Class of 2025 set bar high

ALL South African education districts achieved over 80% performance in the 2025 NSC examinations.

This was disclosed by Basic Education director-general Dr Hubert Mathanzima Mweli when he  highlighted the unprecedented achievements from progressed learners and improvements in various performance metrics yesterday.

More than 920,000 candidates sat for the 2025 NSC examinations nationwide, making it one of the largest national assessment processes ever undertaken. 

"Who would have thought that a progressed learners could achieve a distinction in Mathematics. There is no dustbin for human beings and progressed learners can perform better than expected," he said.

Mweli addressed the technical aspect of the country's Matric Class of 2025, during a media briefing on Monday. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube released the official results later indicating that the Class of 2025 stands as a reflection of both the progress made and the work that still lies ahead in ensuring that every learner is equipped to succeed.

Mweli highlighted several critical aspects concerning the 2025 Matric Class, particularly noting a reduction of 13,058 learners who once benefitted from social grants.

"We are saying as long as you are in school, you must receive the grant and let us make sure our children are cushioned in Grade 12," he said.

The Child Support Grant remains the largest support programme, with officials stressing that primary support must be actively reinforced in classrooms.

Mweli reported a gradual improvement in the performance of boy learners, particularly within both fee and non-fee-paying schools.

There was an improvement in bachelor's numbers, he said.

Further evidence indicated that performance metrics such as diploma and higher certificate passes are notably better than the previous year, with improvements ranging from 80 to 100% across various subjects.

He also acknowledged difficulties caused by infrastructure challenges, including water and electricity disruptions, which have hindered learning.

"We have also seen learners who took ill due to anxiety and stress, which cuts across the grades. We must enhance our psycho-social support to cover all grades adequately," he said.

Meanwhile the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) announced an overall pass rate of 98.3% for the 2025 NSC, maintaining its strong academic performance despite a slight decline from the previous year.

The results showed a marginal decrease from the 98.47% achieved by the 2024 cohort. Despite this dip, the majority of the 2025 candidates qualified for further study, with 89.12% achieving a bachelor’s degree pass, granting access to degree programmes at tertiary institutions.  

More than 17,400 candidates from across South Africa sat for the IEB examinations in 2025. Gauteng recorded the highest participation, with candidates from 114 schools. KwaZulu-Natal contributed close to 3,000 candidates, while the Northern Cape recorded the lowest participation, with only three schools offering the IEB curriculum.

The IEB also recognised 161 pupils from the 2025 cohort for outstanding academic performance. These learners ranked in the top 5% nationally across six subjects and achieved distinctions in all their subjects, reflecting exceptional consistency and academic excellence.

Additional reporting by Tracy-Lynn Ruiters

Cape Times