The start of another year and the announcement of another set of (improved) matric results should probably see us feeling increasingly optimistic about the country’s future. While on the face of it, an increased pass rate should spell good news for the skills dearth that government has been grappling with for some years now, the real picture might actually be less encouraging.

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga" rel=tag>Angie Motshekga was quick to describe the 2012 matric pass rate of 67.8% as a “significant achievement”, especially when compared to the 60.7% pass rate achieved in 2009.

However, some have already raised questions about the quality of these matric passes, as the country’s education system seems to descend further into turmoil every year, while the requirements for a pass seem to be in perpetual freefall.

And while the ICT industry has for years bemoaned the fact that too few pupils graduate with passes in science and maths, it can hardly breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

The sad – but true – story is that pupils only need to pass three subjects with a mark of at least 40% and another three with at least 30%. Let’s face it, a pass at this level is pathetic, while in the specialised fields of science and maths, a 30% or 40% pass is nothing short of useless.

For what its worth, there was reportedly a marginal improvement in the number of pupils who passed mathematics with at least 30% - from 45% in 2009 to 47% last year. However, the number of pupils who wrote maths dropped 13%, from 301 654 to 263 034. Reports also state that, in Gauteng, the number of pupils writing maths has dropped by over 20% in the past two years.

Reports show that there has also been a drop in the number of students writing physical science, down 8% from 225 102 in 2009 to 205 364 in 2012. About 47% of pupils who wrote physical science last year passed with at least 30%, as compared to 38% of pupils who passed the subject in 2009.

And while government can pat itself on the back and congratulate itself for achieving an upward trajectory in the matric pass rate over the past few years, perhaps we need to wake up to the fact that as a country we are producing a generation of morons. How are these uneducated masses ever expected to take up leadership roles in the future, if their skills are not adequate to utilise in the workplace?

How many of us would be comfortable with scientists, doctors and engineers who only know between 30% and 40% of their subject matter? Could we really let such people loose on the populace? Think about it…

Happy reading!

Martin Czernowalow