The number
Matric pass rate
0.0%
What it means
Of learners who write matric, nearly 9 in 10 pass.
The Braai Test
But note: many learners drop out before Grade 12, so they're never counted in this number.
📚 Education
Education
Matric passes, and whether kids can read — 2 figures, each linked to its official source.
The number
Grade 4s who can't read for meaning
0%
What it means
8 in 10 Grade 4 learners can't understand what they read.
The Braai Test
Picture a classroom of 30 nine-year-olds. Only about 6 can read a short story and tell you what happened.
On the bright side
Record numbers pass matric — and qualify for university
Over 200,000 learners now earn bachelor-level passes each year, the ticket to university. That's the highest in SA history.
Source: Department of Basic Education – NSC ResultsNearly every child is in school
Primary school enrolment is close to universal. In the 1990s millions of children were still locked out of the classroom — that door is now open.
Source: Stats SA – General Household Survey (P0318)