Department of Basic Education (DBE) Should Move From Celebrating High Percentage Passes, Committee on Education Chair

By APO Group On Jan 8, 2026

The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries, Mr Makhi Feni, has said there is a need for emphasis on qualitative approaches in the passes for Grade 12.

He said: “For too long our focus had been on securing a high average percentage mark and no follow up on what happens after. A functioning education should allow for monitoring even post school where progress of children could be reported on.”

“The progression should apply even at higher education institutions where universities are not boggled down with bridging learners on learning areas that should have occurred at the basic education level.” He said the time for matriculating for the sake of passing Grade 12 is long gone.

“Our children should be equipped for opportunities be they academic or workplace related. We should not matriculate and then no one knows what happens after,” added Mr Feni. He also said even opportunities at TVET colleges ought to be coordinated and linked up with real skills.

Mr Feni emphasised: “Failure to do this makes a mockery of the government’s progressive stance to expand NSFAS opportunities to fund college students. Let us meaningfully and qualitatively build on these opportunities; it starts with the quality passes at Grade 12.”