Radical improvements amid setbacks

The results of the National Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCOS) and Advanced Level (NSSCAS) for 2024 show a light at the end of the tunnel for Namibian education, with a clear improvement compared to 2023.Nearly 54% of NSSCOS learners, or grade 11 students, who sat for the national exams last year, qualified to further their studies for a diploma or degree – an improvement of 4.9% compared to 48.8% in 2023.The number of grade 11 learners who qualified for AS or grade 12 also rose from 25.2% to 29.5%. AS candidates who achieved a symbol in at least two of their three subjects increased to 94.3% from 92.8% in 2023.The Minister of Education, Arts, and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka, referred to the “remarkable improvement” in scientific subjects on a national level, including mathematics, chemistry, physics, and agricultural science, during the release of the results.The overall improvement applies to full-time candidates. For physics, 51.7% of candidates achieved a D symbol or higher in 2023, compared to 37.1% in 2022.An “outstanding improvement” was also noted in commercial subjects such as economics and business studies, the latter with 81.4% of learners achieving a symbol. Entrepreneurship led with nearly 97% of learners achieving a symbol.For the three European first languages – Afrikaans, English, and German – 8.5% of students achieved an A symbol, compared to 1.9% the previous year.The average for D and higher symbols increased by nearly 10% over the past two years, from 83.5% to 93%. This trend continues with vocational subjects, showing a clear improvement across all symbols.African first languages also performed excellently across all nine languages, with an average of 88.1% achieving a D symbol or higher. This raised the percentage from 83.5% to 88.1% in 2024.However, there was a decline in top symbols for Afrikaans and English Second Language. Both subjects showed a decrease in A to D averages, with the national average dropping from 70.2% to 58.9% last year.Part-time Grade 11 candidatesThe picture is less rosy for the 39,002 part-time grade 11 candidates who wrote the exams. Although subjects like physics and mathematics showed slight improvement, the same cannot be said for English Second Language, biology, and chemistry. Nghipondoka also admitted her ministry is concerned about these candidates' performance and plans to conduct comprehensive research and analysis with the Namibian College for Open Learning (Namcol) regarding teaching at these centers.According to Nghipondoka, part-time candidates often review the same curriculum multiple times, with the expectation that the centers would consequently show improved results.Top performersJolisa Garises from the Rukongo Vision School in Kavango East is the top performer for 2024, with 14 girls and six boys among the top 10 candidates. Her alma mater, Rukongo Vision School, is also the top public school in the country, while the Canisianum Roman Catholic School in Omusati is Namibia’s top private school offering NSSCO. Khomas, which ranked first as the best-performing region in 2023, dropped to 8th place, with Oshikoto now claiming the top spot.– henriette@republikein.com.na

Radical improvements amid setbacks

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-17

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Radical improvements amid setbacks

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-17

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