The 2024 school year has reached its conclusion. Several changes occurred during the course of the 2024 school year which is set to have implications for the future.
Thousands of learners in South Africa will be receiving their school reports today.
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End Of The Staggered School Calendar
The 2024 school year got underway on 15 January 2024 with all learners starting with classes on 17 January.
This was significant as the country moved away from the staggered school calendar which previously saw learners living in inland and coastal provinces start the year on different dates.
According to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the change aimed to streamline the education system and create a more consistent learning experience for all students. While the staggered calendar had previously been used to accommodate different weather patterns in coastal and inland regions, the DBE argued that this change would ultimately benefit all learners.
Release Of 2023 Matric Exam Results
The commencement of the 2024 school year coincided with the release of the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. The Matric class of 2023 achieved a pass rate of 82,9%.
Former Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced the National and Provincial matric results on the evening of 18 January 2024.
The overall 2023 Matric pass rate of 82.9% was an improvement of 2.8% (80.1%) and 6.5%(76%) from the pass rates achieved by the Classes of 2022 and 2021 respectively.
Minister Motshekga revealed that KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were the top provinces for Bachelor passes in the 2023 NSC exams. Together, they accounted for nearly half of all Bachelor passes nationwide, with KwaZulu-Natal leading with 72,099 and Gauteng following closely with 56,552.
The Careers Portal Broke Down How Provinces Really Performed In The 2024 Matric Exams
BELA Bill
In May, the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was passed in the National Assembly. Former Minister Motshekga hailed the National Assembly's passing of the BELA Bill as a "watershed moment" for education in South Africa. The bill passed with 223 votes in favour and 78 against.
The BELA Bill will drastically change South Africa’s education system providing education departments with increased oversight on schools.
Key provisions of the BELA bill include making Grade R compulsory, strengthening School Governing Bodies, reforming admission and language policies, and reinforcing the ban on corporal punishment.
However, With the increased oversight came fears and concerns that power was being taken away from SGBs.
Where in the past SGBs would be responsible for school admissions and language policies, the bill seeks to ensure fairness in the implementation of these policies. Now, the BELA Bill requires that heads of departments have the final say regarding language and admission policies.
Election Ushers In New Education Minister
South Africans descended on voting stations on 29 May 2024 as political parties contested the General Elections.
After the African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure enough votes to govern independently, it formed a Government of National Unity (GNU) with other parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA),
When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his cabinet, he moved Minister Motshegka to the Defence and Military Veterans portfolio. The President subsequently announced that Siviwe Gwarube will serve as the new Minister of Basic Education.
BELA Bill Battle Ground
The appointment of Gwarube to the Basic Education portfolio raised a few eyebrows as the DA had opposed several elements of the BELA Bill. Many feared that the legislation would be the first hurdle of the GNU.
When Minister Gwarube declined to attend the signing of the BELA Act by President Ramaphosa, she cited unresolved issues with the legislation.
President Ramaphosa announced that the implementation of clauses related to language and admission policies in the BELA Act would be delayed by three months. Deputy President Paul Mashatile was tasked with overseeing the GNU clearing house mechanism task team on the BELA Act. The clearing house mechanism seeks to resolve policy issues among GNU parties.
Budget Cuts
In October, Minister Gwarube told parliament that no teaching posts would be cut in 2024. This assurance came after the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) cut over 2,400 teaching posts due to an R3.8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years.
National government’s decision not to fully fund the 2023 wage agreement was cited as the main reason for this.
Gwarube warned that reducing teaching posts will lead to larger class sizes, reduced individual attention, and potentially lower education outcomes. Despite this, she assured that no teachers would be retrenched; instead, vacant posts would remain unfilled.
Other provinces face similar challenges, with provincial education departments struggling to sustain current staff levels and programmes. The Minister, along with the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, is engaging with the National Treasury to mitigate the impact of the cuts, emphasising the need to protect frontline teaching services.
2024 Matric Exams
On Monday, 29 October, the 2024 matric exams commenced. A total of 732,448 full-time candidates registered for the 2024 NSC exams. 136 195 part-time candidates are also registered to sit for various subjects this year.
The Minister said the 2024 Matric exams were successfully administered despite numerous challenges.
Severe weather conditions and technical glitches affected some learners, but contingency plans were implemented to accommodate them.
However, the exams were marred by serious incidents of violence, including gang rapes, highlighting the urgent need for stricter safety measures in schools.
Despite these setbacks, the marking process is underway, with over 50,000 markers deployed across the country.
2024 Matric Results Release Date
Minister Gwarube confirmed that the 2024 Matric Exam results will be announced on 13 January 2025, with provincial education departments releasing results to candidates on 14 January 2025.
Initially, matric exam results would be released on Thursday, 15 January, with candidates receiving their results on 16 January.
The DBE did not provide a reason for the change in the release date of matric exam results, the WCED said the adjustment is to accommodate the first day of the 2025 school year.
The 2024 School year will officially conclude for teachers and administration staff on Friday, 13 December 2024.
