SADTU defends matric results amid ‘30% pass mark’ controversy

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has strongly rejected what it calls “misleading rhetoric” around a so-called “30% pass mark”, warning that the narrative unfairly undermines the achievements of the Class of 2025 and discredits the National Senior Certificate (NSC).

This comes as the 2025 matric cohort recorded an 88% pass rate, up from 87.3% in 2024 and was the largest group in South Africa’s history, with 778 793 candidates writing the examinations.

“We reject misleading rhetoric about a so-called ‘30% pass mark’ that seeks to vilify the NSC. We will not allow anyone to detract from the remarkable achievement of our learners,” SADTU said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane, who has called for education reform, has said the 30% mark is not a pass and should never be used for reporting system performance in a previous report in The Mercury.

In terms of the NSC pass requirements, pupils are allowed to pass two subjects with 30%, the rest of the subjects must be passed with 40% and above. 

Maimane challenged Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to “end the lie, tell South Africans the truth, and take decisive, system-wide action”.

But the union condemned the political criticism of the results, stating: “We condemn BOSA President Mmusi Maimane’s repeated misrepresentation of the NSC pass requirements and will not allow anyone to detract from the remarkable achievement of our learners.”

SADTU said the focus on the “30%” narrative ignores the reality of what learners and teachers have overcome.

The teacher union noted that the Class of 2025 began their secondary schooling during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, experiencing rotational timetables and incomplete syllabi.

According to the union, the improved results were achieved “under harsh austerity measures that have deprived the education system of adequate teachers, resources, and infrastructure”.

The union commended educators for “sacrificing their time to conduct extra classes and study camps to close learning gaps and adequately prepare learners”, adding that such dedication should not be normalised.

While celebrating the overall improvement, SADTU highlighted deep inequalities within the system. It welcomed the performance of no-fee-paying schools, noting that “more than 66% of Bachelor passes were achieved by learners from no-fee-paying schools”, despite these schools being “among the least resourced”.

At the same time, SADTU warned that success built on personal sacrifice is not sustainable. “Such sacrifice should not be normalised,” the union said, calling on the government to provide “adequate resources, proper infrastructure, and sufficient numbers of teachers”.

The union also raised concern about the sharp drop in learner numbers between Grade 10 and Grade 12, condemning the practice of schools retaining learners they believe may not pass matric. “We condemn this practice as it results in learners becoming disengaged and eventually dropping out,” SADTU said.

On subject performance, the union noted declines in key gateway subjects, including Mathematics, which dropped from a 69.1% pass rate in 2024 to 64% in 2025. SADTU cautioned schools “against steering learners towards Mathematical Literacy as an easier option, as this limits their future career choices”.

Despite these concerns, SADTU maintained that debates around pass marks should not overshadow the broader context. The union emphasised that the NSC remains a rigorous qualification and that reducing it to a single percentage is both misleading and damaging.

In its closing message, SADTU urged learners who did not pass to persevere. “To learners who did not pass, we urge them not to give up and to register for the Second Chance Programme which is offered free of charge,” the statement said.

The union concluded by reaffirming its commitment to defending the integrity of the NSC and the achievements of learners, particularly in the face of what it views as politically motivated attacks on the matric results.

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