Nearly 40% of those who started didn’t get to matric in 2023

Nearly half a million (458 002) more pupils should be writing matric, but they disappeared along the way.

South African pupils started writing their first matric examination paper yesterday.

According to the department of basic education’s statistics report in 2012, the number of Grade one pupils registered in ordinary schools in 2012 was 1 208 973, at independent schools it was 46 149 (male and female) and public schools (male and female) at 1 162 824.

However, this year, only 723 971 full-time pupils will be writing National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams at 6 337 state schools and 552 independent centres.

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The department pointed out there were also 129 064 part-time and 53 217 progressed candidates who will also write the exams, making a total of 906 252. There were 162 question papers.

Optimi Workplace marketing manager and education expert Phemelo Segoe said losing 40% of pupils who started school 12 years ago was incredibly alarming.

“I know not all of those pupils that started school 12 years ago are alive. It is not a huge number, but it’s a factor. We also have pupils who drop out because there’s just no money and no money for school fees,” Segoe said.

“We have no-fee schools in SA and you find that some pupils do go to no-fee schools because they serve food, but the challenge in no-fee schools, as much as parents are not paying fees, there is a financial commitment.”

SA not in good shape economically

“I also know that there are schools where you have to pay about a R100 or R200 for textbooks. And if, for example, a pupil does not return the textbook, they don’t get their report.”

“And when you look at the economic climate of this country, especially in the previous years, even before the Covid pandemic leading up to now, our country is not in good shape economically.”

“A lot of parents have lost their jobs. A lot of parents have moved from bad to worse. So not having money for school fees has translated to just not having money to send kids to school, regardless of whether or not there are fees at that school, there’s something that needs to be paid.”

“Some pupils who become orphans or are raised by grandparents have to look for work to survive. They are focused on leaving school to help bring money into their homes.”

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Segoe added there were also pupils who were not performing academically. “They are failing. There’s not adequate academic support in the schools themselves. On the other hand, we are going to have a huge teacher shortage.”

“It becomes a challenge also when teachers are not passionate about the profession. It doesn’t inspire any hope for pupils struggling. Pupils who don’t have support at home need extra attention at school and they do not get it.”

Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said quality assurance body Umalusi had approved all question papers and had given the green light for the exams.

“We again enhanced our security measures to prevent papers leaks. We’ve been working with the State Security Agency, which has audited all these processes, and the provincial education departments have to follow the operating standard procedures on storage points and follow all the security protocols,” she said.