COPE welcomes the prospect of a university on home soil and hopes that it will add momentum to the urgently necessary reforms of the education system.

In 2011 only 19.9% of Northern Cape matriculants achieved university exemption in comparison to a national average of 24.3%. In addition, only 31.2% of students achieved more than 40% in Mathematics and only 27.6% achieved more than 40% in Physical Sciences. In the official annual report of the provincial Department of Education, the abysmal pass rates of 52.3% for Mathematics and 45.6% for Physical Science were lauded as an "achievement".

The low standards that the Department sets for success, their satisfaction with mediocre results and the overall chaos which currently characterises our education system, creates serious doubts about the government's ability to develop a world class university.

Yet COPE believes that the university will create greater accessibility to higher education, especially for learners from rural areas who cannot just travel to Bloemfontein or Potchefstroom for tertiary education. The greater accessibility will, in turn, inspire students to work harder at key subjects like Mathematics and Physical Science. This will ensure that the university can focus on science and technology to resolve the serious skill shortages in crucial areas like engineering, biosciences and veterinarian sciences.

Statement issued by Bella Matthys, Chief Whip of COPE Northern Cape, January 17 2012

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