By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@Istock.
The Independent Examination Board (IEB) has recorded a small decrease in its overall matric pass rate for the class of 2025, with results slipping to 98.31%, down from 98.47% the previous year.
Private schools across South Africa primarily use the IEB and operate as the National Senior Certificate (NSC) offered by the Department of Basic Education.
The class of 2025 attained a bachelor’s pass rate of 89.12%, compared to 89.37% in 2024. There was also a decline in the number of candidates who qualify for diploma studies, from 7.56% to 7.83%.
However, IEB CEO Confidence Dikgole said that the drop is not something to be alarmed by, as fluctuations in the pass rate are expected.
Dikgole said that as the IEB continues to grow, small fluctations in the aggregate pass rate are statistically expected and internationally observed in stable assessment systems.
A total of 17,143 pupils took the IEB exams in 2025, including both full-time and part-time candidates, compared to 16,304 in 2024.
This pales in comparison to the NSC exams administered by the government, where over one million students wrote the state’s paper.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube will announce the 2025 results later today, 12 January 2026, with individual access from 13 January.
More than 1 million South Africans wrote their 2025 NSC exams over more than 9,400 examination centres.
While the private school pass rate declined in 2025, there is hope that Gwarube will announce an improvement on 2024’s pass rate of 87.3%.
This morning South Africa’s brightest matriculants were celebrated in style at a ministerial breakfast in Johannesburg.
Hosted at the MTN Innovation Centre, the event brought together high-achieving learners from across the country, along with Gwarube and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, to honour those who excelled under extraordinary pressure.
Lesufi praised the students as “the best of the best,” highlighting their potential to shape the country’s future.
“This is what the country can produce,” he said. It always excites me to be in the company of young people who are so gifted and have the capabilities to take the country forward.”
Gwarube commended the achievers for more than just passing their exams.
“You have achieved something remarkable. You have expanded what is possible for yourselves, your families, and your communities,” she said. “You have shown that excellence is not reserved for a privileged few, but is earned through discipline, resilience, and focus.”
The minister acknowledged the challenges many students faced: disruptions in schools, socio-economic hardships, and other barriers that could have hindered their progress.