{"id":429524,"date":"2022-01-10T12:54:33","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T10:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=429524"},"modified":"2022-01-10T12:57:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T10:57:17","slug":"end-south-africas-30-matric-pass-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/trending\/429524-end-south-africas-30-matric-pass-mark.html","title":{"rendered":"End South Africa’s 30% matric pass mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is time to end the ability to pass matric subjects with a 30% mark, One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane has said<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One South Africa launched a petition<\/a><\/strong> calling on basic education minister Angie Motshekga to increase the matric pass mark to 50% \u2014 including the class of 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith South Africa top of the youth unemployment crisis globally, the continued matric pass mark requirement of just 30% cannot continue a day longer,\u201d One SA said in a statement on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cA meagre 30% pass hurts our pupils, the education system and the economy. A 30% pass mark undermines the intellect of South African youth,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n

In an interview with eNCA<\/a><\/strong>, Maimane said that although the South African government has increased access to education, it has not improved its quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you put 30% in key subjects such as maths and science, it means that the South African economy is not going to produce graduates\u2014or certainly matriculants\u2014who are able to compete in the fourth industrial revolution, in the future world of work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are doing in this country is ensuring that South Africa\u2019s labour pool is not competitive relative to the rest of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Mmusi Maimane, One South Africa Movement leader<\/p><\/div>\n

Maimane said that by allowing a 30% pass mark, the government sets low expectations for school students and their teachers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must believe in the talent and potential of the young people of this country,\u201d Maimane said<\/a><\/strong> in a subsequent series of Twitter posts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can lead the robotics and machine learning race. We can lead the space science race. We can become a global manufacturing giant. We can\u2019t wait anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maimane said that South Africa needs leaders with faith in people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must make sure that every community (rural and urban) has access to the internet, modern computers, to a wide range of books and to academic support,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must give young people every tool they need to work hard, support hard work and set high expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also posted<\/a><\/strong> a table showing how pass rates for maths and science would change when pass marks are increased from 30% to 50%. The data is drawn from the basic education department\u2019s annual diagnostic reports.<\/p>\n

It shows that fewer than half of the learners who could pass with a 30% mark would do so if the pass marks were 50%.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot and should not defend low marks,\u201d stated Maimane.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Maths pass rate<\/th>\n30% pass mark<\/th>\n40% pass mark<\/th>\n50% pass mark<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>\n51.1%<\/td>\n33.5%<\/td>\n21.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>\n51.9%<\/td>\n35.1%<\/td>\n22.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2018<\/td>\n58.0%<\/td>\n37.1%<\/td>\n21.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>\n54.6%<\/td>\n35.0%<\/td>\n20.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>\n53.8%<\/td>\n35.6%<\/td>\n22.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physical science<\/th>\n30% pass mark<\/th>\n40% pass mark<\/th>\n50% pass mark<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>\n62.0%<\/td>\n39.5%<\/td>\n24.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>\n65.1%<\/td>\n42.2%<\/td>\n26.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2018<\/td>\n74.2%<\/td>\n48.7%<\/td>\n29.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>\n75.5%<\/td>\n51.7%<\/td>\n33.1%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>\n65.8%<\/td>\n42.4%<\/td>\n26.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Basic education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga has said there is a misunderstanding about the \u201c30% matric pass mark\u201d, as there isn\u2019t one common pass mark in South Africa.<\/p>\n

He explained that South Africa has three levels of matric pass<\/strong><\/a>: bachelor\u2019s, diploma, and higher certificate.<\/p>\n