The govt matric: Number crunched

JOHANNESBURG - 551,940 pupils in South Africa wrote the government matric in 2009. 334,716 (60.6%) passed. 109,697 (19.9%) passed with the grades necessary to progress on to university. 275,013 pupils wrote the basic "mathematics literacy" paper. 24.6% of pupils failed it outright, getting less than a 30% score. Only 31.2% of those who wrote the paper passed with more than a 50% score.

290,407 pupils meanwhile wrote the more challenging "mathematics" paper. 54% received less than a 30% score and failed outright. Another 16,6% received less than 40%. Only 52,779 (18.2%) of those who wrote the paper passed it with more than half marks (or just 9,5% of all those who wrote the governmentt matric.)

220,882 pupils wrote the "physical science" paper. 139,360 pupils (63.1%) received less than 30% and failed outright. A further 35,904 pupils (16,3%) received less than 40%. Only 10.1% of pupils who wrote the exam received more than 50%.

Tables and graphs follow below:

Table 1: The govt matric pass rate by province, 2009
Province	Wrote	Failed	Incomplete	Pass	% Pass	Bachelor pass	% bachelor
EASTERN CAPE	68129	33071	2493	34731	51.0%	9492	13.9%
FREE STATE	29808	9117	654	20680	69.4%	6030	20.2%
GAUTENG	98576	27655	2692	70871	71.9%	28709	29.1%
KWAZULU-NATAL	132175	50997	7789	80733	61.1%	26287	19.9%
LIMPOPO	83350	42550	9939	40776	48.9%	10202	12.2%
MPUMALANGA	53975	27606	1757	25852	47.9%	6556	12.1%
NORTH WEST	30664	9959	731	20700	67.5%	6356	20.7%
NORTHERN CAPE	10377	4021	388	6356	61.3%	1741	16.8%
WESTERN CAPE	44886	10860	1976	34017	75.8%	14324	31.9%
NATIONAL	551940	215836	28419	334716	60.6%	109697	19.9%

Table 2: Results of mathematics paper, govt matric 2009
PROVINCE	FAIL < 29	PASS 30 TO 39	PASS 40 TO 49	PASS 50 TO 59	PASS 60 TO 69	PASS 70 TO 79	PASS 80 TO 100
EASTERN CAPE	27052	6992	4273	2348	1211	760	614
FREE STATE	6196	2697	1713	1126	728	414	384
GAUTENG	21066	7672	6030	4477	3308	2557	2455
KWAZULU-NATAL	40820	12845	8509	5059	3054	1986	1641
LIMPOPO	30625	7912	5046	3121	1829	1023	785
MPUMALANGA	15213	3707	2418	1479	971	583	438
NORTH WEST	6565	2503	1731	1174	771	507	433
NORTHERN CAPE	2266	723	427	258	150	102	94
WESTERN CAPE	6737	3098	2430	1994	1711	1368	1866
TOTAL	156540	48149	32577	21036	13733	9300	8710
%	54.0%	16.6%	11.2%	7.3%	4.7%	3.2%	3.0%

Table 3: Physical science results 2009 government matric
	FAIL < 29	PASS 30 TO 39	PASS 40 TO 49	PASS 50 TO 59	PASS 60 TO 69	PASS 70 TO 79	PASS 80 TO 100
EASTERN CAPE	21407	4461	2492	1044	410	182	39
FREE STATE	7221	2182	1386	642	350	174	55
KWAZULU-NATAL	30616	8953	5733	2896	1382	615	221
LIMPOPO	26911	6192	3680	1657	660	287	82
MPUMALANGA	14665	2880	1737	823	346	147	46
NORTH WEST	7413	1979	1361	706	351	151	45
NORTHERN CAPE	2068	491	266	152	86	28	12
GAUTENG	22776	6596	4751	2788	1598	899	278
WESTERN CAPE	6283	2170	1784	1296	976	629	209
TOTAL	139360	35904	23190	12004	6159	3112	987
%	63.1%	16.3%	10.5%	5.4%	2.8%	1.4%	0.4%

Data Source: Department of Basic Education

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