In a historic display of academic achievement, the matric class of 2023 has outshone all predecessors since the dawn of democracy, reaching an 82.9% pass rate.
Announced by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga in Johannesburg on Thursday evening, the results mark a significant increase from 80.1% in 2022 and 76.4% in 2021.
This year's results not only reflect a 2.8% improvement from last year, but also a notable 6.5% leap from 2021.
Motshekga praised the 2023 cohort for achieving the highest percentage of Bachelor passes and distinctions in the history of the NSC exams, highlighting the substantial contributions from rural provinces, particularly in Limpopo, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The Free State led the provinces with an 89.0% pass rate, while Limpopo showed the most improvement with a 7.4% increase.
Motshekga said the results highlighted a significant shift in South Africa's educational landscape, challenging the notion that quality education is exclusive to urban areas.
It should be noted that while the pass rate of the 2023 NSC exams in number is the second highest in the history of the NSC exams; when expressed as a percentage, the pass rate of the 2023 NSC exams, is the highest in the history of the NSC so far.
Similarly, Bachelor passes as well as passes with distinction produced by the Class of 2023, stand out at the highest in the history of NSC exams, Motshekga said.
A breakdown of the provincial results reveal that the Free State kept its place as the leading province with an 89.0% pass rate, an increase of 0.5% from 2022.
KwaZulu-Natal came in second place and was the third best improved province, with a 86.4% pass rate, an increase of 3.4% from 2022.
Gauteng achieved at 85.4%, an increase of 1.0% from 2022, the North West achieved at 81.6%, an increase of 1.8% from 2022, and the Western Cape achieved 81.5%, an increase of 0.1% from 2022.
The Eastern Cape, achieved an 81.4%, an improvement of 4.1% from 2022, Limpopo - the best improved province - achieved a 79.5% pass rate - a 7.4% improvement from 2022.
Mpumalanga achieved a 77.0% pass rate, a 0.2% increase from 2022, while the Northern Cape took last position with a 75.8% pass rate - a 1.6% increase from 2022.
Further analysis of the 2023 NSC exam results, shows that:
– The total number of candidates who qualified for admission to Bachelor studies at universities, is 282 894 - 40.9% of the total number of candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams.
“By the way, the 2023 Bachelor passes in number and percentage, are the highest attained in the entire history of the NSC exams,” Motshekga boasted.
– KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng contributed the most Bachelor passes, with 72,099 for KZN, and 56,552 for Gauteng.
– When combined, KZN and Gauteng contributed 128,651 Bachelor passes - 45.5% of the total Bachelor passes achieved in the 2023 NSC exams.
– The number of candidates who passed with a Diploma, 187,876, which represents 27.2% of the total number of candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams.
– The number of candidates who passed with Higher Certificates 101,973, which represents 14.8% of the total number of candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams.
In addition, the minister added that:
– Of the 198,034 candidates from fee-paying schools who wrote the 2023 NSC exams, 170,080 of them passed the examinations.
This represents an 85.9% pass rate for candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams in fee-paying schools;
– Of the 501,758 candidates from “no fee” schools who wrote the 2023 NSC exams, 387,401 of them passed the exams.
This represents a 77.2% pass rate for candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams in “no fee” schools; and
– Of the 25,354 candidates from independent schools who wrote the DBE-managed 2023 NSC exams, 23,074 of them passed the examinations.
This represents 91.0%% pass rate for candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams in independent schools.
“We wish to congratulate the independent schools that wrote the DBE-coordinated NSC exams, as well as those that wrote the NSC examinations under the IEB and SACAI,” Motshekga said.
Motshekga said that a total 253,807 distinctions were achieved – this is equivalent to 49.4% of the total number of passes in the 2023 NSC exams – and 60,507 passes with distinctions from 2022.
The main contributors towards passes with distinctions, were KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Limpopo. Combined, the contribution of the five provinces towards passes with distinction, was 217,564 distinctions – which is equivalent to 85.7% passes with distinction.
“It is remarkable to note that the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo – the three most rural provinces in the country – produced a combined total of 144,015 Bachelor passes, which is equivalent to 50.9% of the total Bachelor passes, and an improvement of 4.6% from 2022.
“In addition, these three most rural provinces produced 149,655 passes with distinctions, which is equivalent to 59.0% of the total passes with distinction – an improvement of 23.2% from 2022,” Motshekga said.
“It is also noteworthy that the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo were also able to produce a combined total of 74,247 Diploma passes; which is equivalent to 39.5% of the total Diploma passes nationally. Therefore, this kind of consistent and improved performance by our three most rural provinces, dispels the myth that quality education is a character of urban provinces, thanks to the “pro-poor” policies of Government”.
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