SADTU STATEMENT ON 2024 NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE (MATRIC) RESULTS
14 January 2024
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) proudly joins the nation in celebrating the remarkable achievement of the Matric Class of 2024. Honour goes to the learners who endured the 13 years of schooling to sit for these examinations. We also commend the teachers who taught, inspired, and motivated the learners throughout their educational journeys.
We truly celebrate this historic 87,3% pass which is a 4,4 higher than the 82,9% achieved by the Class of 2023. More than 300 000 (47,8%) of the learners received Bachelor passes. While we contend that the National Senior Certificate is not the only yardstick to measure the performance of our education system, these results signify a maturation of the education system.
We acknowledge the significant contribution of former Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga whose commitment to consultation and collaboration with unions and the systems she put in place have made it possible for the system to mature.
We are encouraged by the continued improvement in the performance of no-fee paying schools (Quintile 1 and 3) both qualitatively and quantitively. An impressive 67% of Bachelor passes came from these schools which serve predominantly rural and township populations. Our members had to double their effort to compensate for the lack of resources and social capital. Their hard work has borne fruit.
Although we oppose the use of league tables to compare provinces, we extend our congratulations to KwaZulu Natal for its stellar performance, attaining the highest Bachelor passes and distinctions. SADTU claims this achievement because of the immense contribution of our members led by the leadership in the province to produce various programmes including the SADTU School Improvement Initiative, led to this accomplishment.
The consistent outstanding performance of the Free State Province underscores the critical importance of building robust educational systems and establishing strong foundations, particularly in early childhood development. This is an essential step in ensuring that our children have the necessary tools to succeed academically and beyond.
Attacks on the National Senior Certificate
We call on the learners who have passed, to be proud of their achievements despite criticisms of the National Senior Certificate from some political quarters. Misinformation that casts doubt on the value of this qualification only serves to dampen the spirit of our learners.
Instead of engaging in narrow debates about percentages, we must foster meaningful discussions on how to assist learners in realising their potential – whether academic, occupational, or vocational. Education is far more complex than test scores or exams, it encompasses diverse variables that reflect the true development and progress of our children.
This certificate will open doors to institutions of higher learning and TVET Colleges.
Quality of the passes:
More than 300 000 (47,8%) of the learners achieved bachelor passes, meaning they qualify for admission at universities. These quality passes are a drastic improvement from 2023’s 40,9%. We are pleased with the fact that 67% of the Bachelor passes come from Quintile 1- 3 (no-fee paying) schools. This is highly commendable as it indicates the narrowing of the quality gap between no-fee- and fee-paying schools.
However, this success has come at a cost with teachers and learners from the no-fee schools subjecting themselves to weekend, early morning, holiday camps in order to bridge the gap.
We therefore urge the Treasury to allocate more resources to education to address the ongoing inequalities in our education system. “The best educational returns come from investment in wisdom,” SADTU General Secretary, Dr Mugwena Maluleke said.
We are content with the standardisation process. Out of 68 subjects presented for standardisation, raw marks were accepted in 53 subjects, marks in 13 subjects were adjusted downwards and two upwards by quality assurer Umalusi.
Critical subjects:
While we celebrate the overall results, we express concern over the declining enrolment in critical subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Science, Accounting, Business Studies and Economics and technical subjects. The decline in Mathematics enrolment by 12 338 is concerning.
We strongly condemn the practices of schools and principals who encourage learners to opt for “softer” subjects to inflate pass rates. SADTU prioritise quality over quantity.
Additionally, we are concerned by the slow uptake of technical and vocational subjects which are essential for addressing rising unemployment and promoting self-employment.
Grade R:
When announcing the results, the Director General of Basic Education noted that the Class of 2024, benefited from Grade R education, a crucial aspect of Early Childhood Development. Provinces investing significantly in Grade R such as KwaZulu Natal and the Free State are among the best performers.
SADTU has long advocated for increased investment in Grade R, believing it lays a solid foundation for future academic success.
Gender parity:
SADTU calls on the Department of Basic Education and the government to do more in ensuring that both the girl and boy learners succeed equally. More female learners wrote these examinations and outperformed boy learners. While we celebrate the success of female learners, we emphasise that empowering girls should not come at the expense of boys.
Conclusion:
As we celebrate these excellent results, we remain concerned about their sustainability in the face of austerity measures that threaten the employment of teachers. This continuous quality achievement may not be feasible if budget cuts persist. Austerity measures do not work in education and must be stopped with immediate effect. We urge government to prioritise education as a vital investment in addressing social and economic challenges.
For the learners who did not succeed, we urge them not to give up but to take advantage of the Department’s Second Chance programme, study and rewrite the subjects they failed.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat