Each January, South Africa celebrates matric results. Pass rates dominate headlines, distinctions are praised, and schools are measured according to their final numbers. Yet, there is an uncomfortable underlying question: are matriculants truly prepared for the realities of tertiary education and the world of work?
Matome Chiloane, former Gauteng MEC for Education, pointed to first-year university dropout rates sitting at around 35%, with many of these students struggling to adapt to independent study, academic writing, digital literacy, and self-management. This makes the transition from matric to tertiary education one of the country’s biggest human capital development fault lines.
These issues formed part of a recent seminar hosted by Richfield, where Mathibedi-wa-Medupe, Gauteng President of the South African Principals’ Association (SAPA), challenged educators to rethink what learner success really looks like.
“A Grade 12 pass opens the door; readiness walks the matriculant through it,” noted Medupe. This shifts responsibility squarely onto school leadership. “For principals and educators, improving Grade 12 outcomes is the result of consistent, visible leadership and accountability that begins long before learners reach their final year.”
His comments resonated strongly with those of Adam Kelly, Chief Commercial Officer at Richfield, who noted that the conversation around readiness has become increasingly urgent as the workplace evolves.
“Tertiary education institutions are seeing first-hand how rapidly the expectations placed on students and graduates are changing,” Kelly said. “Academic achievement remains important, but institutions and schools also need to help young people develop resilience and independence, digital confidence, and communication skills.”
Leadership starts long before matric
A simple but often overlooked truth underlines Medupe’s message. The core function of a school is curriculum delivery, and it demands active leadership. SAPA often sees that principals delegate this responsibility and rely on surface indicators such as curriculum coverage reports, but Medupe challenged this approach, urging educators to interrogate what learners actually understand. Without this detail, schools risk producing results that collapse under the demands of tertiary study.
Richfield sees this disconnect become apparent when new students arrive on campus.
“Many students come into tertiary education knowing how to pass exams, but not necessarily how to learn. The ability to research, engage critically, and adapt to new technologies is just as important as content knowledge itself,” said Kelly.
Data must lead to intervention
Another key issue raised during the discussion was the role of data in improving learner outcomes.
While most schools collect extensive data, Medupe’s perspective is it can often be used more effectively. Data, he noted, should not exist for reporting purposes alone. It must inform daily decisions that allow educators to identify problems before they become systemic.
From learner attendance to subject performance, schools should be tracking patterns continuously and responding in real-time. A weekly rhythm of data, decision, action, and follow-up ensures that issues are addressed before they become systemic failures.
This approach also enables schools to differentiate support for students performing at different levels.
Kelly noted that tertiary institutions need to think holistically about the student experience, including mentorship, accessibility, wellbeing, peer engagement, and career exposure.
This widening gap between schooling outcomes and workplace realities was a recurring theme throughout the seminar. While technical knowledge remains important, employers are increasingly prioritising the so-called ‘soft’ skills. At the same time, industry is being transformed by automation and AI.
Kelly noted that this places growing pressure on tertiary institutions to remain closely aligned with industry needs. He said that students need exposure to real business environments, work integrated learning, industry collaboration, and the technologies shaping modern workplaces.
In the end, the conversation made one point abundantly clear: improving Grade 12 outcomes is not simply about producing stronger pass rates. It is about leading progressive schools that create credible pathways into tertiary education, meaningful employment or entrepreneurship, and long-term economic participation.
