"The achievement of 86.8 percent with a recorded five percent improvement from the 2018 results calls for celebrations across the province. The ANC notes with elation the consistent improvement on performance over the past three years.

"These results reaffirm our unflinching commitment to the realisation of quality basic education informed by the freedom charter that the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all," spokesperson Kenny Morolong said.

Congratulating all learners who prospered, he also encouraged those who had failed to return to school and continue their studies rather than give in to despair. 

"We extend our appreciations to our educators for the extra effort in educating the African child. We thank parents for their continued guidance and for creating a pleasant atmosphere at home for learning," he said.

Leading to the final exams, North West Education MEC Mmaphefo Matsemela consistently said the class of 2019 was the strongest group to emerge in the platinum rich province.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West said it noted the official 2019 pass rate of 86.8 percent, placing the province third in the country. 

"Although this is an improvement from 81.1 percent in 2018, celebrating the top three ranking is misplaced considering the high drop-out rate.

"From the 62,766 Grade 10 learners that enrolled in 2017, more than 20,000 dropped out before matriculating, leaving the North West with a real pass rate of only 37.1 percent," party education spokesperson, Gavin Edwards said.

He said the department was not doing the learners any favours by setting low standards in basic education simply to pursue improved statistics.

"The conditions that learners are expected to perform under remain extremely poor. Ongoing school safety challenges, poor infrastructure, shortage of schools and unrealistic teacher:learner ratios continue to plague this province.

'We congratulate every matriculant that worked hard in the face of all these hardships and also thank those teachers who walked the extra mile to ensure that learners are equipped for the next phase of their lives," he said.

"The drop-out rate, combined with the poor quality of education, is a recipe for disaster. Many of these youths will struggle to find employment and if they do, it will be for menial labour, locking them in a cycle of hardship and poverty," he said.

Meanwhile, Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) said the government should declare school drop-outs as a national emergency. 

"F4SD is more worried that out of 100 school kids that begin their journey through the department of basic education, only 48 reach matric in the appropriate time, meaning a majority of our kids get left behind along the way, get lost in the system, leave school and are failed by this government. 

"F4SD we demand that the current government declare school drop-outs and the poor education system as a national emergency," party leader Mbahare Kekana said.

African News Agency