College defends 100% pass rate statement

Date: 11 February 2017 By: Andries van Zyl

Mr Bruce Wells, executive head of Ridgeway College in Louis Trichardt, strongly reacted to allegations that the college did not obtain a 100% pass rate during the 2016 final exam as reported in the media.

Since the article appeared in the Zoutpansberger of 20 January, several people questioned the accuracy of the article. Some claimed that the college did not achieve a 100% pass rate, as not all the students had passed. This not only brought into question the integrity of the newspaper, but also that of the college, and Wells was asked to react. In reaction he said: “Firstly, let me express my disappointment at this allegation and the undermining of my integrity as head of the school, the school board as well as our trustees alike.”

Wells stated that the information contained in the media report had been recorded accurately and explained that a 100% matric pass means that all the Ridgeway students who sat for their matric examinations in 2016 had fulfilled the minimum requirements to enter a tertiary institution of their choice, based on the strength of their results. “If you have not obtained a bachelor pass, it does not mean you have failed the matric examination, it simply means you cannot pursue degree studies because you did not fulfil the minimum requirement to study for a bachelor’s degree,” Wells said.

Wells gave a breakdown of their bachelor passes for the Independent Examination Board and Cambridge exam. He said that the combined bachelor passes between the IEB and Cambridge was 87%, which translates into 13% of their students having received what is called diploma passes and higher certificate passes that would allow them to further their education post-matric at a technical college or college of their choice.

“Naturally amongst that 13%, some students would not have met the minimum requirements in a subject or two for university studies. However, it does not mean they have failed matric according to the requirements for a matric pass,” said Wells. He added that some of these students, if they wished, could take rewrites to improve the quality of their pass to gain access into a bachelor programme, for example. In 2015, the college’s matric pass rate was 98% where one of their students failed, meaning he/she did not qualify for any of the above-mentioned categories.

In conclusion, Wells again expressed his dismay with the rumours. “This is such a libellous claim which is potentially so damaging to the reputation of the school,” said Wells.

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Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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