Matrics: You made it
MINISTER: ‘AS MUCH AS WE HAVE A DROP, I’M GRATEFUL TO ALL SOUTH AFRICANS’
Despite Covid-19 battering the lives of pupils, teachers and administrative staff, some lacking the necessary digital equipment and online learning a shock to many, the class of 2020 rises to the occasion with a pass rate of 76.2% – slightly lower than last year.
There are more distinctions and bachelor passes than the previous year.
Around of applause for the matric class of 2020 as they outperformed expectations, passing the toughest academic year with a 76.2% pass rate and more distinctions and bachelor passes than the year before, said experts.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for the class of 2020, which faced hurdles of a pandemic, missing nearly a term of education and the leaking of mathematics and physical science exam papers.
Despite the challenges, the results were given a thumbs up by education quality assurance board Umalusi.
“The overall pass [rate], including progressed pupils, is at 76.2%, which is a drop of 5.1%. As much as we have a drop, I am really grateful to all South Africans for helping us because I was expecting a blood bath,” said Motshekga.
The Free State again took the number one spot, with 85.1% pass rate, declining by 3.2% from 2019.
Gauteng again came in second place, declining by 3.5% to 83.8%.
While Gauteng were the runner-up, they outperformed all districts, with the top five performing districts falling under the province.
For the second year in a row and the third time in the past five years, the Tshwane south district has taken the cup.
“Tshwane south is the top district nationally. The second district is Gauteng west, the third is Gauteng north, the fourth is Johannesburg north and the fifth is Sedibeng in the east of Gauteng,” the minister said.
The North West province,
which was regularly in the top four best provinces, however saw a dive in their pass rate, significantly decreasing by 10.6%.
But this was a great performance as, unlike the 2019 matrics, they did not have any classroom action, said University of South Africa’s school of education’s Professor Moeketsi Letseka.
He said analysts and experts had projected a between 6% and 8% dip in the pass rate. But the group had, instead, shown resilience. “We need to recognise that this class never experienced what we call classroom action. Social distancing and staying at home meant these kids lost the entire academic year as a result of Covid-19… We, as experts, expected a decline. We didn’t expect this class to do well. “In terms of different levels, the 2020 class was doing better than the 2019 class.
“I am humbled by the performance of the 2020 class. I expected worse than this. I thought we would be looking at 60-something-percent for the class,” Letseka said.
More reason to celebrate was the high number of pupils with a bachelor pass, said education associate professor at the University of Johannesburg Professor Nicky Roberts.
Bachelor passes increased by 13.3% to 210 820, while distinctions jumped by 13.1% to 177 435. Gauteng again recorded the highest number of bachelor passes for 2020.
But the closure of extramural activities and social gatherings could have contributed, Roberts said.
“We need to celebrate the high numbers of pupils with bachelors – and seeing that Gauteng is doing well. I think last year, the matrics were appropriately prioritised. They were given the most access to schools and many didn’t go on holiday. None of them did sports or drama productions and were not going out. All of that helped them have an academic focus,” said Roberts.
I was expecting a blood bath