Raised pass criteria brings school-performance fears

PUPILS in grades 7, 8 and 9 who may have been lax in their studies this year could be in for an unpleasant surprise, thanks to the Basic Education Department increasing the pass requirements.

A pass mark of 30% is no longer all it takes to progress to the next grade, with the department increasing the minimum requirement to 40% for a second language and 50% for a home language.

Previously, pupils could be promoted to the next grade if they failed two subjects, but can now only get promoted if they pass eight out of the nine subjects.

The department has also done away with the practice of condoning passes if pupils fell just short of the requirements.

Spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said reports from the provinces showed that the new pass requirements would negatively affect senior-phase pupils "beyond the expected level", and there were guidelines in place to ensure schools did not take too huge a knock on the performance front. - Zandile Mbabela