With South Africa top of the youth unemployment crisis globally, the continued matric pass mark requirement of just 30% cannot continue a day longer.

A meagre 30% pass hurts our pupils, the education system, and in the long run the economy.

A 30% pass mark undermines the intellect of South Africa’s youth and allows for:

• Obfuscation of the basic education crisis
• Education leaders to escape accountability
• The entrenchment of mediocrity and low expectations

We call on Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, to commit to scrapping this low standard and increasing 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.