is not lost to all of us. 

 

I have all the faith that his successor, Juan Benjamin, will follow in his footsteps. I wish Mr Benjamin all the best and look forward to working with him in his new position as District Director. 

 

I am confident that the Cape Winelands, as well as the whole of the Western Cape, will continue to yield sustainable and credible improvements in the quality and number of passes in the years to come. 

 

If we continue to work "Better Together" we can improve on the class of 2013’s success. 

 

Thank you.