SA Parliament Rejects Bid To End 30% As Pass Mark For Public Education System

The South African Parliament has decisively rejected a motion to end the use of 30% as the minimum pass mark in the country’s public education system. The bid, championed by opposition leader Mmusi Maimane, sought to raise the bar to 50% to foster greater academic excellence.

The National Assembly voted on the motion on the evening of Tuesday, 2 December 2025. The proposal was voted down by the two largest parties in the house, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). The motion did, however, receive support from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and ActionSA.

Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), passionately argued for the change during a debate on Friday, 28 November 2025. He framed the low benchmark as a relic holding the nation back from global competitiveness.

“Our ambition must be better than where we are in terms of our term scores. It must be that we want to be global players who can influence and change the world,” Maimane told Parliament.

He contended that the 30% standard was a political tool to inflate pass rates, doing a disservice to learners’ futures. In a post on X following the vote, Maimane expressed his dismay.

“Today we lost the vote to end 30% as a pass mark at any level in our public education system. The following parties voted to keep Bantu education standards – ANC , DA, VF, PA and Al Jamah. They hugged incompetence and embraced mediocrity. Now SA knows,” he wrote.

Clarifying The Confusion Over 30% Pass Mark

A significant part of the parliamentary debate focused on correcting widespread public misunderstanding about what the 30% figure actually means. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube provided detailed clarification, stressing that the notion of a blanket 30% pass for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) is incorrect.

She explained that to obtain an NSC, a learner must achieve at least 40% in their home language, 40% in two other subjects, and 30% in three further subjects. She presented data to show that vanishingly few learners scrape through with only the bare minimum.

“We all want to achieve higher standards, stronger outcomes and a system that is fit for purpose in a competitive global economy,” Minister Gwarube stated, before adding a crucial warning. “Raising the matric pass rate alone will not solve the foundational learning crisis.”

Minister Gwarube and other speakers shifted the focus to the deep-rooted problems in early education. She argued that without addressing foundational literacy and numeracy deficits, simply raising the pass mark would be ineffective.

Voices For And Against Raising The Bar

Support for Maimane’s motion came from MPs who saw the 30% threshold as symbolic of low expectations. EFF MP Mandla Shikwambana was particularly scathing in his critique of the lasting impact.

“Our children are not failing. They are being failed by overcrowded classrooms, failed by schools without libraries, laboratories or learning tools needed to build confident thinkers,” Shikwambana said.

IFP MP Busaphi Machi echoed the sentiment that the current standard normalises mediocrity.

“A child who is told that 30% is good enough is being prepared for disappointment, not for success,” she warned.

However, those who opposed the motion argued it was a simplistic solution to a complex problem. DA MP Nazley Sharif called for a more nuanced conversation.

“South Africa deserves a clear, honest and evidence-based conversation about learner achievement, not soundbites or misrepresentation,” Sharif said, highlighting that the debate often overlooks the detailed structure of the NSC.

Education expert Mary Metcalfe, cited in earlier reports, expressed frustration at the recurring public confusion, noting that the NSC is a tiered qualification that allows for different post-school pathways, not a simple 30% pass.

The motion’s defeat means the current pass requirements remain unchanged for now. However, the intense debate has reignited a national conversation about educational standards, systemic reform, and the preparation of South African youth for the future.