By OBAKENG MAJE
14 January 2025- The Minister of Department of Basic Education (DBE), Siviwe Gwarube said while the matric pass rate does not tell them about the quality of education outcomes that the schooling system is achieving, it is an important indicator of progress.
Gwarube said this during the 2024 Matric Results announcement at the Mosaic Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg. She further said it simply tells them what percentage of learners who wrote the National Senior Certificate achieved the minimum pass requirements for this qualification.
Gwarube added that, to pass the National Senior Certificate, learners are not required simply to get 30% across all subjects, which is often misconceived to be the only pass requirement for the National Senior Certificate.
“Instead, they are required to get at least 40% in their Home Language and two other subjects and at least 30% for three other subjects and must pass at least 6 out of their 7 subjects.
“I am proud to announce that in 2024, 615 429 learners passed the National Senior Certificate – more than any other time in our history. South Africa’s national pass rate for the 2024 National Senior Certificate has therefore increased from 82.9% in 2023 to 87.3%,” she said.
Gwarube said this is the highest matric pass rate in the history of the country and should be a moment of great pride and celebration for all of them. She said when they consider the number of learners that progressed from Grade 10 to Grade 12, they have achieved a throughput rate of 63%.
“This is in line with other middle-income countries. As I have indicated, there are many factors that impact on this rate, including, for example, subject choice changes, shifts to part-time candidature and movements to TVET colleges from Grade 10.
“At a provincial level, I am pleased to announce that every province improved on its performance from 2023 and every province achieved above 84%. Free State is the best performing province at 91.0%, increasing its pass rate from 89.0% in 2023.
“KwaZulu Natal is at number 2 with a pass rate of 89.5%, marking an increase of 3.2% from 2023. Number 3 is Gauteng, which increased its pass rate from 85.4% in 2023 to 88.4% in 2024. North-West comes in at number 4 with 87.5%, which represents an increase of 5.9% from 2023,” said Gwarube.
She said number 5 is the Western Cape at 86.6%, which represents an increase of 5% from 2023. Gwarube said the three provinces all received a rounded off pass rate of 85%.
“However, they are ranked according to highest raw percentage points achieved. Limpopo comes in at number 6, with a pass rate of 85.01%. This represents an increase of 5.5% from 2023. Mpumalanga with a pass rate of 84.99% is at number 7 – a significant increase of 8% from 2023. Eastern Cape achieved a pass rate of 84.98% and comes in at number 8 with a 3.6% increase from 2023. Northern Cape is at number 9 with 84.2%.
“It is also important to add that the Northern Cape is the most improved province. It surged by 8.3% from 2023. No-fee schools improved their pass rate from 81% in 2023 to 85.8% in 2024.
“This too is another sign that our schooling system is maturing. 19 Our education districts have also made us very proud with all districts improving on their performance from 2023,” she said.
The Guardian 