Fewer matrics qualify for university

There has been a drop of almost 6% in Grade 12 candidates who qualified for university, while the number of ungraded candidates has increased by almost three percentage points since last year. More than 12 500 Grade 12 students who sat for the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate higher level examinations have qualified for university admission.Of the 20 605 candidates who were registered for the Grade 12 higher level exams this year, 66% qualified for university admission. Last year, 61% of 17 968 candidates qualified for further studies.This was announced yesterday by education deputy minister Ester Anna Nghipondoka when she released the results.A total of 20 605 candidates - comprised of 18 649 full-time and 1 956 part-time candidates - registered for the NSSC higher level examinations. The number of higher-level candidates had increased by 2 637, or 12.8%, compared to 2018.According to Nghipondoka, the results did not meet the ministry's expectations, particularly since 8.6% of the full-time candidates were ungraded. “Based on the ungraded subject entries this performance represents an increase of 2.8% in ungraded entries compared to 2018 when 5.8% of the total entries were ungraded,” said Nghipondoka. According to her, 91.4% of full-time candidates obtained a grade 4 or better, compared to 94.2% in 2018.She further said that most institutions of higher learning require a grade 3 or better in higher level subjects for admission. “On that basis 61% of the subject entries in 2019 have met this requirement compared to 66.7% in 2018.”She said the grade 12 performance in selected subjects over the past three years had shown an encouraging trend, with mathematics improving gradually from 21.5% in 2017 to 24.5% in 2018 and 25.2% this year.Biology improved from 10.9% in 2017, to 11.9% in 2018 and 12.1% in 2019, while English second language remained stagnant at an average of 2.7%.According to Nghipondoka female candidates performed better than male candidates, with 92.6% of all female entries graded compared to their male counterparts who achieved 89.9% graded entries. In total 10 083 of 15 637 female candidate entries (64.5%) were graded a grade 3 and better. This is compared to 7 173 out of 12 654 male candidates (56.75%) graded at 3.Furthermore, the part-time higher-level candidates obtained 77.3% graded subjects, which represents a drop of 8.2 percentage points from 85% in 2018.“On analysis of some of the contributing factors to the poor performance at higher level, learners can be advised and guided by the teachers to select appropriate level according to their potential and historic performance over the years.”Nghipondoka said it is therefore imperative that the teachers and learners determine the appropriate level of entry for the ordinary-level and higher-level examinations.“Allowing learners to enter at higher level just to score a 4 grade is in most cases the contributing factor to these poor performances at higher level, notwithstanding the fact that all role players are required to work hard to achieve good results.”According to her it has become a trend at some schools to enter most, if not all, the candidates at higher level in some subjects. “Imagine a school with 200 candidates all entered at higher level all scoring 4 or ungraded.”She further said that regional directors must analyse the results and get to the bottom of the poor performance. “Demand to get to the reasons why the entries are increasing while the performance is declining.”Nghipondoka also said that examination officers had observed cheating by candidates.That included candidates writing a paper at a different level than the one they were registered for, impersonating another candidate and attempting to write the exam on their behalf, and sneaking in notes and mobile phones. She stressed that a candidate's examination can be nullified in these cases. With regard to part-time results, 9 566 candidates were registered. This is a decrease of 1 656 (14%) when compared to 2018. The part-time candidates performed better this year with 90.4% graded subjects compared to 2018 when 87.6% were graded. Performance at higher grades A to B was 4.7%, C to D was 26.4% and at lower grades E and F 46%.“This means that the candidates performed well at A to D grades as well as E and F grades compared to 201 results,” Nghipondoka said. ELLANIE SMIT

Fewer matrics qualify for university

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-08

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Fewer matrics qualify for university

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-08

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