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Western Cape Education’s systemic test results surpass 2019 scores

Western Cape Education’s systemic test results surpass 2019 scores

The Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) 2024 annual systemic test results  have indicated significant progress in children’s learning, with certain scores exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels.

“The pass rates for both Grade 9 mathematics and Grade 3 language are now higher than they were in 2019, with the remaining grades and subjects catching up quickly,” the department said in a statement.

The Western Cape is the only province in the country to conduct annual systemic testing in both mathematics and language for learners in Grades 3, 6, and 9.

These tests are internationally benchmarked and are administered, marked, and moderated externally to ensure objectivity and to provide a credible and relevant benchmark for evaluation.

“As a result, we have been well-placed to determine the impact of the pandemic on our children’s learning outcomes, as well as develop detailed strategies to reverse learning losses in the Western Cape.”

Headline results

According to the latest data, the pass rate for Grade 9 mathematics increased by 2.9 percentage points compared to 2023 and now exceeds the 2019 score by 0.7 percentage points.

“We also saw an increase of 4.3 percentage points for Grade 3 mathematics, and 1.1 percentage points for Grade 6 mathematics, compared to 2023. While the scores for these grades have not yet reached 2019 levels, the scores this year are nonetheless significantly higher than in 2021,” the statement read. 

Grade 3 language scores increased by 2.9 percentage points compared to 2023, now exceeding the 2019 pass rate by 0.5 percentage points.

Meanwhile, the pass rate for Grade 6 language has increased by 4.0 percentage points compared to 2023, reducing the difference with 2019 scores to just 1.3 percentage points.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in our Grade 9 language scores of 2.8 percentage points compared to 2023. Our officials will be looking into this result in detail to put remedial plans in place.”

Next steps

While the WCED has seen an improvement in scores, there is still work to be done, with an even greater focus on learning outcomes.

Schools will now receive individual school reports, to help them develop a tailored approach by identifying gaps in learning unique to their school’s circumstances. 

The results will also be provided to curriculum officials, including those leading the #BackOnTrack programme interventions.

A key part of the #BackOnTrack programme is ensuring that interventions are refined over time to focus on the interventions that work and are sustainable. 

“We will use the new data to analyse where we need to direct the programme’s resources and supplement the findings of the recent Stellenbosch University report on the effectiveness of our interventions.” 

The department has thanked all the school staff, officials, tutors, and learners who have worked hard to improve learning outcomes over the past year and look forward to their support as they strive to give learners a better future in the Western Cape. 

The WCED said no testing was conducted in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Gabisile
Wed, 01/29/2025 – 09:30

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The Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) 2024 annual systemic test results  have indicated significant progress in children’s learning, with certain scores exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels.

“The pass rates for both Grade 9 mathematics and Grade 3 language are now higher than they were in 2019, with the remaining grades and subjects catching up quickly,” the department said in a statement.

The Western Cape is the only province in the country to conduct annual systemic testing in both mathematics and language for learners in Grades 3, 6, and 9.

These tests are internationally benchmarked and are administered, marked, and moderated externally to ensure objectivity and to provide a credible and relevant benchmark for evaluation.

“As a result, we have been well-placed to determine the impact of the pandemic on our children’s learning outcomes, as well as develop detailed strategies to reverse learning losses in the Western Cape.”

Headline results

According to the latest data, the pass rate for Grade 9 mathematics increased by 2.9 percentage points compared to 2023 and now exceeds the 2019 score by 0.7 percentage points.

“We also saw an increase of 4.3 percentage points for Grade 3 mathematics, and 1.1 percentage points for Grade 6 mathematics, compared to 2023. While the scores for these grades have not yet reached 2019 levels, the scores this year are nonetheless significantly higher than in 2021,” the statement read. 

Grade 3 language scores increased by 2.9 percentage points compared to 2023, now exceeding the 2019 pass rate by 0.5 percentage points.

Meanwhile, the pass rate for Grade 6 language has increased by 4.0 percentage points compared to 2023, reducing the difference with 2019 scores to just 1.3 percentage points.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in our Grade 9 language scores of 2.8 percentage points compared to 2023. Our officials will be looking into this result in detail to put remedial plans in place.”

Next steps

While the WCED has seen an improvement in scores, there is still work to be done, with an even greater focus on learning outcomes.

Schools will now receive individual school reports, to help them develop a tailored approach by identifying gaps in learning unique to their school’s circumstances. 

The results will also be provided to curriculum officials, including those leading the #BackOnTrack programme interventions.

A key part of the #BackOnTrack programme is ensuring that interventions are refined over time to focus on the interventions that work and are sustainable. 

“We will use the new data to analyse where we need to direct the programme’s resources and supplement the findings of the recent Stellenbosch University report on the effectiveness of our interventions.” 

The department has thanked all the school staff, officials, tutors, and learners who have worked hard to improve learning outcomes over the past year and look forward to their support as they strive to give learners a better future in the Western Cape. 

The WCED said no testing was conducted in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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