THE Free State has once again proven its academic excellence, emerging as South Africa’s top-performing province in the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations with an impressive 91.0 percent pass rate.
This achievement marks an increase from last year’s 89.0 percent, solidifying the province’s reputation as a consistent leader in education.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the results on Monday evening, expressing pride in the country’s overall performance.
The national pass rate for 2024 reached an historic 87.3 percent, a significant leap from 82.9 percent in 2023.
“This is the highest matric pass rate in the history of our country and should be a moment of great pride and celebration for all of us,” she said.
“This year’s results are a testament to the dedication of our learners, teachers and education stakeholders.
“Every province achieved a pass rate above 84 percent, which shows the collective effort to uplift education standards.”
KwaZulu-Natal claimed second place with an 89.5 percent pass rate, a remarkable 3.2 percent improvement from 2023.
Gauteng secured the third spot with an 88.4 percent pass rate, followed closely by the North-West province at 87.5 percent, representing a 5.9 percent surge from the previous year.
The Western Cape rounded out the top five with an 86.6 percent pass rate, reflecting a five percent increase.
The 2024 NSC results also set new records nationally, with the highest number of bachelor passes ever recorded.
KwaZulu-Natal produced the most bachelor passes, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
Mpumalanga and Limpopo also showed remarkable improvements in the number of distinctions awarded compared to the previous year.
“We celebrate the resilience of our matriculants, who overcame numerous challenges to achieve these outstanding results. Their success is South Africa’s success,” the minister said. – Staff Reporter