More than 1,500 people sign Mmusi Maimane's petition to end 30% pass mark for matrics

More than 1,500 signatures have been garnered by One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane's petition to end the 30% matric pass mark.

The petition reached its initial goal of 1,500 signatures within hours of its launch on Thursday,

According to Maimane, a 30% pass mark hurts pupils, the education system and the economy in the long run.

“With SA top of the youth unemployment crisis globally, the continued matric pass mark requirement of just 30% cannot continue a day longer,” he said.

“A 30% pass mark undermines the intellect of SA’s youth and allows for obfuscation of the basic education crisis, education leaders to escape accountabilities and the entrenchment of mediocrity and low expectations.”

Maimane called on basic education minister Angie Motshekga to increase the matric pass mark to 50%.

“We must equip our young people to compete and win in the global economy. And they can with quality education. This begins by upping the matric pass mark,” said Maimane.

This is not the first time Maimane has been vocal about putting an end to the 30% pass mark. Last year, he said the pass mark was not enough to equip school-leaving pupils for the demands of the country’s development.

“Our biggest challenge is education. To fix our education system, we must have motivated, qualified and ambitious teachers in every classroom. We must end the 30% pass mark syndrome,” he said.

He said education should not be disregarded, as it was the only way out of the economic crisis facing SA. He also called for better pay for teachers.

“Education is the way out of this economic mess. The 4IR [fourth industrial revolution] economy requires specific hard skills. Our teachers are the frontline workers in the quest for economic prosperity. We must reward good teachers. We must remove bad teachers and attract new talent.”

Previously, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) clarified its proposed funding guidelines after a public outcry regarding a misunderstood 75% pass mark requirement to qualify for funding.

The current pass mark is 50%.

According to the NSFAS, students — except for those entering higher education for the first time — need to pass 75% of their modules to continue receiving funding.

“This requirement will become effective as of the 2023 academic year. This means that continuing students who are not first-time entering students in 2022 must achieve a 75% course pass rate for their 2022 studies to qualify as eligible continuing students,” it said.

“Students who fail to meet this requirement will be allowed to appeal and subject to the appeal criteria as specified in this policy standard.”