30% pass mark undermines the intellect of SA’s youth – Maimane

Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane says with South Africa leading the youth unemployment crisis globally, the continued matric pass mark requirement of just 30% cannot continue a day longer.

“A 30% pass mark undermines the intellect of SA’s youth and allows for obfuscation of the basic education crisis, education leaders to escape accountabilities and the entrenchment of mediocrity and low expectations,” said Maimane

“The pass mark is the pass mark. Measuring it at an extremely low number does not help the students. In fact it helps bad teachers and bad administrators,” he added

Matric pass rates

According to education quality assurance council Umalusi, education in South Africa is slowly becoming less valuable.

A basic matric pass requires a pupil to achieve at least 40% in three subjects, including their home language, and three other subjects with a minimum of 30%.

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But recently, it has been implemented to level with 3 subjects at 40% (including home language) and 3 subjects at 30% (including language of learning), which is what created a stir in people’s emotions, including Maimane.

Maimane against the low pass rate

A year ago, over two thousand people signed Maimane’s online petition to end the 30% matric pass mark.

“A matric certificate should be issued on the basis of passing six subjects with 50% or more. 50% is the real pass mark, anything else is deception of South Africans,” said Maimane.

Pass rate ‘myths’

In her briefing during the announcement of the Class of 2021’s matric results, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said they had observed the debate and discussion in the public arena on the pass requirements for the National Senior Certificate (NSC).

“All that needs to be said is that 30% is not a pass mark in this country. If a candidate gets an aggregate of 30% in all subjects written, the candidate will surely fail.

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“There are myths, which are being repeated year after year, almost by the same people on this matter, and it is unfortunate and disappointing,” said Motshekga