DA brands matric pass rate of 82.9% 'misleading'
The DA has accused the Department of Basic Education of pulling the wool over South Africans’ eyes by announcing a matric pass rate of 82.9%.
The party's Baxolile Nodada said the real matric pass rate is only 55.3%, an increase from last year’s 54.6%.
"The real matric pass rate is calculated by bringing into account the number of learners that dropped out and never made it to matric. While some learners pursue their matric through technical and vocational education and training (TVET) after grade 9, a large number drop out completely.
"To bring the TVET learners into account the DA calculates the real matric pass rate from the grade 10 cohort that ought to have completed matric. 345 626 learners dropped out between grade 10 in 2021 and grade 12 in 2023," said Nodada.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced the official matric results in Randburg on Thursday.
Motshekga said the class of 2023 achieved an 82.9% pass rate, nearly three percentage points higher than the class of 2022.
Read: Class of 2023 achieve most distinctions, bachelor passes
But Nodada insists the 55,3% pass rate is a more accurate indicator of the state of education in South Africa.
"Minister Motshekga has had 15 years to improve basic education in South Africa.
"Instead, her tenure has been marked by excuses and shifting deadlines, bowing to pressure from unions, and the stripping of schools’ rights with the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill.
"It is under her reign that 81% of grade 4 and 56% of grade 6 learners cannot read for meaning, grade 4 and 8 learners struggle with basic maths and science, and almost 40% of grade 10 pupils and more than 25% of grade 8s in the Free State failed their exams last year".
