Every year there is a big song and dance about the matric exams, followed by a cycle of celebrations and flagellations from the Department of Basic Education and the media respectively. The minister announces whether the pass rate went up or down, which province came out on top, and so on, as if these were the things to focus on. Members of the public interpret the increases or decreases as signs that things are getting better or worse, as if the matric pass rate were the best barometer of our schooling system. It isn’t. In addition to the raw pass rate we should also be looking at the throughput pass rate — how many learners in a cohort reach and pass matric — as well as results from international assessments at earlier grades. Before showing the links between gatekeeping and pass rates in matric, it is worth emphasising that most indicators do actually show genuine improvements across the sector. The minister should be congratulated for that.
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