Coming up on
Cutting Edge:
Episode Title: Education Crisis In The Eastern Cape
Broadcast date: 22 October 2009
Tonight's Cutting Edge looks into some of the reasons behind the high matric failure rate in the Eastern Cape. For the past few years, the province has been experiencing a gradual drop and was one of the two worst performing provinces in 2008.
The show visits Mpheko Senior Secondary School, outside Mthatha, where teachers are alleged to be fighting over positions.
Speaking to different classes, learners unanimously told the show that teachers have long stopped going to classes. The footage captured will reveal how learners sleep during school time simply because there is nothing else to do.
One grade 12 student representative talks to the show and paints a bleak picture of the future as students find themselves being drawn into a seven year-old infight at the school.
The school got a 14% pass rate last year. Out of 106 learners who wrote exams, only 15 passed the exams with a certificate that will never enable them to access higher education - there were no exemptions.
The provincial education department said it will investigate the matter and promised that heads would roll before the end of this year, as an attempt to solve the problem and turn the situation around but Mzansi matric learners are writing their final year exams in a few weeks - so it's all too little too late for Mpheko High School learners.
Education Crisis in the Eastern Cape is written and produced by Ntsiki Nohiya, edited by Unathi Kentane and filmed by Sam Msibi.
Cutting Edge is on SABC1 on Thursdays at 21h30.