South Africa’s Matric Class of 2025 has achieved a record‑breaking 88 percent National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate, the highest since the examinations were introduced, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced on Monday evening.
The results reflect a 0.7‑percentage‑point increase from 2024 and come from the country’s largest-ever matric cohort.
More than 900,000 full‑time and part‑time candidates sat for the exams at nearly 6,000 centres, with over 656,000 learners passing.
Gwarube praised the class for its resilience and confirmed that the results had been fully quality‑assured by Umalusi.
“We can have confidence: these results are earned, not gifted. South Africans, we must also put a stubborn myth to rest: 30 percent is not ‘the matric pass mark’,” she said.
“The NSC is earned by meeting minimum requirements across a full subject package – including higher thresholds in key subjects, with different pass types that open different pathways after school.”
KwaZulu‑Natal topped provincial performance with a 90.6 percent pass rate, followed by the Free State and Gauteng.
For the first time, all 75 school districts across the country achieved pass rates above 80 percent, signalling more consistent performance across the system.
Despite the overall improvement, Gwarube warned that quality concerns persist.
Bachelor‑level passes declined proportionally from 48 to 46 percent, although the absolute number of Bachelor passes rose to more than 345,000, the highest on record.
Mathematics performance dropped from 69 to 64 percent, while Accounting also declined. Physical Science showed a slight improvement.
“So, as we celebrate, we do so with clear eyes. The next phase is about deeper mastery – especially in gateway subjects.”
Gwarube noted worrying trends in subject choice, with only 34 percent of candidates writing Mathematics, and raised concerns about the growing underrepresentation of boys in matric and post‑school pathways.
“It is about increasing the number of learners taking and excelling in Mathematics, Physical Science and other gateway subjects with support, so opportunity expands without quality collapsing,” Gwarube said.
Gwarube said the record results reflect a stabilising education system but cautioned against complacency, emphasising the need to strengthen early childhood development, foundational learning, teacher support and learner welfare.
JN/APA