Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube has called on political parties to stop spreading the misleading perception that 30% is the official matric pass mark. Speaking at the release of the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on Monday, Gwarube warned the persistent myth could discourage pupils from striving for excellence. “South Africans, we must put a stubborn myth to rest: 30% is not the matric pass mark,” she said.
“I call particularly on elected leaders to refrain from populism. The danger with this is that it discourages our pupils, many of whom are pursuing different paths.” The class of 2025 achieved an 88% overall pass rate. To pass matric with the minimum requirement, a higher certificate, pupils must achieve at least 40% in their home language, 40% in two other subjects and 30% in other subjects.
While parties such as Build One SA have consistently campaigned to abolish what it terms the “30% pass mark”, the National Assembly rejected a motion to raise the minimum subject pass mark to 50%. Gwarube argued the focus on a single percentage ignores the reality that not every pupil intends to pursue a university degree, highlighting the diverse career paths available within the education system. “Some intend to gain skills for the world of work, while others pursue different vocational paths allowed by our system.
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When we use ‘sloganism’, we discourage pupils who are differently talented.” She emphasised the NSC is earned by meeting requirements across a full subject package, including higher thresholds for specific pathways. “Pupils need to achieve the right marks in the right subjects to gain entry into their preferred programmes at a higher education level.” The minister stressed simply changing percentages will not improve the quality of education. “Slogans or percentages alone will not improve pupil outcomes. What matters is whether our standards, progression and support across the entire schooling journey add up to real readiness,” she said.
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