The 3,1% increase in the 2019 matric pass rate is an encouragement and we welcome the improvement.

This means the class of 2019 recorded an all-time high matric pass rate of 81,3%, an improvement on the 78,2% obtained in the previous year.

We hope the success of the class of 2019 will only serve as an inspiration to the pupils who will write matric at the end of the year.

While we congratulate all the pupils who passed, we encourage those who didn't to redouble their efforts and achieve their goal this year. Township schools that excelled also deserve praise and we hope that more will improve this year.

While congratulating the class of 2019, the DA claimed that the actual pass rate last year is under 40%.

The DA says not all pupils who enrolled in grade 12 last year wrote matric.

While we agree with the DA, we should know that there are always reasons that force pupils to drop out of schools.

Poverty, financial constraints and dysfunctional families, among others, could be the reason.

This is also a societal problem that should not be the problem facing only the department of education, but all of us.

Another contributing factor could be dysfunctional schools as pupils struggle to cope in an environment that is not conducive for proper learning.

But we thank the learners, teachers and all supporting staff for making the class of 2019 a success story.