BuildOne South Africa (BOSA) has challenged Umalusi, the examination body’s claim that its National Senior Certificate (NSC) compares to some of the world’s best matric qualifications.
This comes as South Africa’s examination body, Umalusi, has defended the NSC against criticism, citing an Ecctis study that confirms the qualification meets international standards comparable to those in Australia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, as well as other global standards.
The report highlights similarities in assessment methods and confirms the NSC’s credibility for higher education progression and employment.
The body recently issued a statement stating: “It is worth noting that the Umalusi study, conducted by Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC), recently benchmarked the National Senior Certificate (NSC) against five major international qualifications. The findings were clear: the NSC provides holders with an internationally comparable level of education.”
The official NSC exam results were announced by minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube on Monday evening, who welcomed the 88% matric pass rate.
The national pass rate has increased by approximately 0.7% from 2024. This improvement was met with resounding applause following the minister’s address during the official release of the results on Monday evening at Mosaïek Church in Fairlands.
Citing a 2022 report, Umalusi indicated that the country’s matric certificate compares favourably with the best qualifications in the world, including those from Australia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, among many others.
The report further indicates that the entry requirements, duration, and mode of study of the NSC are comparable to the other programmes analysed in this report, adding that all analysed qualifications aim to enable students to progress to either higher/further education or the world of work.
“Assessment methods used in the NSC show many similarities with the approaches deployed by other comparison programmes. The fixed ratio of external and school-based assessment components across all subjects is most similar to the NSW HSC’s approach,” the findings of the report reveal….The analysis carried out by Ecctis at both the programme and subject level has enabled an understanding to be built of the NSC’s comparability in the context of the international qualifications analysed in this report,” the report states.
Among the most reassuring findings, the report highlights that not only do the entry requirements, duration, and mode of study of the NSC correlate with global standards, but it also aims to facilitate progression to higher education and enhance employability prospects.
Th findings noted that the fixed ratio of external and school-based assessment across subjects closely resembles the assessment strategies seen in New South Wales’ Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Professor Boitumelo Diale of Sol Plaatjie University defended the country’s matric certificate, saying South Africa’s matric standards meet international benchmarks.
“Like any other international standards, the matric certificate is a right of passage of finishing basic education in South Africa. So, we cannot undermine its value. It plays an important role in our education system and in the world of work. It definitely has value in our education system,” she told SABC News on Tuesday.
Reacting to the examination body’s claim, BOSA leader, Roger Solomons, indicated that this claim needs to be treated with caution, saying a system that allows a 30% pass mark cannot be trusted.
“While parts of the curriculum may align on paper, outcomes tell a very different story. A system that allows learners to pass key subjects with 30% cannot credibly claim global comparability. International standards are not just about curriculum design. They are about rigour, consistency, and real readiness for further study or work, and this is where South Africa falls short,” said Solomons.
