The matric results’ announcement was met with much debate about what the “real” matric pass rate is. This has now become an annual practice and, as one education practitioner highlighted, “everyone has an opinion, right or wrong, about education”. Whatever your view on this issue is, the class of 2018 will see over 400 000 young people added to our growing pool of youth without a matric certificate. Given the premium placed on the matric certificate in South Africa, this will in all likelihood translate into lack of sustainable and meaningful economic opportunities.
