‘Wow, this is low’: Gauteng MEC Chiloane under fire for private school fees, matric results ‘joke’

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane sparked anger on social media with a joke comparing independent and public school matric results.

The Gauteng Department of Education hosted a special event on Tuesday morning to announce the 2024 matric results for the province.

The Class of 2024 has South Africa proud after they achieved an 87.3% pass rate. Gauteng matriculants raised the bar by achieving a pass rate of 88.41%.

Gauteng boasts 88.41% matric pass rate

This is the province’s best performance since 1995 with a 3% improvement over the 2023 achievement of 85.4%.

“This performance must be celebrated in the unique and complex nature of the Gauteng education system,” Chiloane said.

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During his address, the MEC mentioned that he saw a leader trying to compare Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and National Senior Certificate (NSC) results.

Chiloane said when he saw that, he thought to himself, “if you are paying R200 000 school fees and your child fails, I am sure the life of that school’s principal would be at risk.”

“The fact that it’s not 100%, is worrying.”

WATCH: Chiloane jokes about private school fees and matric results

The crowd laughed when the MEC made the comment, but X (formerly Twitter) users did not find it amusing.

Take a look at some of the angered responses…

@GhostGarvey2 (Motjilela wa Leoka): “What a whole load of c**p from him. Why must that principal’s life be at risk? This kind of insinuation must be rejected with the contempt it deserves. Seriously, we have no leaders.”

@Mdumela12 (MCN): “What is the MEC trying to say here? So it’s expected that a child from private school should do better than the child from public school, which he is the leader of? Wow, this is low!”

@KlevaBlac (Kleva Black أسود ذكي): “Parents have been forced to make sacrifices and pay exorbitant fees because of the failures of the ANC, yet imbeciles think it is funny.”

‘They all the same’

@sly_mathe (Sly Mathe) said: “ANC cadres mentality is very disturbing and disgusting [vomiting emoji] comments, but they all the same.”

Chiloane went on to propose that both public and private schools in the country begin to write the same matric examinations going forward.

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“Let’s go and write one exam and see. Let’s go,” the MEC said.

He added that politicians should not be debating whether the IEB and NSC systems are better than the other. He suggested resolving the debate by implementing a single examination for all.

“Let’s monitor everybody and see the results. You’ll see; things are going to change drastically,” Chiloane said.

Calls for one exam for all

The MEC went on to claim that Gauteng parents do not necessarily prefer private schools; they want good-quality public schools.

Watch the Gauteng matric results announcement event here:

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