By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) has officially released the 2024 matric results for the National Senior Certificate.
IEB is an independent assessment body that is separate from the public exams body, which is the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
The IEB announced that the IEB Class of 2024 achieved a matric pass rate of 98.47%.
At least 7.56% of candidates achieved entry to diploma study compared to 8.31% in 2023
“In Grade 8, amidst the severe lockdown of 2020, they encountered disruptions to foundational learning, adapted to new modes of education, and navigated the psychological impacts of uncertainty and isolation,” said Confidence Dikgole, CEO of the IEB.
While these challenges may not have affected their Grade 12 year directly, they undoubtedly shaped their academic journey.
Dikgole said, their ability to overcome these obstacles highlights their determination and commitment, making their achievements in the 2024 NSC exams even more commendable.
A total of 16 304 candidates, including 14 990 full-time and 1 314 part-time candidates, from the country’s private schools wrote the exams at 275 exam centres.
Dikgole said the 2024 NSC exams “were conducted with unwavering integrity and entirely free of any irregularities that could have compromised [their] credibility”.
“The ubiquitous use of technology is something that also cannot be ignored. There is a body of research suggesting that smartphones have [the] potential to raise mental health issues as well as impacting on the concertation of young people to study, resulting in shorter attention spans.”
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube will announce the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on Monday evening, with matrics who wrote NSC exams able to access their individual results from Tuesday.