The Matric Class of 2024 has achieved an unprecedented overall pass rate of 87.3%, marking the highest matric pass rate in South African history.
“I am proud to announce that 615,429 learners successfully passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in 2024, more than ever before. The national pass rate has risen from 82.9% in 2023 to this remarkable 87.3%,” stated Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube during a media briefing in Johannesburg.
Bachelor Passes Reach New Heights
Nearly half of the learners who wrote the NSC examinations achieved Bachelor passes, qualifying them for university admission. The percentage of candidates earning Bachelor passes rose from 40.9% in 2023 to 47.8% in 2024, the highest on record.
“This marks a 6.9% increase from last year. In 2014, South Africa recorded 150,752 Bachelor passes. A decade later, this number has more than doubled to 337,158 Bachelor passes in 2024,” the Minister said.
KwaZulu-Natal led the provinces with 84,470 Bachelor passes, followed by Gauteng with 66,979, and the Eastern Cape with 45,662. Importantly, 67% of Bachelor passes came from Quintile 1 to 3 schools, which are typically located in underprivileged areas.
“This shows significant progress, as learners from poorer communities are increasingly accessing opportunities to pursue careers as doctors, engineers, scientists, and other professionals,” Gwarube added.
Record-Breaking Distinctions
The Class of 2024 also achieved 319,651 distinctions, an increase of more than 65,000 compared to 2023. Key improvements were noted in subjects such as Mathematics.
KwaZulu-Natal stood out with 10.8% of candidates achieving distinctions, followed by the Western Cape with 6.3% and Gauteng with 5.3%. Provinces like Mpumalanga and Limpopo showed notable growth, with distinction rates improving by over 1% compared to the previous year.
Mathematics and Physical Sciences Performance
The pass rate for Mathematics improved significantly, rising from 63.5% in 2023 to 69.1% in 2024. However, the pass rate for Physical Sciences saw a slight decline, dropping from 76.2% in 2023 to 75.6% in 2024.
“While the increase in Mathematics performance is encouraging, the decrease in Physical Sciences highlights the need to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy to support greater participation and success in these critical subjects,” said the Minister.
Fewer Underperforming Schools
The number of high schools achieving pass rates between 80% and 100% rose from 4,493 in 2023 to 5,387 in 2024, representing 77.7% of schools. Additionally, the number of underperforming schools decreased, further reflecting the progress of the education system.
Higher Participation Rates
Approximately 97% of learners enrolled in Grade 12 in 2024 sat for the NSC exams, with the total number of full-time candidates increasing to 705,291 from 691,160 in 2023.
The number of learners with special education needs who wrote the NSC exams grew from 5,288 in 2023 to 6,470 in 2024, while 556,726 social grant beneficiaries participated, up by 12,938 from the previous year.
A Milestone in South Africa’s Education System
Minister Gwarube praised the Class of 2024 for their achievements but emphasized the need for continued efforts to improve educational outcomes.
“The 2024 results reflect a maturing schooling system that is steadily improving. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure the quality of education continues to rise and benefits all learners equally,” she concluded.
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