Dismal pass rate

The release of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC) Ordinary Level results is a continuation of the country’s consistently poor Grade 12 results that sees fewer than 7 000 learners meeting university entry requirements. With limited vocational training and other institutions, thousands are to join the ranks of the unemployed. The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, yesterday announced the results, revealing alarming statistics. Last year, 47 832 full-time and part-time candidates registered for the Grade 12 Ordinary Level examinations. Thousands won’t make it to university Hanse-Himarwa said that based on university requirements, out of 20 301 full-time candidates, 6 056 candidates will qualify for admission to tertiary institutions. “Normally, minimum requirements to universities include a D symbol in English at Ordinary Level with 25 points,” she said. This amount might even be lower for those who want to pursue degree programmes, with the University of Namibia not just requiring 25 points but a C symbol in English too. Approximately 2 742 part-time students are expected to meet university entry requirements. Based on these results, percentage wise, there has been a drop in the number of students making it to university, from 39.9% in 2014 to 29.8% this time around. Hanse-Himarwa reminded those who didn’t meet university entry requirements that “the success of this country does not solely rely on those who are students at tertiary institutions”. “The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture is hereby urging all candidates who are graded in the subjects but still want to improve their symbol to consider using the alternative learning opportunities available in the country. Such opportunities are, among others, the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) and vocational training centres,” she said. Poor performance in local languages The results indicated that most local languages are among the subjects in which learners performed worse this year. These subjects are First Language Oshikwanyama, First Language Otjiherero, First Language Rukwangali, First Language Rumanyo, First Language Khoekhoegowab, Economics as well as Design and Technology. Subjects where there was no significant change from the year before include Accounting, Agriculture, English Second Language, First Language Oshindonga, Namibian Sign Language, Foreign Language German and Geography. Windhoek schools fail to impress As the home of Namibia’s capital city, the Khomas Region is considered to have the schools with the best resources, yet the region has only one school among the top ten public schools, with top honours going to northern schools. Delta Secondary School, which is ranked third, is the only Windhoek school among the top ten state schools. Out of a total of 145 government schools, the Rukonga Vision School in the Kavango East region is Namibia’s top-performing school in the Grade 12 Ordinary Level examinations. Negumbo Secondary School in the Omusati Region took the second spot followed by Delta Secondary School. Juuso Secondary School in Oshikoto comes in at fourth place with Namib High School in fifth place. Some schools, although not in the top ten, have shown impressive improvement. Max Makushe Secondary School in Kavango East went from being ranked at number 50 after the 2014 examinations all the way to number 13. Jan Jonker Afrikaner Senior Secondary School in the Khomas Region climbed the rankings from 47 in 2014 to 16, while Rundu Secondary School was ranked 38th the previous year and has now moved up to 19th. Among the private schools, St Boniface, who lost its top school status in last year’s Higher Level results, returned to the top in the Ordinary Level examinations, followed by Windhoek’s St Paul’s College. St Paul’s is the only Windhoek school among the top five private schools in the country. Canisianum Roman School, Gobabis Gymnasium Private School and Oshigambo Secondary School make up the rest of the top five. In the past, the ministry provided a top 20 list of state and private schools combined, but this year it has split the two. St Boniface principal Mary Phillis Yesudasan was seemingly irked by the move. Responding to this concern, education ministry permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp said the decision to split the rankings was something the ministry was comfortable with. GORDON JOSEPH