Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-01-09

While thousands of South African matrics are still celebrating after hearing the news that they have passed, the emphasis has now turned to what awaits them in the future.

Questions have also been raised repeatedly over the past week over the quality of the matric examinations.

The National Employers' Association of South Africa (NEASA) is inexorable that the current education system is failing young people in preparing them to enter the formal job market.

NEASA views the latest matric results as a skewed reflection of learners' ability to join the workforce. The main reason being; that the majority of them do not have the basic skills set that employers are looking for.

Research shows that the biggest challenge facing the school system is learners' unsatisfactory language, comprehension and numeracy skills.

Last year only 2% of grade nines achieved more than 50% in numeracy skills and only 17% achieved more than 50% in an additional language subject.

This trend continues as learner’s proceeds to higher grades.

Recent studies have shown that only 50% of people with a matric certificate are employed.

“We have a situation in South Africa that in order to have an acceptable pass rate in matric we’re adapting to a lower standards.” NEASA CEO Gerhard Papenfus told Radio Islam.

“But it doesn’t help the children at all, said Papenfus. We have a situation that in order to get a matric certificate, you need 30% in three subjects and 40% in another three subjects…even in those circumstances, the marks has been adapted upwards to accommodate these kids. The end result of all this is that these matric certificates is not trusted at all.”

“We therefore agree with University of Free State vice chancellor Jonathan Jansen that the pass rate should be raised to 50% and not the current base of 30% in some subjects and 40 % in others,” Papenfus said.

In a general statement, Papenfus lays the blame on a trade union.

“Unfortunately we have a system here where the trade union, particular one trade union is really upsetting education, said Papenfus. Government doesn’t have the guts to take them on”

“Teachers aren’t properly trained, teachers are involved in political affairs. They’re not always present in the classroom, they are badly disciplined…and in everything I say there is the exception,” added Papenfus.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)