News

History made as class of 2025 achieves record 88% pass rate

todayJanuary 12, 2026 34

Background
share close

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced that the Class of 2025 achieved an 88% pass rate in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations — the highest in South Africa’s history.

Speaking on Monday, 12 January, at the MTV Innovation Centre, Gwarube said the 2025 cohort was the largest group of candidates ever to sit for the matric examinations. The 2025 results show a slight improvement from the 87.3% pass rate recorded in 2024.

The national pass rate has steadily increased over the past five years, rising from 76.4% in 2021, to 80.1% in 2022, 82.9% in 2023, and 87.3% in 2024.

Gwarube also confirmed that every district in the country achieved a pass rate above 80% in the 2025 examinations.

According to Umalusi, the quality assurance body, the 2025 matric exams were written in more than 300 subjects across approximately 9,400 examination centres nationwide. An additional 17,413 candidates sat for the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams, which recorded a pass rate of 98.31%.

IOL News

 

Written by: IOL News

Rate it

Previous post

Sports

Xabi Alonso sacking by Real Madrid puts Manchester United on ‘high alert’

Spanish giants Real Madrid have fired head coach Xabi Alonso after he fell out with a number of stars over his tactical choices at the club.The former Madrid and Liverpool midfielder joined the club in the offseason as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement on the back of an impressive spell as Bayer Leverkusen manager, whom he guided to the German league and cup double against in 2024.In Alonso’s first season in charge, […]

todayJanuary 12, 2026 222


Magic 828

Magic 828 AM is a South African commercial radio station playing the best of hits from the 80s, 90s and 2000’s

Download Our App

Don’t miss a track or memorable tune. Download the Magic828 App now on your mobile phone by clicking here!

0%