The Department of Basic Education has released the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results for 2024, announcing an historic pass rate of 87.3%.
Over 615,000 learners passed their matric exams — the highest number ever recorded in South Africa’s history.
The Western Cape ranked fifth among provinces with an 86.6% pass rate, marking a 5.1 percentage point increase from last year.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast, Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson for Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier, attributed the success to the resilience of the class of 2024.
“The class of 2024 has been through a lot. This class was in Grade 9 when COVID-19 started, and since then, they’ve faced massive floods, taxi strikes, and numerous challenges. Despite everything, they’ve knocked it out of the park,” said Mauchline.
She highlighted that every matriculant in the province achieved more than just an NSC certificate, qualifying for higher education entry at certificate, diploma, or bachelor’s level. “This is a really positive thing for the Western Cape,” Mauchline added.
SA’s Top Achiever from Cape Town
Among the standouts in this year’s matric class is South Africa’s top achiever, Rayyan Ebrahim, from Pinelands High School in Cape Town.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ebrahim credited hard work and commitment for his success.
“It took a lot of hard work to achieve what I did. I want to study data science at the University of Cape Town because it combines my love for math, computer science, and business knowledge. It’s a dynamic and relevant field in South Africa,” Ebrahim said.
Listen to the full interview with Kerry Mauchline on VOC Breakfast below:
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