The success of the matric class of 2024 is a demonstration of what could be achieved if various sectors of society pulled together in pursuit of the country’s national interest.
This is the view of the Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane who believes the group faced the most mounting challenges but still made it. Chiloane released the province’s results in Midrand.
Chiloane says a lot stood in the way of success for the class of 2024 and the group showed resilience.
Gauteng improved its performance coming in at third place with the Free State as well as the Western Cape taking the first and second spot respectively.
“Despite a difficult environment arising from a rapidly-growing system and tough economic conditions, the Gauteng Department of Education registered significant achievements in delivering quality basic education through its programmes and interventions in the 2024 academic year. Despite severe budget pressures, we have delivered on our core mandate,” said Chiloane.
Chiloane said the Covid19 pandemic in 2020 also posed a serious threat to the class of 2024’s prospects.
“There can be no denying that the Covid-19 pandemic continued to impact on education in Gauteng in 2024. The Class of 2024 began their Grade 12 year with high expectations. These Grade 12 learners who, in addition to the anxiety of the matric year, had to contend with the impact of the pandemic and the added stress and uncertainty it brought since 2020. Despite the negative impact of COVID19 on teaching and learning, innovative measures have been developed and used to ensure the readiness of the Class of 2024. Whilst significant efforts have been made to recover the academic year and provide extraordinary support to the learners, the total impact of the abnormal educational context remains an unknown and therefore a concern,” he said.
Gauteng achieved 88.41 percent pass rate an increase of 3 percent from last year and the province’s best performance since 1995.
Gauteng also obtained the second most distinctions after KwaZulu-Natal.