A Historic Milestone: Matric Class of 2025 Achieves Unprecedented 88% Pass Rate
The wait is finally over, and the results are in! The South African Matric Class of 2025 has etched its name into the history books by achieving a staggering 88% national pass rate.
Announced on Monday evening by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, this figure marks the highest pass rate in South Africa’s history, surpassing the 87.3% achieved by the Class of 2024. This achievement is not just a number; it is a testament to the resilience of over 920,000 candidates who sat for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
Breaking Down the Numbers
While the headline figure is cause for celebration, the provincial performance and the quality of passes provide a deeper look into the state of our education system.
1. Provincial Rankings
For the first time ever, all 75 education districts in the country achieved a pass rate above 80%. KwaZulu-Natal took the top spot this year, showing incredible growth.
| Province | Pass Rate (%) |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 90.6% |
| Free State | 89.33% |
| Gauteng | 89.06% |
| North West | 88.49% |
| Western Cape | 88.20% |
| Northern Cape | 87.79% (Most Improved) |
| Mpumalanga | 86.50% |
| Limpopo | 86.15% |
| Eastern Cape | 84.17% |
2. The Quality of Success
A record 345,000 learners achieved Bachelor passes, meaning they are eligible to apply for degree studies at universities. Perhaps the most inspiring statistic is that over 66% of these Bachelor passes came from no-fee schools, proving that excellence is not confined to wealthy areas.
The Bitter-Sweet Reality: Gateway Subjects
Despite the record-breaking overall pass rate, Minister Gwarube highlighted areas that require urgent attention. Performance in "gateway" subjects—those critical for the economy and scarce skills—saw some declines:
Mathematics: Dropped from 69% to 64%.
Accounting: Fell from 81% to 78%.
Physical Sciences: Showed a slight increase, moving from 76% to 77%.
The Minister cautioned that "growing participation without the foundations to support mastery risks widening access while weakening quality." The goal for the coming years is to ensure that more learners not only pass but excel in these technical fields.
A Message to the Learners
To those who passed: Your hard work has paid off. You are the future doctors, engineers, and leaders of this nation. To those who did not get the results they hoped for: The story is not over. > "You are not a failure, and your story is not over. There are pathways to improve your results, including second-chance programs and rewrites." — Minister Siviwe Gwarube
What’s Next?
Individual results were released to candidates on Tuesday, 13 January 2026. If you haven't checked yours yet, you can do so at your school, via the DBE website, or through various SMS and USSD services.
Would you like me to help you find more information on how to register for matric rewrites or the Second Chance Matric Programme?
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