Image: supplied Last month’s announcement of a record 88% matric pass rate rightly drew national celebration. But as the headlines fade, a more pressing question comes into focus: what happens next?
Each year, hundreds of thousands of young South Africans step out of school and into an uncertain transition. Some will enter universities. Others will find places at TVET colleges. Many will not immediately access either. More than 100,000 recent matriculants cannot be placed at South Africa’s public universities as the number of bachelor’s passes exceeds the space available.
This is a potentially crippling loss of economic potential. If we are serious about turning educational progress into economic progress, the period after matric – not the pass rate itself – is where our attention must now shift. If we are not careful, success at the school level will simply expose deeper structural weaknesses in the transition from education into meaningful work.
Bridging the gap between education and the economy
In his State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa spoke of preparing the ground for a “skills revolution” and directed ministers to develop a proposal to build more universities and TVET colleges with specialised areas of focus.
However, South Africa does not only suffer from a shortage of educational institutions and places. It also suffers from a lack of integration between education and the economy. Too often, we produce qualifications that do not translate into employability, and graduates who are academically prepared but professionally untested. Employers, in turn, hesitate to absorb young talent because workplace readiness is uneven and support structures are thin.
This reality also prompted the President to highlight the need to integrate education with practical workplace experience through a dual training model, to reform the SETA system, and to better align skills development with the needs of the economy. The truth is that countries that succeed in skills development – Germany is a well-known example – treat industry not as a passive recipient of graduates, but as an active co-educator. Learning happens in lecture halls and workshops, but it also happens on factory floors, in offices, and in project teams.
It is at this intersection that business schools have a critical role to play. As the interface between business and the economy, we are well-positioned to support the national agenda by developing a skills development programme that provides organisations with what they need now: notably graduates who know how to get things done.
A focus on work readiness is a priority
If we are serious about expanding access to higher learning, we must simultaneously expand work readiness capabilities. Professional behaviours, communication skills, digital fluency, critical thinking, and personal accountability are not always embedded in traditional schooling or university degrees for that matter. Yet these are precisely the capabilities employers consistently prioritise.
A young person who understands workplace expectations – punctuality, collaboration, problem-solving, initiative – is far more likely to convert opportunity into long-term employment. Work readiness does not replace formal education; it amplifies it.
At Henley Business School Africa, we see this transition challenge daily. Our Work Readiness Programme for school leavers was developed in response to what employers told us they need: young people who can step into professional environments with confidence, adaptability and a foundational understanding of how organisations function.
The focus on post matric is additionally because the transition from school to work is where too many young South Africans lose momentum. Even those matriculants are fortunate enough to secure a spot at university or a TVET may face years before entering sustained employment.
But this cannot be the work of one institution alone.
A culture shift to compound educational advantage
A genuine skills revolution requires a cultural shift, not just among academic institutions, but among all stakeholders in the business of building the South African economy.
Business can move from being a consumer of skills to a co-producer of skills. Employers can invest time and mentorship, not only funding. Educational institutions must design programmes with real economic pathways in mind, where employability in a transforming economy is the ultimate measure of success, not just the graduation certificate. And business schools like Henley can lead the charge in research and experimentation to determine what works best.
The government, meanwhile, can create policy frameworks that reward partnership and accountability. For example, the proposed reform of the skills development levy – restoring a greater proportion to employers – is potentially significant. If implemented effectively, it could incentivise businesses to take greater ownership of training outcomes.
But above all, we need to all understand that South Africa’s challenge is systemic. We need more places for young people to study. We need better alignment between qualifications and economic demand. We need stronger collaboration between public and private sectors. And we need to embed learning into the fabric of our workplaces. All of these elements work together to build a future workforce that is capable of driving our economy forward.
If we seize this moment, we can redesign not only our education system, but our entire approach to human capability. We can ensure that a matric certificate is not a cliff edge, but a bridge – to further study, to structured workplace experience, and ultimately to meaningful participation in the economy.
Building an innovative economy does not end at graduation. It thrives on continuous development – from artisan to manager, from supervisor to executive. Lifelong learning is no longer optional in a world shaped by technological disruption and global competition.
Click here for more information on Henley Business School’s Work Readiness Programme.
Jon Foster-Pedley is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement - Sub-Saharan Africa), University of Reading, and Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa.
Author: Jon Foster-Pedley