By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Department of Basic Education Director-General Hubert Mathanzima Mweli delivered a detailed technical briefing on the 2025 NSC examination cycle.
It covered system readiness, marking and moderation processes, standardisation of outcomes, and integrity assurance measures.
A slide accompanying Mweli’s briefing illustrated South Africa’s progression rates, showing increases for the Class of 2025 over 2024, reaching about 40,000, although decreases appear in Grades 8 and 9 due to the high school transition and rising cognitive demands, with a notable gap between Grades 10 and 12 that requires attention.
In terms of the Class of 2025, we characterise their resilience with the baobab tree. We are told that the baobab tree has the propensity to withstand virtually all adverse conditions, and we think that this is what the Class of 2025 has been able to do.
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube then officially announced the 2025 NSC results, outlining key national performance trends for the Class of 2025.
Gwarube, has announced that the National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate for the class of 2025 has risen to 88%, up from the previous year’s 87.26%.
The 2025 NSC examinations were written by almost 900 000 pupils.
The top performing provinces were Gauteng in third place, having achieved a pass rate of 89.06%. In second place was the Free State with a pass rate of 89.73%, and taking first place was KwaZulu-Natal with a pass rate of 90.6%.
North West came fourth with 88.49% and then followed by Western Cape with 88.20%, Northern Cape recorded the biggest year-on-year improvement to 87.79%, while Mpumalanga (86.55%), Limpopo (86.15%) and the Eastern Cape (84.17%) completed the provincial spread.
Gwarube congratulated the pupils who passed and encouraged those who did not meet the requirements to explore supplementary examinations or alternative education pathways.
The minister said the results tell a clear story that the basic education system has become more stable. Participation is improving. Inclusion is expanding. 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 Minister acknowledged that South Africa has an exceptionally high dropout rate, suggesting that the pass rate does not accurately reflect the quality of the nation’s basic education system.
The Minister stated that the 30% pass rate used by opposition parties is incorrect, as learners must meet a three-tiered set of subject requirements.
She noted that the department is working on how students progress through grades, starting as early as Grade R.
The DBE is also exploring other ways to enhance the nation’s education system, including ensuring that children can read for meaning by the fourth grade.
Matric results will be made available to pupils on Tuesday morning, with schools expected to provide guidance and support to candidates in the days to come.
Reacting to the announcement, Naptosa executive director Basil Manuel congratulated the Class of 2025 on completing the examinations, describing the results as a reflection of commitment across the sector.
“The dedication of both learners and educators has once again proven to be the cornerstone of our education system’s success,” Manuel said.
Manuel also highlighted the pressures faced by teachers, saying educators continued to perform under challenging circumstances and often provided extra lessons with little reprieve.
“They are an irreplaceable resource, and their well-being must be prioritised to ensure a sustainable education system,” he said.
He cautioned against an overemphasis on the academic stream, calling for greater advocacy for vocational, occupational and technical pathways, and stressed that a stronger focus on early childhood development was critical to easing pressure in the Further Education and Training phase.
Brett Herron, secretary-general of the Good party and member of the Western Cape Legislature, congratulated the matric class of 2025 and the educators of South Africa.
“Together, our learners and educators have achieved a better set of matric results than in the previous year, continuing an upward trend.”
Meanwhile the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, a private boarding school, announced a 100% pass rate for its 44 matriculants, with 25% of the students achieving an 80% plus average.
The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) has announced an overall pass rate of 98.31% in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations, down from 98.47% for the class of 2024. The IEB is an independent assessment agency which offers examinations for various client schools, mostly private.