Nine Limpopo schools score 0% matric pass rate

The Department of Basic Education announced on Tuesday that the 2019 national matric pass rate has risen to 81.3%, the highest past rate in democratic South Africa.

The Free State hit the top spot with a pass rate of 88.4% - a 0.9% improvement from the previous year.

Gauteng claimed the second spot with 87.2%, followed by the North West 86.8%, Western Cape with 82.3%, KwaZulu-Natal at 81.3%, Mpumalanga with 80.3%, Northern Cape at 76.5%, Eastern Cape at 76.5% and Limpopo with 73.2%.

Limpopo Education spokesperson Sam Makondo says it's evident that small schools are not viable.

"Small schools, you would know by their nature, are not viable and sustainable and compromises in a big way the delivery of quality education.”

Makondo adds that MEC Polly Boshielo has proposed merging these schools with other schools to give them a fighting chance.

"In the light of their performance in these results in 2019, the MEC has directed accordingly that the process of merging these schools with other schools should start.

"She however appealed to the community where these schools are to come on board and work with the department rather than fight the efforts of department whose intention is to ensure that learners at these schools get the best education."

Makama Secondary and Mokhulwane Secondary School are among the under-performing schools with 3 students and 1 student, respectively.

"It cannot be right for communities to think that small schools should not be merged in the interest of education," says Makondo.

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