Basic Education

South Africa's 2025 matric class achieves record 88% pass rate amid progress and challenges

January 12, 2026 由 AI 报道 AI 生成的图像

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced a record national pass rate of 88% for the 2025 National Senior Certificate exams, the highest ever, achieved by over 900,000 candidates. KwaZulu-Natal led provinces at 90.6%, while the Eastern Cape dipped to 84.17%. A record 345,000 bachelor's passes were recorded, but experts warn of low mathematics participation, subject declines, and high late-stage dropouts.