Latest news with #passrate
Bloomberg
01-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
CFA Level II Pass Rate Rises to 54%, Well Above Decade Average
The pass rate for the second level of the chartered financial analyst test soared well above the decade average as candidates who stayed on schedule continued to outperform peers who put off the exam. In May, 54% of candidates sitting for the Level II test were successful, up from a 39% pass rate for those who took the test in November and 47% for August test-takers, the CFA Institute said in a statement Tuesday. The May results are higher than the 10-year average of 45% and the second-highest since 2020, when the rate reached 55% before dropping amid pandemic disruptions.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
The 10 best places in the UK to pass your driving test first time revealed… do YOU live near one?
THE best places to take your driving test have been revealed in a new analysis of DVSA data - and it's good news for drivers in Scotland. There are "remarkable" differences in first-time pass rates across the UK, according to the figures. 5 5 5 5 It comes after The Sun previously revealed the hardest test centres to pass at. From three-point turns to checking blind spots, there is plenty for novice drivers to think about during their test. And with a long wait for a slot, knowing you have a good chance of success is crucial. The best location to take your driving test is Montrose, in Scotland, where a staggering 69.6% of drivers pass on the first attempt. The second-best test centre is Forfar, just down the road from Montrose. Although 69.5% of learners pass in Forfar, men have much more luck than women. While 75.5% of men pass, only 64.2% of women will receive their licence after their first attempt. Although the two best centres in the UK are in Scotland, English drivers shouldn't worry. There is only a tiny difference in the success rate between the best centre in England and Scotland. The beautiful lake district town of Kendal, in Cumbria, has a first-time pass rate of 69.1%. Shocking moment speeding van driver distracted by phone slams into broken-down car leaving victim with lifelong injuries And here women are more likely to get the stamp of approval from their examiner - 71.4% pass first time compared to 66.8% of men. The best centre in Wales rounds out the top five with a 66.9% first time pass rate. Nervous test-takers face a much bigger challenge in other parts of the country. Test centres in cities in the Midlands and North West are the trickiest for first timers, according to the data provided by Traffic Chart. In Wolverhampton, over two-thirds of people will leave disappointed after the first attempt. This makes it the worst place in the country to take your driving test. And down the road in Featherstone, only 31.9% of first-time test takers pass. Martijn Hulshof, founder of Traffic Chart, said: "These figures show remarkable regional variations in driving test success rates. "Scottish test centres perform exceptionally well, possibly due to less congested roads and different driving conditions compared to major urban areas." When it comes to picking a place to take your test, Hulshof said: "Rural locations typically offer better odds of first-time success, but practical factors like travel distance should be weighed against the potential benefits.' He also explained that men generally outperformed women across the country when it comes to first-time pass rates. Hulshof said: "It suggests that factors such as anxiety and pressure may affect male and female drivers differently in testing environments." How to boost your chances of passing first time Seb Goldin, CEO of RED Driver Training, the largest driving school in the UK, that trains nearly a quarter of all driving instructors in the country, has shared his top five tips to help boost your chances of passing for the first time: Master your manoeuvres Ensure you're confident with key manoeuvres like parallel parking, a forward bay park or a reverse bay park. These can make or break your test, so practice them until you're confident in doing these under pressure. Let your instructor know ahead of your test if there's anything you're concerned about and they can help you practice until needed. Plan your lessons with your instructor wisely Take lessons at different times of day, including busy periods. This helps you get comfortable with all driving conditions and traffic situations, giving you a true feel for real-world driving. Particularly if the only time you can secure a test is during a busy period – you'll be thanking yourself later. Your instructor will also help make sure you're test ready and point out anything that needs to be worked on. They're there to help your chances of passing for the first time! Focus on observation and awareness The driving test is as much about your ability to spot hazards as it is about your car control. Stay alert, check mirrors regularly, and always anticipate what's happening on the road. Your examiner will be looking out for this, so keep this in the back of your mind while taking the test. Know your theory Putting your theory knowledge into practice is more important during your test than ever. There are also resources students can use to ensure that they are fully prepared – at RED, we have apps to help our students prepare for their tests such as the Learn to Drive with RED app and RED's Complete Driving Theory app. Stay calm under pressure Don't let nerves get the best of you. Stay calm, take deep breaths, and if you make a mistake, don't let it get to you. Keep your focus on the next task and show the examiner you can recover quickly. 5
Mail & Guardian
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Unions slam basic education department over no maths at 464 schools
The South African Democratic Teachers Union alleges schools are pressuring learners in grade 10 and upwards to drop maths to protect overall matric pass rates Teacher unions have called out the department of basic education for failing to hire maths teachers after it emerged that 464 schools in the country no longer offer maths as a subject. 'There needs to be a serious talk about how the department handles its human resources department, because we have universities that are graduating students, but how many of these teachers care about the needs of learners at the schools?' said the South African Democratic Teachers Union's (Sadtu) Mugwena Maluleka. The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) said the high number of schools not teaching mathematics does not bode well for the education system. 'Naptosa is concerned that any number of schools not having mathematics will hinder the progress of our education system — the department needs to stipulate how it plans to restore mathematics education to these schools,' said Naptosa's spokesperson, Basil Manuel. Last week, the department of basic education said these schools include 135 in KwaZulu-Natal, 84 in the Eastern Cape, 78 in Limpopo and 61 in the Western Cape. According to statistics released by the department last week, the percentage of learners opting for maths declined from 46% in 2011 to 34% in 2023. In 2024, only 255,762 learners registered for the subject, down from 268,100 the previous year. The department added that a persistent shortage of qualified maths teachers and resource constraints, including budget and timetabling limitations, have exacerbated the issue. 'While mathematics remains a high-priority subject, schools may not have sufficient resources or demand to offer both mathematics and mathematical literacy,' said the department's spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga. Sadtu claims that schools in rural areas are threatening children in grades 10 and higher to not take maths as a subject so that the school maintains a high matric pass rate. 'We need to hold the department accountable, schools in rural areas only want matric outcomes so they stop children from doing mathematics because they don't want them to fail so that they don't have a low pass rate,' Maluleka said. The education movement, Equal Education, warned that with limited or no resources for core subjects such as maths and the physical sciences, learners have difficulty progressing through the curriculum. A staggering 82.4% of public schools don't have laboratories, essential for 'Schools in rural provinces also have some of the worst historical infrastructure backlogs, with many learners forced to learn in undignified conditions with poor sanitation and dilapidated infrastructure,' Equal Education's Stacey Jacobs said. Data published by the Human Sciences Research Council and the Parliamentary Monitoring Group in 2023 shows that a substantial portion of learners in the early grades, including grade 5, lack the minimum competencies in basic maths. Grade 9 learners in South Africa were placed 38th out of 39 countries in maths and came in last for science, while the country ranked 62nd out of 64 nations for grade 5 maths performance, according to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Announcing the 2024 National Senior Certificate results in January, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube warned of a spike in learners who progress through the basic education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. 'These deficits accumulate over time, limiting learners' abilities to succeed in higher grades and in these gateway subjects and diminishing their prospects of accessing further education and employment opportunities,' she said. 'This trend manifests itself in the perennial decrease of enrolment in subjects such as physical sciences, mathematics, accounting and economics, which are all subjects that are critical for a nation's ability to advance in science, innovation, and economic development.' In 2024, 69.1% of learners The Western Cape achieved the highest pass rates in maths (78%) and physical science (79.4%). Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi criticised the low number of learners taking those subjects, and called on the department to introduce measures to improve the 50% pass mark in maths and physical science. 'The basic education system is not producing enough matriculants with strong problem solving, critical thinking, literacy and numeracy skills, who can go on to higher education, training or apprenticeship,' he said. Many tertiary institutions in South Africa require between a 60% and 75% achievement level in maths and physical sciences for admission into the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields. The low achievement levels affect learners who aspire to pursue higher education, according to Stellenbosch University. To qualify for admission to Bachelor's degree studies, candidates need to achieve at least 40% in their home language, 50% in four other subjects (excluding life orientation), 30% in the language of instruction and 30% in one other subject. They must also pass a minimum of six out of the seven subjects taken. 'Without meeting these benchmarks, learners are effectively locked out of opportunities that could change their lives and contribute to South Africa's economic growth,' said the chair of the department in psychology of education at Unisa, Ramodungoane Tabane. Tabane added that a lack of graduates in STEM subjects could hamper South Africa's expertise in these fields. The country has only Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called for a collective effort to transform South Africa's education system, with a particular focus on strengthening STEM education. 'We must emphasise that the future of South Africa's youth and the country's development largely hinges on equipping learners with the skills and knowledge that these subject fields provide. The world is rapidly evolving, and our education system must evolve with it,' he said.
