Cape Town – 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.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announces that the matric class of 2024 has achieved an 87.3% pass rate. Tune in to #eNCA on #DStv403 to watch the proceedings live or watch here; https://t.co/kxwm48yMU9 pic.twitter.com/16QKUv6LmT
— eNCA (@eNCA) January 13, 2025
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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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
