National Assembly Rejects Motion to Raise South Africa's Matric Pass Mark

Parliament Debates Matric Pass Mark

The South African National Assembly recently engaged in a significant debate concerning the value and impact of the country's 30% matric pass mark. The discussion, initiated by Dr. Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), saw calls for a progressive increase in the minimum pass threshold to 50%. The debate took place on Friday, November 28, 2025, with a subsequent vote on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, or December 3, 2025.

Maimane's Stance and Arguments for Reform

Dr. Maimane passionately argued against the current 30% pass mark, labeling it a 'disastrous policy' that perpetuates low standards and expectations, with long-lasting adverse effects on learners' futures and cognitive abilities. He contended that the low pass rate compromises the standard of South African education and its global competitiveness, suggesting that it limits learners' potential and prepares them for disappointment rather than success. BOSA launched a public petition, garnering over 20,000 signatures, demanding the abolition of the 30% pass mark, which was handed to the Minister of Basic Education, Ms. Sivuwe Gwarube, on the day of the debate.

Maimane emphasized that raising the pass mark should be a cornerstone of broader educational reforms, including better teacher salaries, a school voucher program, and a nationwide audit of teacher skills. He highlighted that a child passing with 30% is ill-equipped for higher education or the modern workforce, stating, 'A child who passes with 30% will not become an engineer, doctor or IT specialist.'

Government and Expert Counterarguments

In response, Basic Education Minister Ms. Sivuwe Gwarube and other Members of Parliament (MPs) sought to clarify what they described as a 'misleading narrative' surrounding the 30% pass mark. They explained that the National Senior Certificate (NSC) does not operate on a single 30% pass mark but rather a complex, multi-tiered set of requirements. To obtain an NSC, a learner must achieve:

• At least 40% in their home language.
• At least 40% in two further subjects.
• At least 30% in three additional subjects, often excluding Life Orientation.

Higher thresholds are required for Bachelor's or Diploma passes. Minister Gwarube noted that only a minuscule fraction of learners, specifically 189 out of 724,000 last year, passed with the absolute minimum subject combination. Critics of Maimane's motion argued that the real crisis lies in the overall quality of the education system, particularly in early literacy and numeracy, rather than a single pass mark.

Motion Rejected Amidst Divided Vote

Despite the impassioned arguments from BOSA and other opposition parties, Dr. Maimane's motion to increase the matric pass mark to 50% was ultimately rejected by the National Assembly. The motion saw significant opposition from the two largest parties, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), who voted against it. Other parties, including the Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, and Al Jama-ah, also voted against the proposal.

Conversely, the motion received support from several other opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), ActionSA, and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. While the motion did not pass, parliamentary rules allow for similar proposals to be reintroduced in future sessions, with BOSA indicating they are 'strongly considering' reintroducing the motion.