South Africa's Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has expressed concern that the country's education system is overly focused on matric pass rates, which she believes undermines efforts to develop critical skills needed by the economy. Gwarube stated that this single-minded focus has led schools to steer pupils away from gateway subjects such as Mathematics to improve provincial rankings. She emphasized that the department will introduce broader performance measures to assess the quality of education.
Gwarube announced that the department will move beyond just measuring pass rates, and instead, will also track Bachelor passes, distinctions, pupil retention, and participation in subjects like Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Accounting, and Economics. This shift in focus aims to ensure that pupils are equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to the country's economic competitiveness. The minister stressed that the quality of education should not be reduced to a single figure or question.
According to Gwarube, some schools have allegedly held pupils back in lower grades or encouraged them to take Mathematical Literacy instead of Mathematics to boost their chances of passing. This practice, she argued, must change if the country is to develop deep and meaningful skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and other gateway subjects. The department is preparing for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, with 962,832 candidates set to write the final exams.
The 2026 NSC examinations are scheduled to begin on Tuesday and end on November 26. Gwarube confirmed that preparations are complete across approximately 7,100 examination centers, with 189 marking centers established and 51,104 qualified educators recruited to mark scripts. The department has also strengthened security measures, including vetting officials, involving law enforcement, and establishing a 24-hour examination hotline to report suspected irregularities.
Gwarube acknowledged that the Class of 2026 has faced challenges, including schooling disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly when pupils reached Grade 6 in 2020. To mitigate this, the department has provided targeted curriculum support, revision programs, and additional learning opportunities. The 2026 Learner Support Programme reached 159,180 learners at 1,262 centers across all 75 education districts.
As the examinations approach, Gwarube urged parents to give candidates sufficient time to study and avoid burdening them with excessive household chores. She also appealed to communities not to disrupt examinations to protest against service delivery failures or other socioeconomic challenges. The minister emphasized that the credibility of the examinations depends on the integrity of the entire process, from the secure delivery of question papers to the marking of scripts.
Having considered preparations across all nine provinces, Gwarube declared the department ready for the 2026 matric examinations. The Class of 2026 is the largest full-time cohort to sit the NSC examinations to date, comprising 815,051 full-time and 147,781 part-time candidates. The minister expressed confidence that the department's preparations will ensure a smooth and fair examination process.
Key points
- The department will introduce broader performance measures, including Bachelor passes, distinctions, pupil retention, and participation in gateway subjects.
- Gwarube criticized the focus on matric pass rates, saying it undermines efforts to develop critical skills needed by the economy.
- The 2026 NSC examinations are set to begin on Tuesday, with 962,832 candidates participating.
