Gwarube mentioned that in 2013, 1 222 851 learners began Grade 1. Of those, 724 156 enrolled as full-time candidates in Grade 12 in 2024. (X)
The 2024 Nationwide Senior Certificates (NSC) outcomes have marked a historic second for South Africa’s training system, with a record-breaking go price of 87.3%, Primary Training Minister Siviwe Gwarube introduced on Monday night time.
That is the best go price within the nation’s historical past, and an enchancment from 82.9% in 2023. Each province improved on its 2023 efficiency, the minister mentioned.
Gwarube mentioned that the variety of full-time candidates writing the NSC examinations elevated from 691 160 in 2023 to 705 291 in 2024.
“We additionally noticed the variety of learners with particular training wants who wrote the Nationwide Senior Certificates examinations enhance from 5 288 in 2023 to six 470 in 2024.
“Moreover, we noticed 556 726 learners who’re beneficiaries of social grants writing the Nationwide Senior Certificates exams in 2024 – 12 938 greater than in 2023,” she mentioned.
Greater than 615,000 learners handed the NSC exams, with 47.8% qualifying for admission to bachelor’s research— a rise from 40.9% final 12 months.
KwaZulu-Natal led with 84,470 bachelor passes, adopted by Gauteng with 66,979 and the Japanese Cape with 45,662.
Gwarube mentioned that 67% of bachelor passes got here from underprivileged faculties in Quintiles 1 to three.
“Because of this poorer communities are producing increasingly candidates who can go on to grow to be docs, engineers, accountants and scientists,” she mentioned.
“The Class of 2024 has proven extraordinary resilience,” mentioned Gwarube, referencing challenges resembling pandemic disruptions, price range constraints, and social points like gangsterism and violence. She likened the learners’ perseverance to the protea, which thrives in adversity.
Regardless of the success, challenges persist. Worldwide benchmarks and systemic evaluations reveal ongoing deficits in foundational expertise resembling literacy and numeracy. Over 69% of learners handed arithmetic, an enchancment from 63.5% in 2023, however bodily sciences noticed a slight decline to 75.6% from 76.2% final 12 months.
The minister highlighted plans to handle these gaps, together with increasing early childhood improvement packages and bettering instructor coaching. “Foundational literacy and numeracy are essential to unlocking future successes,” she mentioned.
Provincial efficiency confirmed enchancment throughout the board, with the Free State attaining the best go price at 91%, adopted by KwaZulu-Natal (89.5%) and Gauteng (88.4%). District-level efficiency additionally impressed, with Johannesburg West main at 97%.
The outcomes underline the rising maturity of the training system, mentioned Gwarube, however she cautioned that the matric go price “doesn’t inform us in regards to the high quality of training outcomes that our education system is attaining, it is a vital indicator of progress.
“It merely tells us what share of learners who wrote the Nationwide Senior Certificates achieved the minimal go necessities for this qualification.”