NUMSA STATEMENT ON 2011 MATRIC RESULTS
5 January 2011
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) salutes all the 496 090 sons and daughters of the working class who sat for the 2011 matric final examinations. We send our congratulations to all those who passed and they have made their parents and communities proud. We call on those who did not make it not despair, but to believe in themselves.
Those who are proceeding to institution of higher learning we wish them successful studies. They must study relevant things in the interest of building an economy that meets the needs of our people, a Socialist economy, as opposed to capitalist greed and barbarity that characterizes our economy today.
The 2011 matric final examinations took place within the global context of a collapsing and crisis-ridden capitalist system in Europe and the United States (US) itself. These examinations also took place amidst popular revolts for free education and jobs by the working class youth inside the bastion of European imperialism - London, also within the context of the highly mobilised and conscious youth in the Arab world which overthrew the most backward and dictatorial regimes.
Even in our own country working class youth swamped the streets of our country demanding ‘Economic Freedom In Our Lifetime' led by the class conscious and revolutionary - African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) of Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu.
All these popular events by working class youth of South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia and England are a confirmation that Capitalism is failing our youth and their future. The capitalist system denies the youth of the world and that of our country free quality education, decent jobs, quality public health-care, affordable, reliable, accessible and safe public transport and above all quality life.
Numsa is worried at the growing national preoccupation with over generalized figures when dealing with the crucial matter of the performance of the South African school system. This approach conceals the massive resource, capacity and real performance reality of the South African school system.
The South African school system, more than anything else, best typifies South Africa 's gross inequalities. The performance of schools in black and African working class communities continues to lag far behind that of former white schools. Nothing short of revolutionary redistributive measures can begin to change this ugly reality.
We are concerned with the low number of matriculants who sat for final examinations this year which stood at 496 090, as compared to 537 543 in 2010. This should be a serious concern that more young people are not being absorbed within our public schooling system.
These matric results continue to mirror the racialised and unequal society and lack of wealth redistribution in our broader society. The predominantly working class and poor schools continue with poor results compared to the previously Model C schools. Therefore the continued and persisting challenge of over-crowding, lack of proper schooling infrastructure, unequal distribution of resources and shortage of teachers should be prioritized for the sake of workers children. The Eastern Cape province disastrous matric results are sending a wrong public message. The public schooling system in Eastern Cape should not be left to collapse because of narrow political favours by those in high echelons of power in our movement and provincial government.
We call for the opening of doors of earning and culture for all the sons and daughters of the working class in institutions of higher learning, and Further Education and Training. This call is consistent with the 2009 electoral commitments of the ANC-led Alliance government to gradually introduce free education for the poor.
We call on the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) as led by the South African Students Congress (SASCO) in institutions of higher learning to assume its revolutionary role and responsibility to fight for the interests of working class learners. This will be the best honour to remember and salute the revolutionary thinker and leader of our Comrade Joe Slovo, who was admired and a darling amongst the working class and poor youth of our country.
No amount of polishing of the Apartheid education system will amount to much, post 1994. We need revolutionary measures to equalize access to education resources in this country.
Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, January 5 2012
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