Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the matric pass rate should no longer be the sole measure of education quality, warning that the focus on results may be undermining learner progression and participation in key subjects.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called for a broader assessment of provincial education performance, arguing that the matric pass rate alone does not adequately reflect the quality of South Africa’s basic education system.

Speaking to the media in Pretoria on Sunday, 11 October, Gwarube said the emphasis on achieving the highest possible National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate had created unintended consequences, including practices that could undermine learner progression and participation in important subjects.

She said provinces, districts and schools had become increasingly focused on improving pass rates, sometimes at the expense of developing the skills needed to support South Africa’s economic competitiveness.

“This obsession has had unintended consequences and has incentivised the wrong kind of behaviour,” Gwarube said.

According to the minister, some schools have prevented weaker learners from progressing to Grade 12, kept learners in Grade 11 despite rules allowing them to progress, or encouraged learners to choose Mathematical Literacy over Mathematics to improve their chances of passing matric.

She warned that an excessive focus on the overall pass rate could undermine the development of skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as Accounting and Economic Sciences.

“This obsession with the matric pass rate and its perverse incentives has been to the detriment of this country’s ability to produce skills in STEM professions, in Accounting and Economic Sciences. This must change; if our country is to be economically competitive, it needs deep and meaningful skills in STEM and other gateway subjects,” she said.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa urges matrics to stay focused as exams loom

Department wants broader education performance indicators

The Department of Basic Education intends to assess provincial performance using a wider range of indicators, rather than relying primarily on the overall matric pass rate.

These measures will include Bachelor passes, distinctions, learner retention, participation and performance in gateway subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Accounting and Economics.

Gwarube said the broader approach would allow provinces to compare their performance more meaningfully and identify areas where additional support and intervention were needed.

“The question should not only be whether learners passed, but whether provinces are improving literacy, numeracy, retention and subject participation,” she said.

The proposed approach places greater emphasis on what learners achieve, the subjects they take and whether they remain in the education system, rather than treating the overall pass rate as the main measure of success.

Nearly one million candidates registered for matric exams

Gwarube’s comments came as the department declared itself ready for the 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations, with 962 832 candidates registered for the October/November examination period.

The cohort comprises 815 051 full-time candidates and 147 781 part-time candidates.

The minister said the increase in full-time registrations indicated that more learners were remaining in school and completing matric within the expected timeframe.

The department has also introduced learner support interventions across all 75 education districts, reaching 159 180 learners at 1 262 centres.

The initiatives include additional revision opportunities, teacher support, mock examinations and access to learning materials to address gaps in learner performance.

Gwarube acknowledged that the Class of 2026 experienced disruptions to schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the transition from the Intermediate Phase to the Senior Phase.

The department has used previous examination diagnostic reports to identify persistent learning difficulties and guide teachers in strengthening curriculum delivery and learner preparation.

Gwarube said a broader approach to measuring provincial education performance would help identify weaknesses across the system and direct interventions to where they were most needed.

The 2026 NSC examinations are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with the department reporting that preparations have been completed across all nine provinces.

ALSO READ: Education department declares all systems go for 2026 matric exams