The matric pass rate 2025 reached 88%, marking the highest National Senior Certificate pass rate in South Africa’s history. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the results on Monday, January 12, 2026, at Mosaïek Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg. The 2025 pass rate represents a 0.7 percentage point increase from the 87.3% achieved in 2024.
More than 900,000 full-time and part-time candidates wrote the examinations at approximately 6,000 centres across South Africa, making the Class of 2025 the largest cohort to sit for NSC examinations. Of these candidates, over 656,000 learners successfully passed.
Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, quality-assured and approved the results, confirming the credibility and integrity of the examination process.
The Department of Basic Education released comprehensive provincial breakdowns, subject-level performance data, and quality indicators alongside the national pass rate.
All 75 school districts across South Africa recorded pass rates of 80% and above for the first time, pointing to more evenly distributed performance across provinces and regions.
Table of Contents
Provincial Performance: KwaZulu-Natal Tops 2025 Matric Results
KwaZulu-Natal emerged as the best-performing province with a 90.6% pass rate, followed by the Free State at 89.33% and Gauteng at 89.06%. The provincial performance rankings for the matric pass rate 2025 show significant variation across South Africa’s nine provinces.
| Province | 2025 Pass Rate |
|---|---|
| KwaZulu-Natal | 90.60% |
| Free State | 89.33% |
| Gauteng | 89.06% |
| North West | 88.49% |
| Western Cape | 88.20% |
| Northern Cape | 87.79% |
| Mpumalanga | 86.55% |
| Limpopo | 86.15% |
| Eastern Cape | 84.17% |
The Northern Cape demonstrated the most significant improvement among all provinces, although it ranked sixth nationally. The Eastern Cape recorded the lowest provincial pass rate at 84.17%, yet still exceeded the 80% threshold for the first time in recent years.
Minister Gwarube acknowledged the contributions of provincial education departments, stating: “To every Premier, every MEC, every Head of Department, every district director, every principal, and every teacher: these outcomes are built day by day, term by term, year by year – and we honour the work behind them.”
Top-Performing Districts Across South Africa
Three districts achieved pass rates above 91%: Johannesburg West in Gauteng recorded 96.20%, uMkhanyakude in KwaZulu-Natal achieved 93.63%, and Overberg in the Western Cape reached 92.36%. These districts represent the highest-performing educational regions in the 2025 matric examinations.
The most improved districts demonstrated substantial year-on-year gains. Bohlabela District in Mpumalanga improved by 4.9 percentage points, Overberg in the Western Cape increased by 4.06 percentage points, and Sekhukhune South in Limpopo rose by 3.31 percentage points.
Bachelor Passes and Quality Indicators in the Matric Pass Rate 2025
Bachelor passes decreased proportionally from 48% in 2024 to 46% in 2025, representing learners who qualified for university degree studies. Despite this proportional decline, the absolute number of Bachelor’s passes increased to over 345,000 candidates, the highest recorded figure in South Africa’s educational history.
The pass type distribution for 2025 shows:
- Bachelor passes: 46% of total passes (345,000+ learners)
- Diploma passes: 28% of total passes
- Higher Certificate passes: 13.5% of total passes
Minister Gwarube emphasized the significance of this achievement for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds: “To the learners of our no-fee schools: you have shown the country what is possible. You have proven that talent lives everywhere and that when we strengthen the roots, hope becomes an outcome, not a slogan.”
More than 66% of Bachelor’s passes were achieved by learners from no-fee schools, reinforcing progress in expanding educational opportunity for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Participation and System Stability
The majority of candidates wrote matric at the expected age of 18, indicating improved retention and progression through the education system. The number of learners unable to complete their exam papers declined sharply from approximately 17% in 2017 to around 2% in 2025.
Girls continued to demonstrate higher participation rates, comprising 56% of the matric cohort. However, Minister Gwarube cautioned that the growing underrepresentation of boys in Grade 12 requires urgent intervention: “But the boy child is increasingly being left behind, becoming underrepresented in matric cohorts and less likely than girls to return through second-chance pathways. This imbalance requires urgent and targeted intervention.”
Gateway Subjects: Mathematics and Physical Science Performance
The Mathematics pass rate dropped from 69% in 2024 to 64% in 2025, representing the most significant decline among gateway subjects. Only 34% of candidates wrote Mathematics, with the majority opting for Mathematical Literacy instead.
Subject-level performance for key gateway subjects in 2025:
| Subject | 2025 Pass Rate | 2024 Pass Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 64% | 69% | -5 percentage points |
| Accounting | 78% | 81% | -3 percentage points |
| Physical Science | 77% | 76% | +1 percentage point |
Minister Gwarube described the low uptake of Mathematics as concerning for long-term access to scarce skills and economic participation: “The next phase is about deeper mastery – especially in gateway subjects. 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.”
Subject Choice and Tertiary Access
Mathematical Literacy enrollment significantly exceeds Pure Mathematics enrollment, limiting learners’ access to university programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Universities require specific subject combinations and achievement levels for admission to degree programs, making gateway subject performance critical for tertiary access.
Physical Science showed marginal improvement from 76% to 77%, indicating slight stabilization in this critical STEM subject. Accounting performance declined from 81% to 78%, raising concerns about preparation for commerce and business studies programs.
Independent Examinations Board Results for 2025
The Independent Examinations Board recorded a 98.31% overall pass rate for 2025, representing a slight decrease from 98.47% in 2024. The IEB administers examinations primarily for private schools across South Africa.
IEB performance indicators for 2025:
- Overall pass rate: 98.31%
- Bachelor passes: 89.12% (down from 89.37% in 2024)
- Diploma passes: 7.83%
- Higher Certificate passes: 1.34%
- Endorsed NSC: 0.02%
A total of 17,413 candidates wrote IEB examinations in 2025, including 16,063 full-time candidates and 1,350 part-time candidates. Examinations took place at 277 venues across 263 centres nationwide.
IEB Provincial Distribution
Gauteng recorded the highest IEB candidate participation with 10,421 candidates across 144 schools. KwaZulu-Natal followed with 2,448 candidates at 38 schools, and the Western Cape recorded 2,108 candidates at 30 schools.
IEB Chief Executive Confidence Dikgole commented on the consistency of performance: “Small fluctuations in the aggregate pass rate are statistically expected and internationally observed in stable assessment systems, as the body adds more schools to its network.”
The IEB awarded 161 students outstanding achievement awards, while an additional 125 received commendable accolades for exceptional performance in the 2025 examinations.
Cohort-Adjusted Pass Rate Analysis: Understanding the Complete Picture
Build One South Africa calculated a cohort-adjusted pass rate of 54.7% when tracking learners from their Grade 1 enrollment in 2014 through matric completion in 2025. This calculation differs significantly from the Department of Basic Education’s headline 88% pass rate.
BOSA spokesperson Roger Solomons stated: “Of the 1,250,791 learners who began school in grade 1 in 2014, just 684,640 full-time learners have passed matric in 2025.” This represents over 566,000 young people who did not complete their matric qualification.
Methodology Differences Between Official and Cohort-Adjusted Rates
The DBE calculates the pass rate by dividing the number of successful candidates by the total number of candidates entered for NSC examinations. The cohort-adjusted calculation divides successful matric graduates by the original Grade 1 enrollment cohort, accounting for dropouts throughout the education system.
Calculation methods:
- DBE headline rate: (Number of NSC passes ÷ Number of candidates entered) × 100
- Cohort-adjusted rate: (Number of original cohort completing NSC ÷ Original Grade 1 cohort) × 100
ActionSA’s parliamentary chief whip Lerato Ngobeni emphasized that only 57.7% of learners who entered Grade 10 in 2023 successfully completed matric, stating: “However, headline pass rates alone do not reflect the true performance of South Africa’s basic education system.”
Dropout Patterns and System Leakage
The sharp drop-off between Grades 10 and 12 shows hundreds of thousands of learners leaving the education system before completing matric. Poverty forces many young people out of classrooms and into work opportunities to support their families.
GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron cautioned: “Congratulations to the Matric Class of 2025. You have completed a long journey, often in difficult circumstances at home, in your community, or at school, putting in the hard work and demonstrating the resilience to reach an important milestone. However, headline pass rates continue to obscure deeper systemic challenges within South Africa’s education system.”
Special Education Needs and Equity Progress
Participation by learners with special education needs increased by 57% in 2025, with notable improvements in both pass rates and Bachelor-level achievements. This represents significant progress in expanding educational opportunity for learners requiring additional support.
The Department of Basic Education reported continued progress in expanding opportunities for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. More than 66% of Bachelor’s passes came from no-fee schools, demonstrating that socioeconomic background does not determine educational outcomes when adequate support exists.
Concerns About Social Grant Recipients
Pass rates for learners reliant on social grants declined to 78%, compared to 86% previously. While more grant beneficiaries wrote the examinations, their completion rates decreased.
Minister Gwarube announced that the Department of Basic Education will engage with the Department of Social Development to prevent the discontinuation of grants during learners’ matric year. The termination of social support during critical examination periods may contribute to increased dropout rates and reduced performance among vulnerable learners.
Examination Integrity and Quality Assurance Measures
Umalusi approved the 2025 matric results after comprehensive quality assurance processes, confirming the credibility and integrity of the examination system. Minister Gwarube stated, “We can have confidence: these results are earned, not gifted.”
The 2025 examination cycle experienced an integrity incident when 40 pupils in the Pretoria area accessed examination papers before the scheduled examination dates. The leak affected English, Mathematics, and Physical Science papers. Department of Basic Education investigators detected the breach when markers noticed examination answers aligning precisely with marking guidelines.
Investigation Outcomes and Systemic Responses
One suspended DBE official had a child writing the affected examinations, highlighting potential conflicts of interest in examination administration. The Department emphasized that its own markers identified and reported the irregularities, demonstrating internal quality control mechanisms.
The Department noted that the 40 affected students represent a tiny percentage of the total matric cohort for 2025. DBE stated: “Calls for public schools to ‘choose which examination board they wish to use’ or for the DBE to relinquish its constitutional mandate are not only short-sighted and impractical. They also undermine the efforts and resources invested in building a national examination system that is legally sound, internationally benchmarked, and recognised nationally and internationally.”
Policy Debate: Pass Mark Requirements and Quality Standards
The 30% pass mark remains a contentious policy issue among education stakeholders, political parties, and civil society organizations. Critics argue that the threshold is too low to ensure quality education outcomes and graduate employability.
Build One South Africa advocates for replacing the 30% minimum with a 50% threshold. BOSA spokesperson Roger Solomons stated: “The 30% pass mark is a policy that entrenches low expectations and masks systemic failure. By defending this standard, these parties chose to protect an illusion of success instead of confronting the crisis in our education system.”
Minister’s Response on Pass Mark Misconceptions
Minister Gwarube clarified that 30% is not the matric pass mark: “South Africans, we must also put a stubborn myth to rest: 30% is not ‘the matric pass mark’. 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.”
The National Senior Certificate requires learners to meet minimum achievement levels across multiple subjects, with different percentage requirements depending on subject classification and pass type. Bachelor’s passes require higher achievement levels in multiple subjects than diploma or higher certificate passes.
International benchmarks, including TIMSS and PIRLS, indicate that only 20% of South African learners perform at appropriate levels for their grade. Additionally, 81% of South African children cannot read for comprehension in any of the 11 official languages by age 10.
Reform Agenda and Future Educational Priorities
The Department of Basic Education’s reform agenda focuses on strengthening early childhood development, improving early grade reading and numeracy, expanding teacher support, and ensuring learner safety and nutrition. Minister Gwarube emphasized that without strong foundations in early years, inequity returns later in the educational journey.
The Minister stated: “The new course we have set for the basic education system is defined by deep roots, strong foundations, and long vision. Taken together, these results tell a clear story. The system is more stable. Participation is improving. Inclusion is expanding. Integrity is holding firm. But the results also confirm the central truth of our reform agenda: without strong foundations in the early years, inequity will always return later.”
Proposed Systemic Improvements
Educational reform proposals include establishing an independent education ombudsman, raising educator salaries, curtailing union power, incentivizing students, prioritizing primary phase education, introducing school voucher programs, and conducting nationwide teacher skills audits.
BOSA highlighted that South Africa’s annual education budget exceeds R300 billion, arguing: “There is little justification for the substandard quality of education. The lack of resources, overcrowded classrooms, unqualified teachers, and inadequate infrastructure are all symptomatic of a system that has failed to live up to its promises.”
Alternative Pathways for Learners
Minister Gwarube assured learners who did not achieve desired results that alternative pathways remain available: “And to every learner who did not get the result you hoped for: you are not a failure, and your story is not over.
There are pathways to improve your results – through rewrites, support programmes, and second-chance opportunities. What matters now is that you take the next step, with support, and without shame.”
Second-chance opportunities include supplementary examinations, matric rewrites through adult education programs, and access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges.
These pathways provide learners with opportunities to improve qualifications and access further education or employment opportunities.
Understanding How the Matric Pass Rate 2025 Is Calculated
The Department of Basic Education calculates the national pass rate by dividing the number of learners who meet NSC pass requirements by the number of full-time candidates entered for NSC examinations, then multiplying by 100 to express the result as a percentage.
The numerator includes learners who achieve the minimum requirements across their subject package, including meeting specified achievement levels in home language, first additional language, and four additional subjects.
The denominator counts all full-time candidates entered for NSC examinations according to provincial submissions to the national department.
Pass Type Requirements
Three pass types exist within the National Senior Certificate framework:
- Bachelor pass: Requires achievement level 4 (50-59%) or higher in four subjects, achievement level 3 (40-49%) or higher in two subjects, and achievement level 2 (30-39%) or higher in one subject
- Diploma pass: Requires achievement level 4 in three subjects, achievement level 3 in three subjects, and achievement level 2 in one subject
- Higher Certificate pass: Requires achievement level 3 in four subjects and achievement level 2 in two subjects, with achievement level 1 (0-29%) in one subject
The Department distinguishes between provisional and final results, noting that figures may be labeled provisional pending appeals or remarking processes. Data corrections following rechecks can change counts, with updates noted in the NSC technical report.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Matric Pass Rate 2025
What is the matric pass rate 2025?
The matric pass rate 2025 is 88%, representing the highest National Senior Certificate pass rate in South Africa’s history. Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced this result on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Which province achieved the highest matric pass rate in 2025?
KwaZulu-Natal achieved the highest provincial pass rate at 90.6%, followed by the Free State at 89.33% and Gauteng at 89.06%.
How many learners wrote matric in 2025?
More than 900,000 full-time and part-time candidates wrote matric examinations in 2025 at approximately 6,000 centres across South Africa, making it the largest cohort to sit for NSC examinations.
What percentage of learners achieved Bachelor’s passes in 2025?
46% of successful candidates achieved Bachelor’s passes in 2025, qualifying them for university degree studies. This represents over 345,000 learners, the highest absolute number recorded.
Did the Mathematics pass rate increase or decrease in 2025?
The Mathematics pass rate decreased from 69% in 2024 to 64% in 2025, representing a decline of 5 percentage points. Only 34% of candidates wrote Mathematics.
What is the difference between the official pass rate and the cohort-adjusted pass rate?
The official DBE pass rate measures successful candidates against total candidates entered, while the cohort-adjusted rate tracks an original learner cohort from Grade 1 through matric completion, accounting for dropouts throughout the education system.
How did the IEB perform in 2025?
The Independent Examinations Board recorded a 98.31% overall pass rate with 89.12% of candidates qualifying for degree study across 17,413 total candidates.
What subjects are considered gateway subjects?
Gateway subjects include Mathematics, Physical Science, and Accounting, which provide access to university programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, commerce, and related fields.
Can learners who did not pass matric in 2025 rewrite examinations?
Learners can access supplementary examinations, matric rewrites through adult education programs, and second-chance opportunities to improve their qualifications and access further education or employment.
How long does it take for final matric results to be confirmed?
Results may change after appeals and remarking windows close, with the Department of Basic Education updating figures if rechecks alter totals. Monitor DBE announcements for final confirmed results.
Impact on Tertiary Education and Economic Participation
The matric pass rate 2025 directly affects university admissions, NSFAS eligibility, and planning for bridging programs across South Africa’s higher education sector. Universities use Bachelor pass counts and specific subject achievement levels to set admission thresholds for various degree programs.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme uses eligibility criteria linked to NSC outcomes to allocate funding for tertiary education. The decline in gateway subject pass rates affects STEM pipeline planning, teacher deployment, and workforce development strategies.
Long-term implications include reduced access to high-demand fields requiring strong mathematics and science foundations. Business sector representatives expressed concern that while overall pass rates increased, the quality of passes in critical subjects may not meet industry requirements for technical positions.
The Department of Basic Education continues monitoring these indicators to inform curriculum support, teacher professional development, and resource allocation decisions affecting South Africa’s education system and economic competitiveness.
