By OBAKENG MAJE
13 January 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has welcomed the marginal increase in the pass rate achieved by the 2025 Grade 12 cohort, attributing the steady year-on-year improvement to the solid foundation laid by previous administrations. The committee said while the 88% is commendable, there is a need for a concerted effort to address the sluggish uptake and throughput in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Joy Maimela said they welcome the increase, especially as it reflects the maturity of the system and work done by the department over the past few years. However, Maimela said the low uptake and throughput in STEM subjects continue to limit the country’s drive towards economic growth, technological development and global competitiveness.
“The committee agrees with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) that efforts should be directed towards establishing a technical school in every district to help drive growth in these subjects.
“The committee also welcomed the overall improvement in performance, noting that the 2025 cohort began their high school journey in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant impact on teaching and learning,” she said.
Maimela further said the committee welcomed the progress made across all districts, with every district achieving performance above 80%. She added that the enormous work put in by all stakeholders, including teachers, parents and district officials, has been central to this cohort achieving this important milestone in their basic education journey.
“May these gains be doubled in the coming years to ensure that our young people receive quality basic education. Despite commendable progress in social justice principles within the basic education sector – access, redress, equity and inclusivity – the committee has called for the improvement in efficiency and quality.
“The committee highlighted the ever-decreasing number of educators against a growing learner population as a major impediment to quality education,” said Maimela.
She said it is unacceptable that while the system caters for an increasing number of learners, teacher posts are not increasing at the same pace. Maimela said the DBE must move with speed to improve quality where challenges exist.
“Regarding throughput, the committee called for renewed focus on understanding and addressing the number of learners who pass Grade 12 compared to those who registered for Grade 1 in 2014. While noting a marginal improvement in throughput, the committee expressed concern that the number of learners who fall by the wayside remains worryingly high.
“The committee welcomed the assurance by the Minister that there is a renewed focus to understand through data, to find targeted solutions and support to ensure that the system’s health is maintained,” she said.
Maimela said while the committee notes the progress made, it emphasised the importance of a fully functional system. She said in this regard, early childhood education and strong support structures at the lower levels of education are critical.
“Education does not exist in isolation, and the many socio-economic challenges faced by society must be addressed to build a functional, quality education system that produces learners who can meaningfully contribute to the country’s economic development.
“The committee also welcomed progress in no-fee-paying schools, particularly in townships and rural areas, which bodes well for the development of these areas. It extended a special commendation to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) for continued excellence even under the challenging circumstances the department faces,” said Maimela.
She said the results of the 2025 cohort by KZN highlight what a resilient system can produce. Maimela said the committee urged the department to ensure that all its systems are fully in place to allow teaching and learning to start on the first day of school.
“These include the timely availability of learning and teaching support materials, adequate teacher provisioning, the protection of learning time, and the effective implementation of the National School Nutrition Programme,” she said.
The Guardian 