NUM Youth Forum congratulates the matric class of 2013

Press Statement, 06 January 2014

NUM Youth Forum congratulates the matric class of 2013

The National Union of Mineworkers Youth Forum  (NUM-YF) would like to congratulate all the learners that made through the 2013 National Senior Certificate examinations.

As the NUM-YF, we think that there is a major improvement in the Matric Pass Rate of 2013. It is the highest since the advent of our hard won freedom and democracy since 1994. The Matric Pass Rate has tremendously improved from last year's national pass rate of 73,9% to 78,2% as announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga today.

We would also like to congratulate Free State Province for the great work they have achieved and of being the best performing province with a pass rate of 87.4%, followed by North West, Gauteng and then Western Cape.

We wish to congratulate all the stakeholders  including teachers, parents, school principals and school governing bodies who worked hard to make sure that the 2013 Matric Pass Rate is the best since the dawn of our freedom and democracy.

There is no doubt that the 2013 matriculants worked very hard. The NUM-YF wishes to commiserate with those who did not perform well in the examinations. It is not the end of the world. They still have an opportunity to improve their results and go to achieve the career of their dreams. As the NUM-YF, we would like to say to them that there is nothing that can be achieved without pains and hard work.

"We are calling upon all youth formations and working class in general to stand up and fight for quality and better education that will meet the needs of our economy. We cannot afford to be always told that our country is lacking skills," said NUM-YF National Secretary Sabelo Mgotywa.

As the NUM-YF, we further call on private companies to assist in improving the standard of our education by helping the government in building science labs , classrooms and also open doors of opportunities for learners who want to get work experience.

We congratulate Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for a job well done because the National Senior Certificate results for the class of 2013 is a record performance compared to any administration in the  Republic of South Africa. Even the evil apartheid government could not achieve this record performance.

But we are not happy in respect of learners qualifying for Bachelor's programme at universities. A figure of 171  755 learners who are going to universities has been attained but we thought its proper to register our concern .
 
To quote Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

For more information, please contact

Sabelo Mgotywa (NUM-YF National Secretary) -073 526 6902 or 083 678 2557

Livhuwani Mammburu: 083 809 3257 (Acting  NUM spokesperson)

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/100860023402167