Prof. Jansen: 88% matric pass rate an embarrassment

Stellenbosch University’s professor of education Prof. Jonathan Jansen expresses disappointment with the overall 88% national matric pass rate, describing the results as “meaningless”. Jansen argues that the marginal 0.7 percentage point increase masks deeper systemic failures, noting that only a small proportion of learners complete schooling, with an even smaller number qualifying for university entry. “What exactly are we celebrating? This is an embarrassment,” he said.