More than 900 000 pupils over the age of 18 have been admitted to public schools since April 1 last year.
|||MORE than 900 000 pupils over the age of 18 have been admitted to public schools since April 1 last year, with the lion’s share being admitted to schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to figures from the Basic Education Department, which were based on annual school surveys from 2009 to 2011, 905 390 pupils over the age of 18 were admitted to public ordinary schools last year. Their average age was 20.1 years.
A total of 213 962 pupils over 18 were admitted to schools in KZN during that time, with 185 810 in Limpopo, 160 128 in the Eastern Cape, 91 572 in Mpumalanga, 83 908 in Gauteng, 59 317 in North West, 55 074 in the Free State, 38 231 in the Western Cape and 17 388 in the Northern Cape.
According to the department, in the 2009/10 financial year a total of 719 371 pupils over the age of 18 were admitted to public schools around the country, with an average age of 19.9 years, while in 2010/11, the figure was 887 935, with an average age of 20.1.
This was revealed in answers to parliamentary questions from DA deputy spokesman on basic education Donald Smiles.
DA basic education spokeswoman Annette Lovemore said yesterday that the figures were shocking and the department’s reply had raised more questions than answers.
“It is alarming that, in the Eastern Cape, which has the lowest pass rate, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of pupils over the age of 18 between 2009 and 2011,” Lovemore said.
“In the Eastern Cape, the number of pupils over the age of 18 equates to half the total number of Grade 12 pupils in the province.
“In Limpopo, the increase over the same period is 19 percent.
“Only two provinces have managed to decrease these figures – the Free State and the Western Cape – over the past two years.”
Turning to the Eastern Cape, which showed a 30 percent increase in the number of pupils over 18 from 2009 to 2011, Lovemore said this could be a result of problems facing schools in the province which had led to the national intervention in education.
“There has been very little professional development of teachers and a high level of teacher absenteeism in the province, which could account for pupils up to an average age of 20.1 years of age being in school.
“This is a similar case to Limpopo, which is also one of the worst performing departments in the country.
Lovemore voiced concern that no targets had been set in the department’s annual performance plan for 2012/13 to address absenteeism, professional development and school management.
“These are major contributing factors to the high figures.”
Meanwhile, in response to questions posed by Lovemore, the department revealed that, based on research conducted in 2009, teacher absenteeism levels in the Eastern Cape were 10.5 percent, followed by 10.3 percent in KZN and 9.4 percent in Gauteng.
The department said the percentages covered all forms of absence, including leave taken and attendance of official activities.
The absenteeism rate in North West was 8.9 percent, Limpopo 8.8 percent, Northern Cape 8.5 percent, Western Cape 8.2 percent, Mpumalanga 8 percent and the Free State 7.2 percent.
The department said that in cases in which a teacher was absent without approval, he or she was given the opportunity to indicate why leave without pay should not be implemented.
“If the educator cannot provide good reason, leave without pay for the period in question is implemented.”
Lovemore said she intended raising further questions on the issue in due course. - Political Bureau