Forget pass rate, focus on quality of passes – unions, education expert react to matric results

The Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) and the Professional Educators Union (PEU) are not surprised by the 5.1% drop in the pass rate.  

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced the matric pass rate on Monday. 

The class of 2020 achieved 76.2% - a substantial drop from the previous year. 

The class of 2020 wrote their final exams last year under the added pressure of adjusted learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

EUSA spokesperson Kabelo Mahlobogwane says the pass rate speaks to deeper issues within the education sector.  

“It’s actually not a surprise, but of course we have to congratulate the learners and the teachers who worked under very hard conditions and unexpected ones to try and make sure that at least the class of 2020 graduates.” 

Despite agreeing that the sector fared well under the circumstances, Mahlobogwane doesn’t spare the department some criticism.  

He believes the department’s efforts were misdirected.  

“We don’t believe the Department of Basic Education was in touch with what was happening on the ground. We have said that instead of the department focusing on rebuilding the education system and making sure that they actually improve so that they can be able to function in a situation like Covid-19, what they did was focusing on going back to what was before Covid-19,” says Mahlobogwane. 

“Though we have to congratulate those that worked very hard we still would like to advise the department to focus on rebuilding the education system.” 

PEU general secretary Ben Machipi says he’s satisfied the class of 2020 will hold their own in the higher education sector. 

“These are the learners that when other grades had the curriculum trimmed, their curriculum was not trimmed. They had to do everything within a short space of time and as we look at the results, the quality is better than the other years.

“This means these learners will be able to withstand the pressure and I’ve got no doubt that when they get into university the little bit of independence and hardworking attitudes will make them continue prospering.” 

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But education expert at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Nicky Roberts is not convinced. 

“I’m really not that interested in the pass rate. I think the pass rate doesn’t have much meaning and I have actually thought we should just scrap it. What I’m really interested in is the increase in numbers of our students getting bachelor passes.

“We have actually improved in terms of bachelor passes. I think the devil might be in the detail though, because I do see concerning drops in mathematics and physical sciences and so I’m suspecting that we’re getting bachelor passes because people have shifted to maths literacy or dropped physical science,” Roberts says. 

"That is a serious concern for our skills development strategy if we're not getting enough of pure maths graduates, with physical science because it means that our path into the sciences is severely limited at university level."

She adds the policy reform in the education sector needs to shift to address inequality gaps. 

“I think we’re seeing that we are making progress, certainly in education outcomes at this level but set that against the CRAM study which shows hunger and stunting, and I feel very concerned that our poverty levels are increasing, and everybody knows, you can’t teach a hungry child and a stunted child has cognitive difficulties,” Roberts explains.  

“In terms of the pro-poor policies, I support what the government has been doing. Personally, I don’t think they’re abrasive enough. I think we need a masterplan in ICTs in education.”

Roberts believes there also needs to be a greater focus on education much earlier on in the system. 

Listen to Roberts below: