Grade 10 failures allowed to repeat

Grade 10 failures allowed to repeat About 2 430 candidates who did not pass their Grade 10 examinations last year and are 17 years and younger will be allowed to repeat the grade this year.

This was announced by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture Permanent Secretary, Sanet Steenkamp in statement yesterday saying that it has become customary for the ministry to allow candidates who sat for the Junior Secondary Certificate Grade 10 examinations and who have failed to repeat in the formal education full-time. For the 2015 Grade 10 examinations, 3 432 candidates were allowed to repeat in 2016 and 2 258 (65.8%) qualified for Grade 11. Steenkamp said that learners are eligible to repeat Grade 10 preferably at their former schools on a full-time basis. Learners may repeat on a voluntary basis provided their school of choice can accommodate them or alternatively they may opt for registration at Namcol or any part-time institution registered with the ministry. Furthermore, learners who did not meet the requirements for Grade 11 and are older than 17 years of age are advised to consider enrolment with Namcol or at part-time institutions registered with the ministry to improve their results in one or more subjects. Steenkamp further urged learners to work hard to achieve the required points needed to be able to continue with Grade 11 on a full time basis before they are 21 years old. Meanwhile candidates who were enrolled at Namcol and have obtained the minimum required points for admission to Grade 11, but are over the age of 21 are advised to enrol with Namcol until they complete their secondary education. Alternatively Steenkamp said candidates who have an interest in a vocational career are encouraged to register with Vocational Training Centres through the Namibia Training Authority to improve their skills in vocational education and training.

Steenkamp also added that learners and parents should remember that fulltime repetition of Grade 10 will lead to forfeiting of points that were obtained previously.

ELLANIE SMIT