\n\t\tPremier also called for a single national examination system.\n\t<\/p>\n
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday sharply criticised community leaders in Tsakani and KwaThema after the district emerged as the province\u2019s worst-performing area in the 2025 matric examinations.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Gauteng National Senior Certificate (NSC) results announcement in Centurion, Lesufi blamed repeated school disruptions linked to service delivery protests for undermining students\u2019 academic performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cTsakani and KwaThema districts, you are the worst-performing district this year,\u201d Lesufi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of resolving problems with your municipalities, you are chasing children out of school.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Selfish\u2019 leadership blamed for poor matric results<\/p>\n
Lesufi said schools in the district were shut down as many as 17 times during the year due to community protests over water and electricity outages.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your municipality switches off water because people are not paying, or electricity is struck by lightning, the community closes schools and chases children out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ: Matric results: Class of 2025 achieves 88% pass rate<\/a><\/p>\n He described this as a \u201cbad habit that must be stopped\u201d and accused community leaders of placing their grievances above students\u2019 futures.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are selfish. You got education during your time, but you are denying children education in their time,\u201d Lesufi said.<\/p>\n He warned that provincial authorities would intervene in the affected district, adding that even capable officials could not succeed in an environment of constant disruption.<\/p>\n Call to end divisions in the education system<\/p>\n Beyond district performance, Lesufi used the platform to argue for a single national examination system, saying the distinction between Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and NSC candidates was no longer justified.<\/p>\n \u201cUmalusi is the same evaluator. The pass mark is the same. We must not divide our children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n ALSO READ: \u2018I feel like someone is going to pinch me\u2019: Two matriculants from St John\u2019s headed to Harvard University<\/a><\/p>\n Lesufi said the performance gap between fee-paying and no-fee schools had narrowed to 7%, warning against structural advantages that favoured one group of pupils over another.<\/p>\n \u201cThere must be no generation in our country that gets an advantage and another that is disadvantaged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n MEC warns underperforming schools<\/p>\n Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane echoed the premier\u2019s stance, warning that the department would no longer tolerate poor performance despite the province achieving a record 89.06% matric pass rate.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will not accept schools performing below 70%. We will not accept teachers in key subjects not meeting the standard,\u201d Chiloane said.<\/p>\n