The matric class of 2024 is undoubtedly in a celebratory mood today following the release of the matric results. And there’s a reason to celebrate: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) revealed that the pass rate of 87.3 is the highest in the history of democratic South Africa! This means nine out of 10 matriculants who sat for exams passed.
This is an increase of 4.4% from 82.9% in 2023.
DBE Minister Siviwe Gwarube presented the results at a presentation held in Gauteng on Monday evening, following the approval of the exams quality board Umalusi.
Gwarube, who stepped into the role following last year’s general elections and the formation of the Government of National Unity, said the focus should be on the quality of Mzansi’s education rather than just the matric pass rate. “A healthy schooling system is not measured solely by matric results, but a comprehensive set of indicators that reflect its quality and its equity,” she said.
The top three provinces were the Free State, with a pass rate of 91%; KwaZulu-Natal, with 89.5%; and Gauteng, with 88.4%.
How the other boards did
While the DBE is celebrating, Independent Examination Board (IEB) schools have achieved a bigger milestone: a 98.47 pass rate, the highest in five years. This is to be expected as the IEB caters to private schools, which tend to have more resources. The IEB releases its own pass rate, separate from the DBE; its results are not included in the DBE’s national pass rate.
Another independent board, the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (Sacai), recorded a pass rate of 73.9%, a 1.9% percentage point increase from 72% in 2023.
The politics of the results
While the minister and her deputy, Reginah Mhaule, have welcomed the results as a sign of a “strengthening and maturing system,” others have questioned whether these are the “real results.” Build One South Africa (BOSA), led by Mmusi Maimane, said that the actual result was 51%, considering the number of learners who dropped out or never made it to matric. BOSA accused the Democratic Alliance (DA), the party Gwarube is a member of, of lying and “implementing ANC policy.” BOSA says that the results announced by Gwarube were “deceptive statistical gymnastics.”
BOSA noted that when the DA were in opposition, they (the DA) challenged the results whenever they were released.
Whatever the squabbles between politicians, the class of 2024 deserves a pat on the back for achieving this momentous milestone, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted their high school experiences. As they head off to the different tertiary institutions or workplaces, they can hold their heads high, knowing that their cohort was the first to set the tone of a recovering South African education system.
This article has been edited on 16 January 2025 for clarity and to provide additional context while preserving the original intent and key information of the story
Tshego is a writer and law student from Pretoria. A keen follower of social media trends, his interests include high fantasy media, politics, science, talk radio, reading and listening to music.
He is also probably one of the only people left who still play Pokemon Go.
