Africa-Press – South-Africa. For the first time, matrics in the Eastern Cape are writing their trial examinations in isiXhosa and Sesotho.
Matric exams have been either written in English or Afrikaans but now the Eastern Cape education department has also set the maths, physical science, life sciences, history, agricultural sciences, and accounting papers in Sesotho and isiXhosa.
The trial examinations are the last major exams matrics write before their final school-leaving exams.
The exams started on August 15. The candidates will also write their final exams in isiXhosa and Sesotho.
Eastern Cape education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the group will be the first cohort to complete their matric in their home languages.
He said the pupils were taught the subjects in their home languages from Grade 8. He said 87 944 pupils from 800 schools are taking part in the project.
Mtima said the pilot project was aimed at improving the use of mother tongue language in education.
“It is going to enrich us. We are trying to make sure that these languages get equal standing. It is immoral to have the majority of the people living in this province speak isiXhosa but not be able to conduct business in their own languages.”
Eastern Cape acting head of department Mahlubandile Qwase said the project was implemented in consultation with content knowledge teachers and subject advisors.
He said:
Mtima said through the project, they hoped the pupils would use their language skills to improve isiXhosa and Sesotho literature.
“Languages are dominant because they have enough literature. Once they are in university and start working, they will be able to help improve the literature for the languages.”
He said the department was seeing an improvement in pupils’ performance.
“There has been a great deal of improvement, especially in the core subjects like maths and science. They are performing very well. Their performance has been boosted by doing them in their mother tongue.”
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