The 2009 matric results would appear to indicate problems throughout the education system, according to experts in the field.

The 60,7% pass rate - 62,5% in 2008 - announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday was not surprising at all, University of the Western Cape Rector and Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian O'Connell said.

Nothing dramatic had happened in the education environment to change things.

Generally speaking, there was no national education discourse, no sharper increase in teacher consciousness about their role, no ownership and passion on the part of the pupils - a lack of deep commitment on the part of all role-players, including the communities, he said.

Essentially, it was a pupil problem with most having very little interest in learning.

If they were committed to learning, teachers would have no alternative but to "come to the game" themselves and improve their own teaching skills and methods.

There was a need for a "cultural change" in how the nation understood education, O'Connell said.

Development Bank of Southern Africa education policy analyst Graeme Bloch agreed that the results were not surprising.

It showed there was a downward trend, which was disappointing, he said.

The results showed there were problems right through the education system down to foundation level.

But, Bloch said he was pleased Motshekga had admitted the problems in education and the priorities she had mentioned were the right ones.

Earlier on Thursday, announcing the results at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Motshekga said the matric results showed that more needed to be done to improve the support given to schools.

Acknowledging that there was poor teaching in many schools, Motshekga said there was a need to give more help, especially in science.

"Management in our schools is often weak and lacks leadership and commitment. Our systems are also often inefficient.

"In 2010 we shall strengthen our interventions to ensure that the class of 2010 shows a significant improvement."

Motshekga said officials in the provincial education departments should support schools in ensuring that textbooks and other teaching materials were provided on time.

"They must ensure that real teaching and learning are taking place in all our schools from the beginning of the school year.

"The National Senior Certificate is an important indicator of the quality of our education system, and as a country, we cannot afford to allow our young people to achieve results that are in the main average or below average."

The department would develop an education sector plan to strengthen the standard of learning and functionality of schools which it would present in March, she said.

Bloch said the plan would have to set out clear priorities and it was essential these be implemented.

South Africans needed to rally around and make sure government led in this regard to ensure implementation.

Further, the Mpumalanga results debacle showed a real need for more attention to be paid to the provinces, because that was where delivery happened.

However, those pupils who had achieved good results should be congratulated because excellence remained excellence, Bloch said.

University of Cape Town Dean of Higher Education Development Nan Yeld, said there appeared to be an increased sense of reality regarding the education system, and the results showed what the current system could deliver.

There was a refreshing willingness on the part of Motshekga, and her predecessor Naledi Pandor, in this respect.

She welcomed the increase in the number of matriculants obtaining a university entrance qualification.

While emphasising that this was not a criticism, Yeld said she hoped this would result in more students studying towards degrees in the scarce skills categories, and not just the humanities.

This was where the focus should be.