Only 7.1% of matriculants passed their Multiple Examination Opportunities last year

25 October 2019

In a reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, revealed that out of 88 828 matric learners who opted to write the Multiple Examination Opportunities (MEO) last year, only 6 354 or 7.1% passed. An overwhelming number of 73 467 learners failed their MEO, while 9 007 did not pitch to write the exams.

The MEO system was intended to allow struggling matric students an opportunity to complete their examinations over two years. However, experts are of the opinion that the Department of Basic Education (BDE) failed to provide these learners with the necessary support. The numbers provided by the Minister clearly prove this point.

It seems the Department of Basic Education (DBE) implemented the programme but did not set proper checks and balances that would have ensured effective execution. This is a major indictment on the DBE as many of these learners simply fall off the radar without formally completing their academic careers.

The Department refuses to label the 9 007 learners who did not complete their exams as “dropouts”, as the DBE argues that these learners might return to write the remaining subjects in subsequent examinations. However, the DA is of the view that the Department’s refusal is based on its desire to create a false impression of an improved matric pass rate and not because it believes that these students will return.

Our experience tells us that these candidates never go on to actually complete their remaining exams. When the DA asked the Basic Education Director-General earlier this year how many of these learners actually finished their second batch of exams – he simply could not tell us.

South Africa has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world and the DBE has failed to equip our youth with the necessary skills to break the cycle of poverty.

The Department’s failure to properly execute the MEO programme has no doubt done immeasurable damage to the future of these young people. For many matriculants, their matric certificate is an important stepping stone towards finding employment and accessing opportunities.

South African learners deserve the highest degree of commitment from the Department of Education. The DA will strive to ensure that learners get the best quality matric in the expected time frame so that they can start their journey into further education and employment on time and in good stead.

Issued by Nomsa Marchesi, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 25 October 2019