The highly anticipated matric results are finally out and while the rest of the country makes sense and critically analyses things, KZN (Kwa-Zulu Natal) boasts of coming out on top as the province with the highest number of distinctions.
The national release of matric results is an important time in the country, it signifies a time for new beginnings and possibilities for the newly matriculated class and also gives the public a glimpse of what the education system in the country is looking like. Furthermore, it gives the government as well as the public an idea of which provinces are falling behind and what they need to improve.
Since the release of the results, there have been a few talking points that have piqued the interests of mzansi internet users, including the impressive 98.47% Independent Examinations Board (IEB) pass rate, with 89.37% of the learners achieving a bachelor pass.
Despite not coming out as the highest-achieving province, Kwa-Zulu Natal has pulled off a highly impressive performance, coming out as the second overall achieving province, with the greatest number of distinctions and the highest number of bachelor passes compared to any other province. This becomes an even more impressive feat when considering the fact that the province had the highest number of candidates who registered to write the exams, followed closely by Gauteng.
According to the province’s official publication KZN Online, the province recorded the following numbers:
• 161,962 candidates writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC), with 144,990 passing (89.5%).
• 84,000 Bachelor passes, the highest in the country, marking a significant improvement from 45.7% in 2023 to 52.2% in 2024.
• An increase in schools achieving a 100% pass rate, from 246 in 2023 to 321 in 2024
Minister Siviwe Gwarube commended the impressive improvement achieved by the class of 2024, including a 4.4% improvement in the national pass rate, which currently stands at 87.3%.
“This achievement is not solely the work of government but also the result of the unwavering efforts of teachers, learners, and the community,” Minister Siviwe said.
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