Matric 2015 results reveal huge disparities of learner performance
05 January 2016
The release of the National Senior Certificate results is a time for honest reflection and introspection.
A candid and objective assessment must acknowledge that our education system is failing millions of poor children in several parts of the country. This is a national tragedy and we cannot shy away from it.
According to the results released this evening, the overall pass rate has declined from 75.8% in 2014 to 70.7% in 2015. Some provinces have shown a significant decline, most notably the Eastern Cape at 56.8% (down 8.6%), KwaZulu-Natal at 60.7% (down 9%), and Limpopo at 65.9% (down 7%).
The picture emerging is of a highly unequal education system. Two decades after the end of Apartheid, a child’s scholastic success is still very much determined by the province they live in and what school they go to.