Education

My department has informed me of the following:
(a) The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) cannot provide
specific statistics on the number of learners who “dropped out” of school,
as learners may leave school for a variety of reasons, including relocation
to another province or country, further study at an FET college, home
schooling options or private institutions. Ill health could also be a factor,
and even, sadly, death.
Based on our Centralised Education Management Information System
(CEMIS) enrolment data from 1 February 2025 compared to current
exam registration numbers, there has been a reduction in the number of
Grade 12 learners by 485. However, as mentioned, there are a variety of
factors that can contribute towards this reduction and does not necessarily
reflect “drop outs”.
This year, we have a record number of learners in Grade 12 registered as
full-time candidates to write the NSC Grade 12 exams at the end of
November. This year, 67 605 candidates are registered to write, in
comparison with 64 394 last year. (Based on 2 September 2025 registration
data.)
(b) Our matric teachers, tutors and officials have been hard at work preparing
our candidates for the final hurdle of their school careers.
Nearly 22 000 matrics attended our #BackOnTrack Winter School during the
mid-year holidays, which took place in all 8 education districts in our
province. Revision classes will also take place during the Spring school
holidays in October, while matrics have also had weekend revision classes
during the 3rd term through the programme.
Schools and districts have also run additional preparation sessions, extra
classes and tutoring sessions according to the specific needs of their
candidates.
Our annual Matric Support booklet has been delivered to schools, which
contains past matric papers in high enrolment subjects, administrative
details like the exam timetable and pass requirements, study tips and
advice for post-school studies.
We also provide a Tips for Success booklet that provides detailed advice on
how to study effectively, the key concepts you need to know for the exam,
guidance on maintaining health and wellness during the exam period, an
example study timetable, and advice from former matric learners.
We have collected a wide variety of eLearning resources to support our
matrics, including past papers and memos, video lessons, content
summaries and study guides. These can be accessed on the WCED website
and on our ePortal.
(c) One of the key initiatives currently being implemented by the WCED to
prepare learners for life beyond high school is the Career Clubs
programme, which is embedded within the Life Orientation curriculum.
The Career Clubs are designed to create a dynamic and engaging
environment within high schools, where learners and teachers experience
Life Orientation as a practical, empowering subject. These clubs serve as a
bridge between theoretical career planning and real-world career
exposure.
Learners participate in practical, career-related activities that simulate
real-world professional environments. This helps them develop careerfocused
reasoning, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of
various career paths.
Our department also hosts the Youth in Action Career Expo which
attracted over 11 500 attendees earlier this year, which is double the
number from 2024.
Our Life Orientation team hosted the event in partnership with the Cape
Town International Convention Centre's marketing team, and the event
provided a platform for young people to explore career paths and
connect with opportunities.
Over 171 institutions participated, offering education, training, bursaries
and employment opportunities. Institutions from outside the province,
including North West University, Free State University, Rhodes University and
Focus Air, an aviation school in Durban, showcased their offerings.
The WCED also has a relationship with Higher Education Institutions and
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges where
learners attend career exhibitions.
The national and provincial education departments also promote
entrepreneurship through an E3 programme. This programme focuses on
the three pathways learners will follow after school: entrepreneurship,
employability and education.
Entrepreneurial thinking is promoted across subject disciplines
acknowledging that learners may pursue becoming entrepreneurs.