Reality check: The real story behind the matric results
South Africans take the annual soaring matric pass rate with a pinch of salt, but the true state of education is even more worrying than most imagine
30 January 2025 - 05:00
The steep rise in the matric pass rate to a record high of 87.3% in 2024 has been hailed by the department of basic education (DBE) as evidence of a “system on the rise” and as proof that schooling in South Africa “is at its healthiest ever”.
This rose-tinted view needs to be punctured. For though there is evidence of improvement — more learners are passing maths than ever before and the gap between rich and poor schools is closing — the big picture remains depressing...
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