Curro Century City matriculants who sat for the 2024 IEB matric exams receiving their results. Picture: Ian Landsberg / Independent Newspapers
The Freedom Front Plus congratulated and wished the 2024 matric class well for reaching the 87.7% pass percentage.
“For a record 87,3% of candidates it was a success story and they can celebrate. Some of the remaining 12,7% may be just one or two percent shy in one or two subjects. Go write the supplementary exams and get your matric,” the party’s MP and chief spokesperson on basic education Wynand Boshoff said on Tuesday.
Boshoff said while matric was a qualification that prepared one for further studies, and not the workplace, it, however, marked the end of formal studies for most matriculants.
“The FF Plus heartily congratulates every successful matriculant,” he said.
“Those who sadly did not make it should not see it as a reason to give up. There are supplementary exams and, if necessary, it might even be worth it to redo the relevant subjects and take the exams again at the end of next year,” he said.
Boshoff noted that the average pass rate was 87,7% and with the best performance in KwaZulu-Natal.
More importantly, all provinces achieved more than 84%, which pointed to a systemwide and countrywide improvement.
Boshoff said the value of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) lay in the fact that it was thoroughly standardised and quality assurance, Umalusi, compiled it with care and expertise.
“So, a distinction is a distinction and a pass is a pass, regardless of which school, which area, and which assessment body is involved.”
He added that people needed to understand the NSC played a significant role in employment and other selection processes.
“The certificate will indicate whether the candidate passed with admission to degree, diploma, or higher certificate studies. So, all matric certificates are not equal.”
Boshoff noted that the Class of 2024 would be the last group to write the matric exams before the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act came into effect.
He also observed that in the last exams, the Department of Basic Education was responsible for more than 800 000 candidates’ examination while the two independent assessment bodies, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), assessed more than 16 000 and nearly 6 000 candidates, respectively.
“Clearly, the independent education was still very limited, but that may very well change in response to BELA.
“Whereas the IEB is mainly focused on independent schools, SACAI offers a home for many non-conventional educational institutions – 88% completed their scholastic careers through distance learning.”
Boshoff said IEB and SACAI achieving a pass rate of 98,47% and 73,9% demonstrated exceptional commitment under very different circumstances.
“As the Department of Basic Education’s grip on public schools tightens, these two institutions could expect to see their numbers climb.”
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za