KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Gauteng have emerged as the top three performing provinces in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, as South Africa recorded its highest matric pass rate in history.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the results on Monday evening, confirming a national pass rate of 88%, an improvement of about 0.7 percentage points from 2024. More than 656,000 learners passed the NSC in 2025, out of over 900,000 candidates who wrote the examinations at nearly 6,000 centres nationwide.
KwaZulu-Natal took first place with a pass rate of 90.6%, reclaiming its position as the country’s best performing province. The Free State followed closely in second place with 89.33%, while Gauteng secured third position with 89.06%.
Announcing the results, Gwarube described the NSC as one of the largest and most complex national operations, second only to national elections. She said the 2025 examinations involved millions of scripts being set, printed, written, marked, checked and quality assured.
“We can have confidence: these results are earned, not gifted,” the minister said, adding that all identified irregularities were investigated and dealt with, and that controls were strengthened where weaknesses were found.
KwaZulu-Natal’s strong showing was attributed to sustained focus on curriculum coverage, teacher support and learner interventions across districts. Education analysts noted that the province has consistently invested in extra classes and subject-specific support, particularly in gateway subjects such as mathematics and physical sciences.
The Free State, which ranked second, maintained its reputation for stable performance and strong district management, while Gauteng’s third-place finish reflected steady improvements in a province that accommodates a large and diverse learner population, including many pupils from migrant and informal communities.
Gwarube used the occasion to dispel what she called a “stubborn myth” that 30% is the matric pass mark. She explained that the NSC is achieved by meeting minimum requirements across a full subject package, with higher thresholds in key subjects and different pass categories that determine post-school opportunities.
“Learners must achieve the right marks in the right subjects to gain entry into their preferred programmes at higher education institutions,” she said.
Beyond the top three, the Western Cape placed fifth with 88.20%, North West fourth with 88.49%, while the Northern Cape recorded the biggest improvement, rising to 87.79%. The Eastern Cape, although ranked ninth, still achieved a pass rate above 84%.
Despite the celebratory mood, the minister warned of risks ahead, particularly the impact of austerity measures on early learning, learner support and school nutrition programmes.
“Reform requires patience, planning and sustained investment. Baobabs do not grow in a single season,” Gwarube said.
She stressed that while the results point to a more stable and inclusive system, persistent inequality would continue unless strong foundations are laid in the early years of learning. The department’s reform agenda, she said, prioritises early childhood development, safer schools through collaboration with the South African Police Service, and ensuring that every child can thrive by the age of five.
Gwarube called on parents, teachers, provinces and communities to treat education as a national project, urging greater support for learning in home languages, protection of teaching time, and stronger focus on foundation phase teaching.
“To the Class of 2025,” she said, “congratulations on achieving a record-breaking 88% pass rate. Your success belongs not only to you, but to the nation that believes in your future.”
