8th Education Conversations Post-Event Presentation

TOPIC: MATRIC 2013 – IN RETROSPECT Wednesday, 19 February 2014

THE PANEL Mr Nic Spaull (Education researcher and blogger)

Prof Coert Loock (Department of Education Leadership and Management Vice Dean, UJ)

Dr Boitumelo Moreeng (Discipline Coordinator, School of Social Sciences and Language Education, UFS)

THE CONVERSATION By 7am there was a good crowd gathered outside the venue, mingling over cups of hot coffee.

Soon enough the Conversation began, with Mr Nic Spaull as the first guest speaker.

True to his style, Mr Spaull said it like it is: presenting shocking statistics on the dropout numbers in South Africa’s education system. Mr Spaull, however, declared that despite the grim picture we saw, there was an improvement in our country’s education.

Professor Sarah Gravett introduced Professor Coert Loock whose presentation busted the myth that matric standards are now lower than the previous system’s. He explained that the new NCS exam was set up to enable learners to achieve, at the least, an equivalent to the previous Standard Grade level. A much-needed clarification.

The last speaker, Dr Boitumelo Moreeng focused the audience’s attention on what each individual can do to address the education issues that exist in our country. He challenged the Conversation to refrain from pointing fingers and instead come up with solutions. Among the solutions which Dr Moreeng witnessed to be effective were Partnerships and Communal Responsibility.

COMMENTS & TWEETS Close to a billion ‫@‏‬shudushudu

#EducationConversations is where I would be at this morning have intellectual breakfast with education stakeholders @Kagiso_Trust Eugene Watson ‫@‏‬Edubbzo Serious stat.... “@Kagiso_Trust: 550000 students drop out before reaching Matric Itumeleng Monageng ‫@‏‬ItuMonageng Woah, unbelievable "@Ntandoe: #educationconversations 70% of students in Eastern Cape dropout before matric" Fikile

We need to de-politicize our education system. Politics should have no place in schools Mashudu Learners should not be promoted to the next grade if they lack understanding; this is causing more problems than necessary, especially in university For more tweets and comments go to @Kagiso_Trust #Education Conversations

THE PEOPLE

Pic by Norman @COSATU TODAY

Visit the Education Conversations website to access the speakers’ presentations For more photos keep an eye on the Kagiso Trust facebook page

POST-EVENT

KEEP IN TOUCH 

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Facebook Page: Kagiso Trust https://www.facebook.com/kagisotrust?ref=br_tf#!/kagisotru st LinkedIn Group: Education Conversations http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Education-Conversations5069836?trk=my_groups-b-grp-v Website: http://www.educationconversations.co.za/

Until Next Time…