D-Day for the announcement of the NSC results for the class of 2024 — pictured above upon arrival in Johannesburg for the official #MatricResults announcement Monday evening. PHOTO: DBE
D-Day for the announcement of the NSC results for the class of 2024 — pictured above upon arrival in Johannesburg for the official #MatricResults announcement Monday evening. PHOTO: DBE

South Africa’s Class of 2024 has made history, achieving the highest matric pass rate ever recorded in the country. The 87.3% pass rate for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations represents a significant increase from last year’s 82.9%, with a total of 615,429 learners passing the exams.

“This achievement marks a moment of great pride and celebration for our nation,” said Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube during the announcement of the results in Johannesburg on Monday.

Record-Breaking Bachelor Passes

Nearly half (47.8%) of the learners who passed achieved Bachelor passes, qualifying them for university studies. This represents a notable improvement from 2023’s 40.9% and the highest percentage in recent history.

“In 2014, we produced 150,752 Bachelor passes. In just a decade, this number has more than doubled to 337,158 in 2024,” Gwarube said.

KwaZulu-Natal led the country in Bachelor passes with 84,470, followed by Gauteng (66,979) and the Eastern Cape (45,662). Impressively, approximately 67% of Bachelor passes came from Quintile 1 to 3 schools, which serve learners from poorer communities.

“This reflects the progress we are making in ensuring access to quality education for all, including learners from underprivileged areas who now have opportunities to pursue careers as doctors, engineers, accountants, and scientists,” the Minister noted.

Outstanding Achievements in Distinctions

The Class of 2024 also earned 319,651 distinctions, a remarkable increase of 65,000 from 2023. Key subjects such as Mathematics saw significant improvements in distinction rates.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. | X
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. | X

KwaZulu-Natal once again led the provinces in distinctions, achieving 10.8%, followed by the Western Cape (6.3%) and Gauteng (5.3%).

“Every province improved its performance, with each achieving a pass rate above 84%,” said Gwarube. “Mpumalanga and Limpopo also made notable strides, with distinction rates increasing by over 1% compared to last year.”

Performance in Mathematics and Physical Sciences

The pass rate for Mathematics rose from 63.5% in 2023 to 69.1% in 2024, marking a positive trend. However, the pass rate for Physical Sciences slightly declined from 76.2% to 75.6%.

“The improvement in Mathematics is encouraging. However, the decreasing participation and performance in key subjects like Physical Sciences highlights the need to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy to enable learners to excel in these areas,” Gwarube explained.

Improvements in School Performance

The number of high schools achieving a pass rate between 80% and 100% increased from 4,493 in 2023 to 5,387 in 2024, representing 77.7% of all high schools. Additionally, the number of underperforming schools declined, reflecting progress in raising education standards nationwide.

Inclusion and Accessibility

South Africa’s education system continues to make strides in inclusivity:

  • 97% of Grade 12 learners enrolled in 2024 wrote the NSC exams.
  • The number of learners with special education needs who wrote the exams increased to 6,470, up from 5,288 in 2023.
  • Learners who are beneficiaries of social grants increased to 556,726, 12,938 more than in 2023.

“These figures show the growing inclusivity of our education system, ensuring that no learner is left behind,” Gwarube said.

Challenges Ahead

While celebrating the Class of 2024’s historic achievements, the Minister acknowledged areas needing improvement, particularly in foundational skills and subject participation rates.

“The results show that our schooling system is maturing, but we still have work to do to improve the quality of education outcomes,” she said.

A Proud Moment for South Africa

The Class of 2024 has set a new benchmark for educational achievement in South Africa, reflecting resilience and progress in the face of challenges. With a record-breaking pass rate, more Bachelor passes than ever, and increasing inclusivity, the nation has much to celebrate as it looks toward building on these successes for future generations.


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