Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
16 January 2025 | 10:45 CAT
2 min read

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has earned the second-highest matric pass rate in the country for 2024, following the Free State. Premier Thami Ntuli and Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka lauded the province’s achievements, highlighting the impressive results of many schools despite facing various challenges.

Nkosinathi Ngcobo, the head of the KZN Department of Education attributed the nearly 90% pass rate to the ongoing efforts of the department, especially its long-term strategy. “We have devised an academic improvement plan, which we did way back about five years ago, and we keep improving it. We keep assessing its effectiveness at the end of every year after the results are out. We reassessed our performance in 2023, made a few changes in our academic improvement plan, and that is where it has taken us,” he said.

While the 90% pass rate is a significant achievement, Ngcobo emphasised the department’s ultimate goal: “We will keep improving until we reach 100% and that is why we call it an academic improvement plan because as long as we are not at 100%, we will keep having to improve.”

Despite the success, he stressed the importance of continued progress. “90% is very good. We are very happy, but it does mean that 10% of our children did not make it. We want to reach a situation where all the children in our care end up succeeding. We know that it is going to be difficult, but that is our aim—that all our learners must succeed.”

KZN’s top-performing district, uMkhanyakude, has now led the province for two consecutive years. Ngcobo praised their ability to identify both strengths and weaknesses and work towards improvement. “They have really mastered what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are, and they have worked on their weaknesses and disadvantages that they are experiencing because of their location,” he explained. “In fact, our other districts are learning from uMkhanyakude.”

The results from other districts show a small margin of difference, with Ngcobo noting that four districts are tied for high performance. “One will get 89.5%, the other one will get 89.4%, and the two will be there. The margin is very close simply because we work together. We come together all the time to try and share good practices from each district,” he said.

He acknowledged some recent concerns raised by activist groups regarding delays in the delivery of learning materials to schools. “It is accurate to a certain extent,” he confirmed. “The problem was with the Section 21C schools because they have their own individual suppliers who are generally small businesses. If they are not paid on time, they struggle to deliver.”

To address the issue, Ngcobo explained that the department has worked to reassure suppliers. “We called them to a meeting to assure them that they will be paid because they were beginning not to trust their principals of schools,” he said. “The majority of them have agreed to deliver.”

He further clarified that delays in materials do not mean that teaching and learning have stopped. “When there are delays, it does not mean that there isn’t any material that can be used by learners. It may result in learners sharing textbooks, but it does not mean teaching and learning is not taking place,” he explained.

Ngcobo also highlighted the department’s “retrieval policy” for textbooks, which ensures that materials from previous years are reused to meet the needs of current students. “Even where there are delays, it does not mean that there is no material for learners,” he said. “In the majority of our schools, even Section 21 schools, textbooks and stationery have been delivered. Those few where delivery has not yet been made will receive their materials soon,” he added.

According to Ngcobo, KZN’s education department remains committed to overcoming challenges and improving the province’s educational outcomes, with a focus on continuous improvement and ensuring that all learners succeed.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Nkosinathi Ngcobo, the head of the KZN Department of Education, here.