Pass rate excludes dropouts

EXPERTS: LESS THAN 60% OF THE PUPILS WHO ENTER GRADE 1 GO ON TO FINISH GRADE 12

- Masoka Dube

SMILES. Imogen Preston, left, Njabulo Khuzwayo, Ntsumi Mabasa and Ita Collins from Roedean School celebrate in Parktown, Johannesburg, after receiving their matric results.

(Picture: Michel Bega)

As South Africa celebrates the historic record matric pass rate, some experts and political leaders are questioning the quality of the country's education system.

The Class of 2025 performed well and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate was 88%, the highest pass rate yet.

KwaZulu-Natal outperformed all the other provinces with a pass rate of 90.6%, while other provinces scored over 80%.

But experts say there is nothing to be celebrated as the pass rate does not reflect the true pass rate, which is 57.7%.

The “real pass rate” is calculated using the total number of pupils who began their schooling in Grade 1, not those who had made it to Grade 12 to sit the matric examinations.

Prof Kathija Yassim, head of the department of education leadership and management at the University of Johannesburg, said: “The concern raised by experts is valid and longstanding. While the official matric pass rate often appears encouraging, it does not tell the full story of system performance.

“The cohort analysis which tracks how many pupils who entered Grade 1 eventually complete and pass Grade 12 - reveals deeper structural challenges, including early dropout, repetition, socioeconomic pressures and uneven school quality.

“A cohort pass rate of approximately 57.7% reminds us that access alone is not enough; retention and meaningful progression remain critical weaknesses in the system.”

Yassim said the true measure of education system quality lies not only in the final matric outcomes, but in participation, persistence and success throughout the schooling pipeline.