Johannesburg – The Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD) on Friday called for access to quality private education for all.
"The Independent Examination Board (IEB) results are a clear indication that if we can have independent education system across the board then this country will flourish. Our education system is failing to produce quality students for the job market hence South Africa finds itself sitting with this high rate of youth unemployment, which includes university graduates," the organisation said in a statement.
Although such a step would have financial implications, the Department of Basic Education should draw lesson from the good performance by matric candidates at private schools, the F4SD said.
The IEB results, verified by regulatory body Umalusi, were released on Friday. The 2016 pass rate was 98,67 percent, a slight improvement on last year’s 98.37.
More than 87 percent of the learners qualified to study for a bachelor’s degree, while 9.83 percent qualified for a diploma course.
On Thursday, Umalusi said it has approved the “credible” results of the Department of Basic Education’s 2016 matric examinations to be released on January 4.
The F4SD urged government to reopen teacher training colleges and produce highly skilled teachers who would help improve the ailing public education system.