Matric success masks harsh reality

South Africa has reason to celebrate one of the best matric pass rates in its history. An 88% national pass rate reflects resilience and hard work in a deeply unequal education system. But the celebration is hollow for tens of thousands of young people whose success has collided with a harsh reality: high marks no longer guarantee a place at university.

The numbers tell a troubling story. Hundreds of thousands of applications compete for limited spaces at universities across the country. Institutions are overwhelmed, not because young people lack ability or ambition, but because the system is too small and poorly funded to accommodate them. For many matriculants, achievement turns into disappointment and uncertainty.

This crisis exposes a long-standing failure in how South Africa thinks about life after school. For decades, university has been sold as the primary, often only, route to success. Yet universities cannot - and should not - absorb every school leaver. Celebrating matric results without providing realistic, accessible post-school pathways is irresponsible and unfair, especially in a country where around 40% of young people are not in employment, education or training.

The result is a growing pool of capable youths pushed into unemployment, not by lack of effort, but of opportunity. This is both a social injustice and an economic threat.

South Africa needs to revisit its post-school system. Matriculants must be encouraged to consider technical, vocational and occupational qualifications. The economy desperately needs artisans, technicians, digital specialists and skilled tradespeople; jobs which cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence and that often offer quicker routes into employment or self-employment.

Yet trade schools and TVET colleges remain neglected, underfunded and undervalued. Reviving and expanding them is not a second-best option; it is essential. Well-resourced vocational institutions, linked to industry and apprenticeships, can ensure young people leave school with marketable skills and dignity of work.

Government, business and society must act together to widen opportunity beyond overcrowded universities. The Class of 2025 has done its part. The country now needs to do its own, or risk turning academic success into another broken promise.