Renewed public debate over the so-called 30% school pass mark is being fuelled by a fundamental misunderstanding of the policy, an education expert has warned.
Professor Labby Ramrathan of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Education says the widely cited 30% is not a pass mark at all, but a progression rule that allows learners to move to the next grade under specific conditions.
Ramrathan cautions that raising the minimum requirement to 40% across all subjects would have severe consequences for the school system. “Almost half of all pupils could be retained,” he explains, noting that schools do not have the space, staffing or resources to handle such a surge in repeaters.
He adds that progression rules have existed for decades, including under the former lower, standard and higher grade system, where a learner with 30% could still advance to the next grade depending on performance in other subjects.
Rather than focusing narrowly on percentage thresholds, Ramrathan argues that meaningful improvement in education quality requires a broader conversation. He says curriculum reform and genuine public engagement are essential to addressing the challenges facing South African schools.