So, how did Eastern Cape’s matrics do?

For the first time in five years, the Eastern Cape has dropped its overall pass percentage in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam.

The Eastern Cape’s class of 2025 achieved 84.17%, placing the province at the bottom of the class, dropping from 84.98% in 2024.

The overall national pass rate rose to an all-time high of 88%, up from 87.3% in 2024.

A record-breaking number of pupils wrote matric exams in 2025 at 927,143 candidates, with 46% qualifying with bachelor’s degree passes, down from 47.8% in 2024.

The number of full-time candidates writing the NSC examinations increased from 705,291 in 2024.

The announcements were made by basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, who revealed the results for the 2025 NSC examinations in Johannesburg last night.

In pole position among the provinces was KwaZulu-Natal with a 90.6% pass rate, followed by the Free State with 89.33% and Gauteng in third with 89.06%.

In the Eastern Cape, 122,030 pupils sat for their exams, an increase from the 102,074 in 2024, across 965 exam centres.

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane said though the slight decline was a matter of concern, he congratulated all pupils and extended appreciation to teachers, school leadership, parents and communities for their support.

“We must confront the realities reflected in these results with honesty and determination,” he said.

“A slight decline serves as a call to action to sharpen our focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in subjects that are critical to learner progression and access to further education.”

He said that through the education department they would conduct a detailed analysis of the results to identify specific areas requiring intervention, including subject-level performance, district trends and learner support needs.

“Based on this analysis, targeted academic recovery programmes, enhanced educator development initiatives, and strengthened monitoring and support for schools will be implemented.”

Mabuyane also congratulated Eastern Cape matriculants named among the top performers nationally in various categories, including Ngazibini Unathi Ntungwa, from Isikhoba Nombewu Technical Secondary School in Cofimvaba, who was awarded third place in technical sciences.

Emma Booyens, from Clarendon High School in East London, was awarded third place in physical sciences.

Collegiate Girls’ High School’s Maria Freercks came second overall and Sesona Masingili, from Soqhayisa Senior Secondary School, came third in accounting.

Naptosa provincial chief executive Loyiso Mbinda said though this year’s results reflected a decline of 0.81%, the province had remained above the 70% minimum benchmark.

“Naptosa East Cape commends educators, school management teams and education support staff for their dedication under challenging conditions,” Mbinda said.

“However, the marginal decline highlights the need for focused interventions, improved learner support and adequate resourcing of schools.

“In addition, Naptosa EC calls on the department of education to review the 24/7 teaching and learning approach as it places excessive pressure on both learners and teachers.

“Reducing this pressure is essential to safeguarding mental health and wellbeing, which are critical to sustainable improvement in performance.”

Seasoned academic Prof Jonathan Jansen said there was a perception that the department was performing, but it was only grade 12s that were celebrated.

He said there had not been the same level of investment in other grades.

The education system, he said, was still faced with challenges such as overcrowded classrooms and corruption in the National School Nutrition Programme, among other factors.

Jansen said the public was being deceived into believing that the system was doing well.

Eastern Cape educational expert Prof Susan van Rensburg said one possible reason for the decline was the trend of Eastern Cape families sending their children to other provinces with the perception that the quality of education was better.

“If this is the case, the Eastern Cape must investigate this migration and research on why this happens.”

Van Rensburg commented on the fact that a higher percentage of girls passed in 2025.

This reflected Gwarube’s statement about the need to put more focus on the boy child in 2026.

Van Rensburg also questioned the quality of the 2025 results.

“A figure of 84.17% looks good, down from 84.9%.

“But what is the actual quality of these results?

“How many are fit for the job market?

“How many will get into higher education and make a success?

“What is the poverty situation of Eastern Cape for parents to support their kids in higher education?”

In 2014, education MEC Fundile Gade set an ambitious target of an 85% pass rate for the province, which was almost achieved in 2024 with 84.98%.

Before the results were released, Gade said important infrastructure had been put in place over the last year to improve on results for 2026.

“Our machinery is oiled up to accept the kids that are coming for this academic year, 2026, but also I would want to take my hat off to the teachers of the province.

“They have held the fort and for the people of that province, they are the ones that have been able to do something out of nothing.”

The provincial pass rate breakdown is as follows:

•⁠ KwaZulu Natal⁠ is the best performing province at 90.6%, an increase of 1 percentage point;

•⁠ Free State recorded a pass rate of 89.33%, a decrease of two percentage points;

•⁠ Gauteng increased its pass rate from 88.4% in 2024 to 89.06;

•⁠ ⁠North West remained in the fourth position with 88.49% pass rate, an increase of one percentage point;

•⁠ ⁠The Western Cape is at 88.2%, an increase of two percentage points;

•⁠ ⁠The Northern Cape jumped from last place in 2024 with 84.2% to 87.79% in 2025, an increase of three percentage points;

•⁠ ⁠Mpumalanga, with a pass rate of 86.55%, showed an increase of two percentage points;

•⁠ ⁠Limpopo achieved 86.1%, a rise of one percentage point; and

•⁠ ⁠The Eastern Cape with 84.17%, is down 0.81%.

During her address, Gwarube commented on the importance of the foundation phase of education in SA, likening it to the baobab tree.

“The baobab does not grow quickly or rush skyward.

“It first grows downward, pushing its roots deep into difficult soil, surviving droughts and storms.

“Only later does it rise — offering shelter, nourishment, relief and stability for generations.

“Reform requires patience, planning and sustained investment. Baobabs do not grow in a single season.”