EPC RESULTS WORST IN 5YRS; JC 2ND WORST SINCE 2019

MBABANE – The 2024 JC results increased while EPC’s declined.

The Junior Certificate (JC) results increased by 1.14 per cent from 2023, while the Eswatini Primary Certificate (EPC) declined by 0.52 per cent. This makes the EPC results the worst in five years, while the JC are the second worst since 2019. The JC national pass rate this year stands at 83.15 per cent, while in 2023, it was at 82.01 per cent.

Despite the increase from last year’s pass rate, the 2024 pass rate is the second worst since 2019. Last year’s pass rate was the worst since 2019.This year, according to the Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, a total number of 16 777 pupils registered for the JC examination in 2024, whereas in 2023, there were 18 940 entries.

Decline

This shows a 11.24 per cent decline in candidature in 2024 when compared with 2023. This is according to the summary of the 2024 EPC, JC results delivered by the Minister for Education and Training, Nxumalo along with the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA) Registrar Dr Mandla Dlamini, during a press conference held at the ministry’s conference room.

In 2024, 16 513 candidates sat the examination while in 2023 they were 18 559. Candidates who were absent in 2024 were 356, while in 2023 they were 520. A number of factors, such as teenage pregnancy and dagga farming by pupils are some of the contributing factors to pupils who end up not writing the examination despite that they registered. Minister Nxumalo mentioned that 699 candidates attained merit passes in 2024, showing a percentage decrease of 0.95 per cent when compared with 2023. There were 1 665 first class passes this year, showing a decrease by 0.78 per cent compared to 2023.

The number of second class passes also decreased by 3.33 per cent in 2024 when compared with 2023, as 8 742 candidates received second class passes last year while there were 9 207 second class passes in 2022. The minister further stated that 2 625 candidates attained third class passes in 2024, while there were 3 325 in 2023, which is a decrease of 1.7 per cent.  The number of candidates who did not make it in the 2024 JC Examination were 2 782, while in 2023 a total of 3 340 learners did not make it, indicating a decrease of 1.14 per cent.

Nxumalo announced that the pass rate in the 2024 EPC external examination results stood at 90.79 per cent. In 2023, the pass rate was 91.31 per cent, which reflected a decrease of 0.52 per cent.The decline in the pass rate was derived from 29 635 candidates who registered for the 2024 EPC examinations this year, yet there were 26 647 candidates in 2023. The difference in the registration indicated an 11.21 per cent increase. The minister also stated that 1 043 candidates attained merits in 2024, while in 2023, a total of 830 candidates achieved this grade.

“The number of first class passes in 2024 was 3 547, while in 2023, there were 3 282 candidates,” he said. He added that 15 084 candidates attained second class passes in 2024, while there were 13 747 in 2023. The number of pupils who attained third class passes were 7 088 in 2024, while in 2023, there were 6 257 candidates who received this grade. “The public will recall that this is the second consecutive year of a normalised school calendar in Eswatini. Our learners did not experience any disturbances as witnessed in the previous years,” he said.

Despite this, Nxumalo said the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest were still being felt in the learning setting because the 2024 cohort was already in the school system when disruptions caused by the pandemic and unrest occurred. As a result, the 2024 EPC, JC cohort experienced severe drawbacks in their earlier learning years. When presenting the results, the minister reported that the examinations, both JC and Eswatini Primary Certificate progressed smoothly, and marking was completed as planned.  He further mentioned that this was the second consecutive year of a normalised school calendar in Eswatini.

He went on to commend and appreciate the hard work done by head teachers, teachers, learners and parents during the 2024 academic year. The minister further stated that teachers defied many odds to cover the syllabus, ensuring that by the time of the examinations, learners were ready. He said it was heartening to note that most learners embraced the opportunity to learn. 

“The ministry is grateful to teachers, head teachers and parents for their joint effort in preparing learners for the 2024 external examination. I would like to commend ECESWA for delivering the EPC, JC examination results in record time, yet again. For the second consecutive year, ECESWA has delivered EPC, JC examinations before Christmas. The early release of results gives parents and guardians enough time to look for spaces for their children for their next grades,” the minister said.

He thanked head teachers who availed space for ECESWA to conduct its marking. “We are also heavily indebted to the markers who offered their services to mark the candidates’ scripts and head teachers for their support in releasing teachers to mark. Without their effort, ECESWA would not have succeeded in meeting its mandate.” He also urged head teachers to admit all pupils and not discriminate against them according to their results.

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