JOHANNESBURG - Shocking figures from the Department of Basic Education reveal that less than half of Grade 10 pupils from 2022 reached Grade 12 this year without repeating.
The dropout rate was also especially high among older pupils, with over 172,000 leaving the system.
Boys are falling behind the most, with only 42 percent making it to Grade 12 on time, compared to the 56 percent of girls.
Experts say the trend reflects wider gender disparities seen in international tests, where girls have consistently outperformed boys in South Africa since 2011.
Dr Gabrielle Wills, a senior researcher at Stellenbosch University's Socio-Economic Policy unit, unpacks the numbers.