Pretoria - Gauteng MEC for Education Angie Motshekga on Friday said she was confident that Gauteng would continue to produce even better matric results at the end of this year.
"I have no doubt in my mind that we can do it," MEC Motshekga said, speaking at an event in Johannesburg to recognise learners and schools that performed well in the 2008 matric exams.
Last year the province scored 76.4 percent matric pass rate, which was above the national pass rate of 62.5 percent. Of the 92 751 learners who sat for the exam in the province, 28 235 obtained an endorsement or results that allow them access to higher education to study towards a degree.
MEC Motshekga it had to be noted that these positive results were achieved under the new national Curriculum Statement, which promotes independent and creative thinking.
"We can proudly proclaim that as a province in particular and the country in general, its implementation has been successfully accomplished.
"Even though we did not achieve our target of 80 percent, we are nonetheless proud of Class of 2008 because you achieved what you did under very trying circumstances as the guinea pigs of the system," she said.
With regard to the state of readiness, she said her department has put everything in place to ensure that teaching and learning runs smoothly.
Announcing the 2008 results, Education Minister Naledi Pandor admitted that there have been many challenges in implementing the new curriculum, however, educators had done well in making sense of the new curriculum.
In 2007, Gauteng had 139 schools that were defined as underperforming schools and of those, in 2008, 103 schools showed an improvement in their pass rate.
In a bid to ensure that the province produce better results, MEC Motshekga warned school principals of underperforming schools that drastic steps will be taken against them. "We will deal with principals who are not doing their job," she said.
Dr Reena Rampersad, Acting Deputy Director General Curriculum Management and Development agreed that the province would this year achieve even better results and a higher pass rate.
One of the top achievers, Sherly Lepuru told BuaNews that her achievement was due to hardwork. "I spent most of my time studying," she said, adding that she was looking forwards to continuing with her studies at a university.
Lepuru obtained B symbols in Economics, English and Life Orientation, and As in Accountancy, Business Studies, Setswana and Maths.
