With about a week to go before the release of the matric results, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has defended the pass requirement in SA, saying it’s “not anything new”.
This after Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane took to social media earlier this week and criticised the 30% pass requirement.
The minister this week said that the “30% pass mark” is a myth that gets perpetuated each year, adding that no such single pass mark exists.
Maimane called for matric certificates to be issued to those who pass six subjects with 50% or more. He said anything else was a “deception of South Africans”.
“We must reject the notion that 30% is a pass, reject a national results announcement based on that mark and then hold the ministry accountable,” he added.
But speaking to the media during a walkabout in Cosmo City in Johannesburg this week, Motshekga defended the pass requirement.
“Even during my days, there was what we called school-leaving, so you pass at different levels. Universities won’t take you if you have less than 50%. It is not anything new now that Maimane is searching for relevance.
“It is something that has always been in the system, even during my time. It is not anything new. Those we want to go to universities need exemption, and universities will take them with exemptions.
Motshekga said other pupils will pursue careers that do not need a matric exemption.
In previous years, the department explained that outrage is often expressed at the fact that the low pass mark is 30%- however, it said that proponents of the narrative ignore that no candidate can obtain a National Senior Certificate if they pass all seven subjects at 30%
Learners must pass at least three subjects with 40%, it said.
Source: Business Tech, News24, image from Twitter: @EducationGP1
