President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the matric class of 2024 on multiple "unprecedented achievements", which he says bears testimony to learners' personal commitment and advances in the basic education sector, calling on government and civil society partners to provide opportunities to learners.

The class of 2024 achieved a record 87.3% matric pass rate, the highest in the country's history, while Independent Examinations Board (IEB) candidates achieved a pass rate of 98.47%.

The national pass rate for the NSC increased from 82.9% in 2023.

67% of Bachelor passes were achieved by learners from Quintile 1 to 3 schools (no-fee schools), while 319 651 distinctions were achieved.

Ramaphosa pointed out that 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 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," he said.

He added that these results demonstrated the "agency, resilience and pride" of South Africa's youth to create a better future for themselves.

He said government must work with civil society partners to ensure that learners are able to take up as many opportunities they can create for learners to succeed.

MATRIC RESULTS REACTIONS

The African National Congress (ANC) celebrated the "outstanding achievements" of the matric class of 2024, saying their success stood as a testament to the transformative power of the party's policies.

"These achievements reflect decades of targeted ANC policies, from introducing no-fee schools, which now boast an 85.8% pass rate, to expanding access to school nutrition programmes and addressing resource inequalities. The Class of 2024 has further demonstrated that these interventions work: 319 651 distinctions were achieved, with significant gains in critical subjects such as Mathematics," explained ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri.

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Basic Education chairperson Joy Maimela said the steady improvement in the NSC average pass rate attests to the education system's maturation and bodes well for the sector's future in the country.

The committee also welcomed that every province improved its pass rate, which she said was a testament to hard work within the system and dedication of stakeholders.

PROPOSED STRATEGIES

However, Maimela highlighted the need for strategies to enhance enrolment in technical subjects, saying this was critical to producing learners inclined to meet current labour and market needs.

"While the improvement in the overall results is welcomed, the committee highlighted concerns with the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi's) information that 407 pupils were caught cheating during the 2024 matric exams. The committee has highlighted the continued need for the sector to raise awareness among learners on the dangers of cheating and its possible future impact on individuals," she said.

EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY

The GOOD Party called on the Western Cape government to prioritise education and save teacher posts, with GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron pointing out that although the province achieved an improved pass rate of 86.6%, it remained below the national rate of 87.3%, with a provincial ranking of fifth place.

"…despite its overall performance, the province did have successes. Pinelands High boasted the top achiever of all public schools and all 3 of the country's top achievers in the 5th quintile - schools that cater for the least poor 20% of learners - were from the Western Cape.

"The sobering reality is that ...