Stakeholders respond to matric results urging young people: don't give up
Various stakeholders have responded to the
release of the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam results at midnight.
Yesterday, Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshega announced the national pass rate of 81,3 %.
ALSO READ: Matric pass rate inches up to 81.3%
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has encouraged matriculants who did manage to pass, not to give up.
The union’s General-Secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali has urged the pupils to go back to school.
“They will succeed with perseverance,” says Ntshalintshali.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Basic Education shadow minister, Nomsa Marchesi says the matric results are concerning.
She adds the party has been bringing up concerns of retaining pupils from the inception of grade 1 to 12.
Marchesi believes the 2019 pass rate is not a true reflection of the Matric.
“I think in the class of 2020 that is when we are going to see the real pass rate,” says Marchesi.
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)’s Marie Soekers says the highlight of the 2019 matric results is the achievements made by pupils with special needs.
Soekers says what is concerning is that while the pass rate is increasing, there is a decrease in so-called gateway subjects, maths and science.
“It means that the skills gap is going to continue in South Africa because the economy needs for us to focus on those subjects to that our learners are skilled and employed,” says Soekers.