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More bachelor passes from no-fee schools as government improves access, resources for the poor

The provision of more scholar transport is one of the government interventions that is changing the fortunes of no-fee schools.

The provision of more scholar transport is one of the government interventions that is changing the fortunes of no-fee schools. 
Image: Sowetan/Veli Nhlapo

The improvement in the pass rate of “no-fee” schools in the matric exams is an encouraging development for the country as it seeks to provide educational opportunities to a large proportion of pupils.

Education minister Angie Motshekga made this remark on Tuesday evening as she announced the record matric pass rate of 81.3% for 2019.

Motshekga said of the pupils who attained the National Senior Certificate (NSC), pupils from quintile 1 to 3 schools (where no fees are paid by pupils) attained 248,960 NSC passes in 2019, compared to 141,475 pupils from “fee-paying” schools.

She also said 96,976 of pupils from “no-fee” schools obtained a bachelors pass, compared with 78,037 passes obtained by pupils from “fee-paying” schools. She said the 96,976 bachelor passes for pupils from no-fee schools was a 14.4% improvement on 2018.

Motshekga said the policy to abolish fees at the poorest schools across the country had attracted poor, orphaned and disabled children to schools.

She said the increase in the percentage of pupils who attained bachelor degree passes from quintile 1 to 3 schools was a marked improvement from 2005, when 60% of the bachelor passes came from the best-performing 20% of the country’s schools.

The provision of more scholar transport is one of the government interventions that is changing the fortunes of no-fee schools. 
Image: Sowetan/Veli Nhlapo

The improvement in the pass rate of “no-fee” schools in the matric exams is an encouraging development for the country as it seeks to provide educational opportunities to a large proportion of pupils.

Education minister Angie Motshekga made this remark on Tuesday evening as she announced the record matric pass rate of 81.3% for 2019.

Motshekga said of the pupils who attained the National Senior Certificate (NSC), pupils from quintile 1 to 3 schools (where no fees are paid by pupils) attained 248,960 NSC passes in 2019, compared to 141,475 pupils from “fee-paying” schools.

She also said 96,976 of pupils from “no-fee” schools obtained a bachelors pass, compared with 78,037 passes obtained by pupils from “fee-paying” schools. She said the 96,976 bachelor passes for pupils from no-fee schools was a 14.4% improvement on 2018.

Motshekga said the policy to abolish fees at the poorest schools across the country had attracted poor, orphaned and disabled children to schools.

She said the increase in the percentage of pupils who attained bachelor degree passes from quintile 1 to 3 schools was a marked improvement from 2005, when 60% of the bachelor passes came from the best-performing 20% of the country’s schools.