The South African Parliament has voted to reject a motion aimed at raising the national senior certificate matric pass mark from the current 30% to a new minimum of 50%. The vote, held on the evening of Tuesday, 2 December 2025, saw the proposal from Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane fail to gain majority support.
The motion, debated on Friday, 28 November 2025, was ultimately voted down by the two largest parties in the National Assembly, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). It found support from opposition parties including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and ActionSA. Following the defeat, Maimane took to X to voice his strong disapproval.
“Today we lost the vote to end 30% as a pass mark at any level in our public education system. The following parties voted to keep Bantu education standards – ANC , DA, VF, PA and Al Jamah. They hugged incompetence and embraced mediocrity. Now SA knows,” Maimane wrote.
The Case For Higher Standards
Maimane’s motion advocated for a gradual increase in the pass benchmark, arguing the existing low threshold was a disservice to learners and the country’s future. In the lead-up to the vote, he framed the issue as one of national ambition and global competitiveness.
“Our ambition must be better than where we are in terms of our term scores. It must be that we want to be global players who can influence and change the world,” Maimane said during the parliamentary debate on 28 November.
He argued that the 30% standard was artificially propping up pass rates while failing to equip students for a demanding world. In an earlier post on 2 December, he stated,
“A pass starts at 50% and we have to set a standard for excellence across the board. Let’s take our education seriously and let’s aim high.”
Minister Clarifies “Widespread Misunderstanding”
A central feature of the debate was the effort by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to clarify what she described as a public misconception. She stressed that the widely cited “30% pass mark” does not reflect how the National Senior Certificate (NSC) is actually awarded.
Minister Gwarube detailed the multi-tiered pass requirements, explaining that learners need at least 40% in their home language, 40% in two other subjects, and 30% in three additional subjects to achieve the basic NSC. She presented data showing that in the previous year, only about 189 out of 724,000 candidates passed with this absolute minimum combination.
“We all want to achieve higher standards, stronger outcomes and a system that is fit for purpose in a competitive global economy,” Gwarube stated. However, she cautioned against a singular focus on the matric pass mark, adding, “Raising the matric pass rate alone will not solve the foundational learning crisis.”
She redirected attention to the root causes of underperformance, particularly early-grade literacy and numeracy failures.
Opposition Voices And Expert Insight
Other parliamentarians supported the motion on the grounds that the current standard symbolises low expectations. EFF MP Mandla Shikwambana linked the issue to broader systemic failures.
“Our children are not failing. They are being failed by overcrowded classrooms, failed by schools without libraries, laboratories or learning tools needed to build confident thinkers,” he argued.
Education experts cited in prior reports also weighed in on the perennial debate. Expert Mary Metcalfe had previously expressed frustration, stating,
“Anybody who thinks that the class, that the National Senior Certificate result is made up of 30% passes, is not understanding how the pass works.”
The motion’s failure means the existing pass structure remains in place. The debate, however, has underscored a persistent national divide over how to best improve educational outcomes, pitting calls for immediately higher standards against arguments for more fundamental, systemic reforms.