I heard this news report on 5FM this morning. It was just too bizarre and probably merits an investigation into just how these students got their straight A’s to begin with.Complied from information on SABCNews.com.
On Wednesday, 22 January 2014 Wits University vice-chancellor, Adam Habib revealed that straight “A” matric students are failing university entry exams. Also mentioned was some students getting seven distinctions fail to obtain 50% in university entrance exams.
Habib added that 55% of those who make it to university do not complete their degrees possibly because these students struggle with arithmetic and grammar.
“Some of it has to do with technical skills, reading, mathematics, they do not have the foundation for a first year degree so we are now unrolling a major programme around identifying students that are struggling and providing them with mentorship and support and we should not delude ourselves that our education system is producing enough quality students so that they can perform,” says
Habib.
En hier dog ek my klong is slim oor hy deurkom met so min leer. Nou moet ek hoor hulle doen hoogspring sonder ‘n dwarslat!
@Tjoppa: That is exactly what I did and still trying to do! Thanks! I guess you did the same.
@Bog: Good question! Yea, I tend to agree that 60% then would equate well with 70% plus today. But it is only a suspicion. Will ask the profs to do some research on this topic.
@Djou: I would also fall in that category, but I wonder how your results would compare with the “straight As” of today? In my days, a first class matric pass(60%) was commendable and most in that category, passed at varsity. Today, 60% is way below average. Heck, even I may have raked in a few As today.
@Djou: But if you remember it was the people with a balanced outlook in life that succeeded at Varsity back then and I presume now also. Therefore maintain a good average and enjoy life.
@Bog: The top 10 matric maths students in a particular year recently was on a TV programme where they admitted that maths at university level was much much tougher than in grade 12 – and some of them even dropped out of their courses and started another course not requiring maths.
I must admit, however, that with my matric results many moons ago, I would not have been admitted into any university today.
It is hardly surprising.
In my opinion the “dumbing down” of our school education standards is making a mockery of the results. Top performing students are now getting over 10 distinctions. 6 distinctions is almost normal which brings the ability of those who scrape through into question.
To put it into perspective one of this country’s most distinguished scientists, Aaron Klug, who was awarded the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1982 matriculated as Dux of DHS in 1941 with 4 distinctions.
Paleontologist, Prof Philip Tobias was his successor as Dux in 1942. He is another internationally acclaimed scientist who has been nominated for the Nobel prize three times and received numerous international accolades. He also “only” got 4 distinctions in matric.
Bog
I think most clear thinking bloggers agreed with you and I’m not surprised with what I read here
Confirming what I said here recently. And my head was almost bitten off. In 2013, 60000 of these “performers”, sitting these exams,more than 50% of them, got less than 34% for Maths. Since, I read that had the pass mark been 50% for matric, only 24 % of last years matrics would have passed.Lets be honest with ourselves- education is in a crisis (one of many) and we are deceiving the young people in making them think that they are “Straight A
” achievers.