The Free State has been overtaken as South Africa’s top performing province at the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, with KwaZulu-Natal claiming top spot with an impressive 90.6% pass rate.
The Free State followed closely in second place, with a strong pass rate of 89.33%. Despite losing the top spot, the province remains among the most consistent and best-performing education systems in the country.
Announcing the results during the release of the 2025 matric results, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube confirmed that the national pass rate rose to 88%, an improvement from the 87.3% recorded in 2024.
Over a million candidates sat for the 2025 NSC exams, which were conducted at around 9,400 exam centers across the country, covering over 300 subjects.
“Nationwide, the NSC pass rate stands at 88%, an increase of 0.7% from last year,” Gwarube said. “This is the highest pass rate in the history of South Africa.”
The Minister also highlighted improved student retention, noting that the number of candidates unable to sit for the examinations fell significantly, from 17% in 2017 to just 2% in 2025. In addition, the Northern Cape recorded the largest year-on-year improvement in pass rates, showing steady progress across the education system.
Compiled by Clement Matroos
Clement Matroos
www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za