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The matric class of 2024 achieved a record-breaking 87.3% pass rate, an improvement from 82.9% in 2023, marking the highest matric pass rate in South African history.

‘This is the highest matric pass rate in the history of our country and should be a moment of great pride and celebration for us all,’ Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said on Monday evening, as she released the results.

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Key highlights:

  • 705,291 full-time candidates wrote the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams.
  • 47.8% of candidates obtained a bachelor’s pass, enabling university admission – a significant rise from 40.9% in 2023 and more than doubling the 150,752 bachelor’s passes achieved in 2014.
  • Mathematics pass rate increased to 69.1%, up from 63.5% in 2023, with more distinctions recorded. However, the physical sciences pass rate dropped slightly to 75.6% from 76.2% in 2023.
  • The number of distinctions rose to 319,651, up by over 65,000 from 2023.

Provincial and school performance:

  • All provinces improved, with the Free State leading at a 91% pass rate (up from 89% in 2023).
  • No-fee schools also improved, achieving an 85.8% pass rate, up from 81% in 2023.

Challenges and future goals:

While celebrating the results, Gwarube emphasised the need to address declining participation in key subjects like maths and science. She highlighted the importance of foundational literacy and numeracy as a priority for long-term systemic improvements. The minister acknowledged the students’ resilience and excellence despite challenges, describing their success as a source of national pride.

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Possible matric results leak under investigation by Hawks – minister

Picture: @The_DSD / X

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