The matric class of 2024 is to be congratulated for completing school despite the immense challenges introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The vast majority of the candidates who sat the national senior certificate exams last October and November had just started high school when the first Covid-19 case was identified in SA, precipitating huge disruption to their education over the following two years. There is much to celebrate in their individual achievements.

Yet there is also a great deal to worry about. The glowing headlines about the 87.26% pass rate, the highest yet recorded in democratic SA, mask a worryingly low throughput rate, which the basic education department puts at a mere 63%. The throughput rate measures the proportion of students in a cohort who complete school in the expected 12 years...

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