30% pass mark in matric and poor mathematics education lead to mass unemployment in South Africa

Professor William Gumede said the South African government has purposely neglected generations of black students and caused mass unemployment.

Gumede, an associate professor at the School of Governance at WITS, shared his views on the economy during an interview with The Common Sense.

He said that South Africa lagged behind its emerging-market peers during the 30 years of ANC rule. “While they accelerated their growth, South Africa became poorer,” he said.

One of the worst-performing sectors, and one which plays a crucial role in uplifting a society, is education. It fares particularly poorly in mathematics.

Gumede highlighted that approximately 500 schools in South Africa do not offer mathematics, which is core to a modern economy.

“When we look at our matric results, South Africa has declined in science and mathematics performance,” he said.

He lambasted South Africa’s poor education system, saying it was the main reason for the country’s unemployment crisis.

“We have the highest youth unemployment rate of any country in the world, outside of those engaged in war,” he said.

“Education is crucial for personal empowerment and a country’s economic growth. We should not be surprised that we have 60% youth unemployment.”

He pointed to the government’s lowering of the pass rate for subjects to 30% to bolster the matric pass rate.

“With this policy, the state is making it incredibly difficult for anyone in the post-1994 era to succeed,” he said.

“If you come from a poor town or a poor school, and you pass with 30% without mathematics, economics, or accounting, you are going to be unemployed.”

The South African government has purposely neglected generations of black students

Gumede slated the ANC government, arguing that it has purposely neglected generations of black students and caused mass unemployment.

“Through total neglect and poor policies, the state has actually manufactured unemployment,” he said.

“It is absolutely frightening that a majority government in power for 30 years would almost purposely neglect a couple of generations.”

He said that depriving learners of mathematics, accounting, economics, and science, and reducing the pass mark, has devastating consequences.

“The state ensures that when they finish school, there is absolutely no way they can engage meaningfully in the economy,” he said.

He said this is an indictment of the ANC, which claims to be working for the people, especially the black population.

He said that transformation is getting most matrics to achieve over 50% in mathematics, which will prepare them for the future.

“That means, as individuals, they do not need the state. It will empower them to go out in the world and compete,” he said.