Matric Class of 2025 makes history with 88% pass rate
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, with the class of 2025 National Senior Certificate top achievers at the breakfast and award ceremony. Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Media
THE Class of 2025 has made history by becoming the first to achieve an 88% National Senior Certificate (NCS) pass rate.
This was an increase of around 0.7% from 2024’s 87.3%.
Releasing the official results on Monday, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said these results tell a clear story; that the system is more stable, participation is improving, inclusion is expanding and integrity is holding firm.
“But the results also confirm the central truth of our reform agenda: without strong foundations in the early years, inequity will always return later. The new course we have set for the basic education system is defined by deep roots, strong foundations and long vision. It is focused on quality as much as access, on safer schools through collaboration with SAPS, on ensuring that every child can thrive by the age of five, and on educating a generation capable of claiming Africa’s demographic dividend,” she said.
Provincially, KwaZulu-Natal emerged as the best performer with a pass rate of 90.6%, followed by Free State (89.33%), and Gauteng with a pass rate of 89.06% in third place. The Western Cape was fifth with a pass rate of 88.20% after North West with 88.49% in fourth place.
“To every Premier, every MEC, every Head of Department, every district director, every principal, and every teacher: these outcomes are built day by day, term by term, year by year – and we honour the work behind them. Even as we celebrate progress, we have been honest about the risks ahead. Austerity measures, if applied without care, threaten the foundations we are working to strengthen – early learning, learner support and school nutrition. Reform requires patience, planning and sustained investment. Baobabs do not grow in a single season,” said Gwarube.
Another first was the fact that all 75 school districts have achieved a pass rate of 80% and above.
“District performance is one of our clearest quality indicators – because it shows whether improvement is spreading system-wide or remaining concentrated in pockets of strength. We are building stability – but the struggle for quality must now intensify, especially in gateway subjects,” said the minister.
Cape Times