62.5% of matrics pass

2008-12-30 14:10

Johannesburg - The country's 2008 matric class received a pass rate of 62.5%, the Education Minister Naledi Pandor said on Tuesday.

Of the 533 561 candidates with a full set of results, 333 681 candidates or 62.5% met the requirements for a National Senior Certificate, she told a press briefing in Pretoria.

She added that 589 912 candidates had written the 2008 examinations and that she was reporting on the results of only 533 561 candidates.

Pandor said that there were 56 810 candidates with incomplete results. This, she said, was due to "outstanding internal marks, oral or practical requirements or pending irregularity investigations".

"The failure to provide results for all candidates is extremely worrying," Pandor said.

The minister pointed out that it was important to avoid the temptation to make simple comparisons between the previous exam and the new one.

She said that while she would indeed signal comparisons, she did so with the caution "that we have entered a new phase of school leaving examinations in South Africa".

Pandor said that in 2008, 107 462 candidates - or 20.2% - achieved the minimum pass rate required for entry to undergraduate study at university.

This compared to 16% or 85 000 in 2007.

The requirement was a minimum of four subjects at 50% or above and a maximum of two subjects below 50%.

Pandor said that 124 000 candidates had achieved the minimum pass required for entry to a diploma or a non-degree programme at university or a university of technology;.

The requirement was four subjects at 40% or above and a maximum of two subjects below 40%.

The minister added that 102 130 had achieved the requirements for entry to higher certificate programmes and for this the requirement was three subjects at 40% and three subjects below 40%.

- SAPA