Science pupils will need to take maths

The IEB announced that all pupils who wish to take physical science and accounting from Grade 10 will need to take maths as well.

Johannesburg - With the release of the independent and private school matric results today, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) has announced that, from next year, all pupils who wish to take physical science and accounting from Grade 10 will need to take mathematics as well.

The exam administrator say they want to improve the already high uptake of maths among pupils.

IEB chief executive Anne Oberholzer said that for this year’s matric exams, 65 percent of the 6 598 IEB full-time candidates took maths as a subject. She also said 87 percent of the candidates who took accounting also had maths as a subject.

For physical science candidates, 96.5 percent took maths.

“Hence the requirement for mathematics is unlikely to negatively affect the number of students in IEB schools that offer these subjects,” Oberholzer said.

The matric pass rate for this year’s IEB exams is 98.30 percent compared to last year’s 98.38 percent.

A total of 10 212 full-time and 563 part-time candidates from 200 schools across southern Africa wrote the IEB National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams in October and November.

Candidates also sat for the exams in Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland.

“The IEB is proud of the achievements of the Class of 2015. Learners have again shown that with a commitment to hard work over their 12 years of schooling, and supported by a dedicated cohort of teachers and parents, they have achieved the first major milestone in their learning careers,” said Oberholzer.

For some of the schools, the great results are a continuation of their culture of success.

St. David’s Marist Inanda achieved a 100 percent pass rate for the 75th year in a row. A total of 110 boys sat for the exams and 45 percent of them got As for maths.

School headmaster Mike Thiel said: “We are exceptionally proud of the results of these young men, as well as the manner in which they were achieved: through hard work and commitment; while fully supporting the school’s ethos and values and actively participating in the school’s activities and programmes.”

At St Peter’s College, candidates achieved a 100 percent pass rate, with 97 percent of them getting university entrances. Acting headmaster Rui Morais said that without their teachers, the results would not have been possible.

Roedean School executive headmistress Mary Williams said the school scored 250 distinctions from 69 girls.

The school also achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

Candidates who are unsatisfied with their matric results have until January 8 to apply for re-marking.

These results will be released on February 1.

Those wanting to apply for the supplementary exams must do so before February 5.

tebogo.monama@inl.co.za

The Star