History-Makers of 2024: Quick Stats of Matric Class of 2024 Performances
Halala to the class of 2024, the crop of matriculants who started their high school journeys during arguably the world’s toughest period. Last evening, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, delivered her maiden National Senior Certificate (NSC) results speech, presenting the outcome of last year’s final exams and offering words of encouragement and admonishment to the learners of 2024.
The crop of 2024 might have begun their high school days navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and continual lockdowns which compromised social gatherings, including every student’s ability to attend school; however, the results they yielded for the Finals belied these pains and sufferings. With an impressive pass rate of 87,3% countrywide, the Matrics of 2024 achieved the highest nationwide pass rate in South African history.
With every province achieving at least an 84% pass rate, all provinces of the class of 2024 improved upon the results of their 2023 predecessors.
History-makers, Distinction Getters, and Bachelor Passes Galore
Apart from making history as the country’s most successful collective, these young history-makers didn’t make their mark by achieving the bare minimum. Out of all eligible candidates who wrote their final exams, 47,8% of them claimed a Bachelor’s Pass, which will grant them leeway to further their educational careers in universities for Bachelor-related studies. 26,8% scored a Diploma Pass, and 12,7% made it out with a Higher Certificate.
The Matrics of KwaZulu-Natal, who placed second in the country’s overall rankings with a pass rate of 89.5%, emerged as the leaders of the national pack in terms of Bachelor Passes obtained with a whopping 84 470, trailed by the learners of Gauteng and the Eastern Cape who managed to capture 66 979 and 45 662 Bachelor Passes, respectively.
Another important development is that the 2024 cohort’s Bachelor Passes standing 47,8% represents an appreciable improvement of 6,9%, with the Bachelor Passes of 2023 amounting to 40,9%.
With over 319 000 distinctions obtained, the number is a praiseworthy improvement, since that’s an increase of over 65 000 distinctions gotten by the 2024 pupils.
Below are the rankings of each province, from the highest to the lowest. Free State is, once again and for the second year running, the best-performing province, with an astounding 91% pass rate, levelling up from the previous year’s 89%. However, Free State was not the biggest gainer despite being the overall winner.
The greatest winner, despite coming last on the table, is the Northern Cape, who made a commendable 8.3% jump, helping the Matrics break into the 80s threshold and ultimately achieving 84,2%. This is a significant leap, considering that the class of 2023 landed on 75.8% nationally.
Provincial Rankings:
- Free State – 91%
- KwaZulu-Natal – 89.5%
- Gauteng – 88.4%
- North West – 87.5%
- Western Cape – 86.6%
- Limpopo – 85.1%
- Eastern Cape – 84.9%
- Mpumalanga – 84.9%
- Northern Cape – 84.2%