Johannesburg - The improved matric pass rate makes the 2013 matric class the best since 1994, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.
“We are therefore pleased to note this consistently upward trend in the matric results,” Zuma said in a statement.
“In 2009, government set a target to obtain 175 000 bachelor’s passes by 2014. We urge the 2014 class to work very hard to bring us closer to the target.”
Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday announced a 78.2 percent pass rate for the 2013 matric class. In 2009, when Motshekga took over as minister, the pass rate was 60.6 percent. It has climbed steadily since then.
“No education system can perform better than the quality of its teachers and the support of communities,” said Zuma.
Those who did not perform well still had a chance.
“All is not lost... it is not the end of the world. The youth must know that they can still improve their results and go on to achieve the career of their dreams. We urge parents and teachers to support the children during this time,” Zuma said.
A range of learning options were available to meet the demands of those who passed matric but could not get into university, he said. - Sapa