THERE have been mixed reactions to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s announcement of the 2018 matric results.
Motshekga announced on Thursday evening that the class of 2018 had achieved an overall pass rate of 78.2 per cent. She said the pass rate was an improvement on the previous year where a 75.1 per cent pass rate had been achieved. She added that this was the eight consecutive year that the matric pass rate had passed the 70 per cent mark.
Provincially, Gauteng was the top performer, with a 87.9%. KwaZulu-Natal scored with 76.2 per cent with Limpopo at the bottom of the list with 69.4 per cent.
The results were welcomed by Ms Lungelwa Zwane, chairperson of the Select Committtee on Education and Recreation who said the achievement of the results strengthened the argument that the intervention implemented by the department was a correct one and would ensure that the drop-out rate is decreased.
“The committee reiterates its call that the foundation for high matric results are perfected at lower grades, particularly the foundation phase, and much more focus should be directed at those grades and ensuring that learners are adequately prepared before they reach matric. The committee remains committed to assisting the departments, both at national and provincial levels, to ensure quality education system that is required to achieve the ideals of the National Development Plan,” she said.
DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education however has disputed the 78.2 per cent pass rate saying the real pass rate, if one included the number of 2016 Grade 10s who actually passed matric in 2018 was 37.6 per cent.
“Those Grade 10s should be celebrating with other matriculants, but more than half didn’t write matric in the expected timeframe. This means only 37.6 per cent of these Grade 10s passed matric. The others have either become stuck in a struggling education system repeating grades, or worse, dropped out ofthe system completely,”she said.
