Prison inmates' matric PASS rate registers impressive 93.2%

Prison inmates' matric PASS rate registers impressive 93.2%A 93.2% prison inmates' matric pass rate for 2023 National Senior Certificate Exams is higher than the national average. How'd they do it?

by Ray Leathern

24-01-2024 09:33

in Business

The prison inmates' matric pass rate exceeding that of the national average in South Africa. Image: DCS/File/Fotor

It's a genuinely feel-good story when it comes to the prison inmates' matric pass rate for 2023. As reported by IOL, out of 147 prisoners who wrote the 2023 National Senior Certificate exams, 137 passed. This is a prison inmates' matric pass rate of 93.2%, a figure which comfortably exceeds the national average of 82.9%.

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The top achiever nationally was Western Cape inmate, Matthew Christopher Benn (pictured), says the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). Can you imagine the challenges in studying and writing matric while being incarcerated in a South African prison? We doff our hats to all 137 full-time learners.

PRISON INMATES' MATRIC PASS RATE Top learners from the Department of Correctional Services. Image: Supplied This week, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, hailed the inmate class of 2023. He said despite the conditions that led to their imprisonment, their determination, unmatched commitment and hard work has paid off.

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Lamola urged inmates to reconstruct their lives and strive to attain goals they set for themselves. Beyond matric, he said they should further their higher education, work hard to complete degrees and attain distinctions in their subjects. He also noted that funding for tertiary learning remains the responsibility of the inmates' families and not the state.

DISTINCTIONS GALORE Learners from the Department of Correctional Services' women's school in Gauteng. Image: Supplied Within the prison inmates' matric pass rate, learners registered 129 distinctions. These were 39 in Life Orientation, 26 in isiZulu, 13 in Business Studies, 10 in Geography, and four in Mathematics, to name a few. Top learner, Matthew Christopher Benn obtained an average of 86.14%, with six distinctions. It is unclear why Benn is incarcerated or for how long he will be in prison for.

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Another cause for celebration is DCS registered a women's school with the Department of Basic Education for the National Senior Certificate. The school is based in Johannesburg and achieved a pass rate of 62.5%.

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