Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the matric Class of 2024 on “multiple unprecedented achievements” that he said bear testimony to learners’ commitment and advances in the basic education sector.
In 2024, 615 429 learners passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, surpassing the pass rate at any other time in the country’s history.
The national pass rate for the National Senior Certificate increased from 82.9% in 2023 to 87.3% last year.
Nearly half of learners who wrote the NSC examinations received a Bachelor pass, while nearly 320 000 distinctions were achieved.
President Ramaphosa said Monday, (13 January 2025): “The achievements of the Class of 2024 are a proud contribution to and evidence of our progress as a nation during 30 years of freedom and democracy.
“These results reinforce our resolute development of our nation’s most valuable resource, our young people.
“They also provide proof that we are undoing apartheid’s planned legacy of intergenerational indignity, disadvantage and poverty for the majority of South Africans.”
President Ramaphosa said these results demonstrate the agency, resilience and pride of the youth of our nation in creating a better future for themselves and for “all of us”.
President Ramaphosa added: “In the public and private basic education sectors, our learners, teachers and parents or caregivers deserve our appreciation, alongside school governing bodies, partners in the private sector, trade unions and academia.
“The doors of learning have swung wide open and we will celebrate each new generation that passes through these doors successfully.
“As government and our partners in civil society, we must all work together to ensure that learners such as the Class of 2024 are able to take up as many opportunities as we can create for them to succeed.
“This must include the space and inspiration for young people to set their own course as entrepreneurs, innovators, inventors and other embodiments of creativity and self-reliance.
“The achievements of the Class of 2024 must also sharpen our resolve to attend to challenges affecting the education sector and our economic performance.
“We are confident the Class of 2024 will itself produce some of the answers to these challenges.”
Earlier, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube revealed that 98% of all children in South Africa between the ages of seven and 15 years were enrolled in schools.
“This gives us a near-universal attendance rate for learners in Grades 1 to 9,” the minister said.
“However, with Grade R becoming part of compulsory school attendance with effect from this school year, more work needs to be done urgently to ensure that we expand access to basic education from Grade R.
“This is no small feat and will require significant planning and investment and a renewed commitment to the well-being of our children.
“While good progress has been made in expanding education access, we must turn our attention to improving the quality of the education that our learners receive.”
Minister Gwarube said learners must leave schools with an education and a qualification that allows them to pursue higher education opportunities or enter the job market to live lives of dignity.
Meanwhile, in Cape Town, the GOOD Party said: We congratulate all matriculants who put in the effort to pass their school leaving exams in 2024.
“We also congratulate their families, teachers and school communities. Together, they are contributing to the development of our people and country.
“The improved pass rate of 87.3% is encouraging, as is the fact that all provinces showed an increase in their pass rate.”
RISE Mzansi congratulated the Matric Class of 2024, both those who sat for the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) assessment, who achieved a 98,47% pass rate; and those who sat for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, who achieved a noteworthy and historic 87,3% pass rate.
“Congratulations to the class of 2024,” said RISE Mzansi.
“We would also like to take this moment to thank parents, guardians, educators, and support staff for the very direct role they played in this achievement.
“This achievement is not just carried by the matriculants but their communities too.”
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) congratulated the Class of 2024 for their resilience and determination in navigating the challenges of the education system.
“Your achievement is a testament to your hard work and dedication, and we celebrate you for reaching this significant milestone,” said the ATM.
“To those who may not have achieved the results they hoped for, remember that this is not the end.
“There are still opportunities to rewrite your story and chart a successful path forward.”
ATM added: “While we celebrate this moment, it is also an opportune time to reflect on the broader issues facing South Africa’s education system.”
The ATM said it firmly believes that urgent educational reform is needed to address systemic challenges and ensure that no child is left behind.
“One of the most pressing concerns is the high dropout rate between Grade 1 and Matric.”
