Is the Matric class of 2025 aligned to South Africa's labour market needs?

The 88% matric pass rate was accompanied by top achievers alongside but a continued decline in the number of learners participating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

- By Nkateko Joseph Mabasa

The class of 2025 enters higher education—has the system prepared them for tomorrow?

As thousands of high school matriculants transition into institutions of higher learning, questions remain about whether the education system has adequately prepared the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) graduates for the rapidly changing nature of work, economy and labour market.

Matriculants will undoubtedly enter a reforming post-school landscape within the halls of institutions of higher learning. While upskilling is no longer limited to traditional university pathways, most analysts state that the country needs increased STEM-related careers, such as engineers and town planners.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said in her announcement of the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results that while the headline pass rate was encouraging, it masked deeper problems, particularly around learner retention and participation in gateway subjects such as mathematics, accounting and physical science.

Gwarube said about 84% of learners reached Grade 10, but there was a significant dropout between Grades 11 and 12.

"Retention matters, if learners exit the system before Grade 12 the system then is not yet delivering quality at the scale which we want regardless of how strong the final pass rate is," she said.