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Home Schooling

Home schooling gets 94% pass rate

Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:14

Among home learners who received at least two years of home education, the 2010 matric pass rate was 94%. Of these, 65% received university exemption.

In contrast, only 60% of home learners with less than two years homeshooling achieved a pass mark and only 14% of these obtained university exemption.

This tendency confirms extensive research in other countries that found that children perform better the longer they are homeschooled, says Bouwe van der Eems, a trustee of the Pestalozzi Trust.

In 2010, about four hundred home learners wrote the Umalusi accredited matric exam of the Examinations Board for Christian Education (ERCO).

There were also more than two hundred candidates who studied at so-called learning centres, study libraries, unregistered private schools and other illegal institutions offering alternative education.

Many of these institutions provide for children with a history of learning disabilities or behavioural problems, who have been abandoned by conventional schools.

Among candidates who received such alternative education for at least two years, the pass rate was 86%.

Van der Eems praised all candidates for their efforts and emphasized that not only the state, but especially civil society have a duty to educate the coming generations.

He explained that the Pestalozzi Trust has been providing legal protection for thousands of homeschooling families for over twelve years. The Trust helps member families to resist unlawful interference by government officials in their home education because such interference impedes quality education.

Van der Eems criticized government for unconstitutional obstruction and even criminalization of good education. He announced that the Trust is now extending its services to protect not only home education, but also the rights of other private education institutions against unlawful interference from government officials.

For further information, contact Leendert van Oostrum 082 8262 675.