Public vs Private school

“More than half the children now entering school will be expected to work in jobs that don’t exist. Apart from core skills like reading, writing, mathematics and science, students will need skills like critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving to contribute in their future jobs or start-ups. The world is changing faster and faster. Don’t get left behind by clinging to old models of education.” Michael Jordaan, former FNB CEO, entrepreneur.

As you enrol your child for a new year at school, you should consider the quality of your child’s education. While obtaining a matric certificate may in theory lead to further education, the ‘right’ matric certificate could determine which doors will be opened and which ones not.

MATRIC BY ANY OTHER NAME

The matric results for government schools who wrote the National Senior Certificate exams are still fresh in our minds. Although the pass rate for 2019 is a record 81,3%, only around half of the kids who enrolled twelve years ago wrote the matric exam. The true pass rate is therefore closer to 40%. More worrying still is that more than 50% of matriculants have Mathematics Literacy as a subject (instead of Mathematics).

In South Africa, matriculants can either write the NSC (National Senior Certificate) exams or the IEB (Independent Examinations Board) exams, dependent on the school attended and the curriculum followed. Both paths will result in receiving the same matric certificate from UMALUSI (The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Authority).

Students writing the NSC exams follow the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) curriculum which are taught by government schools. Students writing the IEB exams are not obliged to follow the CAPS curriculum and are taught in private schools.

It is important to note that universities make no distinction between a matric certificate obtained by writing the NSC exam or the IEB exam. Although it is viewed that the IEB exam is more difficult, an IEB student will not have any advantage above an NSC student when it comes to placement at a tertiary education institution.

Many parents are concerned that an NSC matric certificate may not be enough to secure a prosperous future for their children and are considering other options. The big question for these parents to consider would be if the cost of private schooling is really worth it.

Understanding the differences between the different models of schools available may help to shed some light on this problem.

GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

Government schools are funded by the government, sometimes supplemented by governing body funds. Former “model C” schools are more popular, more expensive, better resourced and are very hard to get into.

Public schools are required to follow the CAPS curriculum. Fees are decided on by the school’s governing body. Top performing government schools charge on average around R35 000 per year.

The Department of Basic Education stated in March 2018 that the national average Learner-Educator-Ratio (LER) in primary schools was one teacher to 35,2 learners. It drops to one teacher to 27,7 learners in secondary schools.

I NDEPENDENT (PRIVATE) SCHOOLS

Private schools are usually funded by parents, though some of these schools receive some funding from government while others are owned by companies or governing bodies that supplement funding.

Matriculants in private schools affiliated to the IEB, will write the IEB national senior certificate which is based on the South African National Curriculum. The IEB NSC is an internationally benchmarked qualification and is equivalent to the Cambridge AS level.

Some IEB schools also offer Advanced Programme courses for students gifted in Mathematics, English and Afrikaans (also offered by some government schools).

Private school education focuses more on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. The assessments are designed to encourage learners to apply their knowledge and to find innovative solutions to problems.

The LER in private schools is heavily dependent on the type of school. In the more expensive private schools, the national average is around 25 children to one teacher.

While many private schools are completely independent, there are schools that can be considered part of a group – either because they follow the same approach, or because they are owned by the same company.

Other ‘independent’ schools and options for education also exist, including Montesorri schools (mostly pre-primary and primary schools), Waldorf schools, International or European schools, home schooling, etc.

While it may seem like a waste of money to pay for a private school education as your child will not have any immediate benefit when applying for tertiary education, one should not under-estimate the value of the core skills taught at independent schools that will be critical for your child to find a job in the future.

Sources:

https://www.education.gov.za/Informationfor/ParentsandGuardians/SchoolFees.aspx

https://m.fin24.com/Opinion/michael-jordaan-forget-matric-results-heres-how-to-prepare-your-kids-for-jobs-that-dont-yet-exist-20200115

https://www.ieb.co.za

https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/259185/class-sizes-in-public-vs-private-schools-in-south-africa/

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Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.