Abstract
This comparative, cross-sectional, quantitative and ex-post-facto designed study used secondary and correlated data to compare the likelihood of passing matric between learners from Gauteng and Western Cape provinces, even after adjusting for subject-type. This study attempted to assess the relation between school resources input, subject offered, learner’s gender and learners’ academic achievements. The data used in this study were supplied by the Umalusi Council. The dataset contained 145783 matric learners (65245 [44.75%] males and 80538 [55.25%] females) who wrote the matric examinations in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces in November 2009. The unadjusted model indicated that learners in Western Cape were significantly 1.193 more likely to pass matric than learners in Gauteng province (p < 0.001, OR = 1.193, 95%CI: 1.164 - 1.223). The adjusted model results indicated that learners in the Western Cape province were 1.5122 more likely to pass matric when compared to learners in Gauteng province (p < 0.001, OR = 1.512, 95%CI: 1.471 - 1.555). These results indicate that the odds of passing matric, after adjusting for science subjects, increased in favour of learners in the Western Cape Province. It can be concluded that the Western Cape Province provides more enabling conditions to ensure matriculants’ superior performance. It is suggested the strategies to improve the quality of mathematics and science educators need to be implemented, especially in Gauteng province. Also, the policy that advocates for the differentiation approach should be adopted, as opposed to the current policy that advocates for a more general, rigid approach that does not recognise the inherent differences in the provinces.
Highlights
Prior to 1994, South Africa had four provinces, as presented in Figure 1: the Transvaal and Orange Free State, formerly Boer republics, and Natal and the Cape provinces, former British colonies
The result in the adjusted model indicates that learners in the Western Cape province were 1.5122 more likely to pass matric when compared to learners in Gauteng province (p < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) = 1.512, 95%CI: 1.471 - 1.555)
Based on the results from other studies, e.g. Owalabi (2012) and (Charles-Ogan & Okey, 2017), it is recommended that physical science learners should be properly groomed in mathematics, problem-solving schedules should accompany conceptual treatment of numerical problems in the physics classroom
Summary
Prior to 1994, South Africa had four provinces, as presented in Figure 1: the Transvaal and Orange Free State, formerly Boer republics, and Natal and the Cape provinces, former British colonies Scattered in between these were “homelands” or Bantustans, some form of states in which black South Africans were forced to have citizenship. Bansilal, James & Naidoo (2010)quoting the Department of Education (1997) states that education reform in South Africa was heralded by the introduction of the new curriculum framework called Curriculum 2005 and later the National Curriculum Statement in 2003 (Department of Education, 2003) The aim of these documents was to address the poor quality of education that many South African learners had been exposed to. While mathematics and physical science are (generally) thought of as or perceived to be difficult subjects by many in South Africa this type of folly, fallacy (Letsoalo, Maoto, Masha, & Lesaoana, 2016; Letsoalo, 2017b) or myth was mainly perpetuated by the political system
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