The FW de Klerk Foundation extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2025 for their outstanding achievement in the National Senior Certificate (“NSC”) examinations. South Africa has reached a record matric pass rate of 88%, up from 87,3% in 2024. More than 656 000 learners passed, from over 900 000 candidates who wrote at about 6 000 centres nationwide. The Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, reminded the country that these results are “earned, not gifted” – a vital affirmation of trust in a national system that must remain credible, fair and tightly protected against irregularities.

KwaZulu-Natal led the country with a 90,6% pass rate and for the first time all 75 education districts achieved pass rates of 80% and above. These marks matter because they suggest that progress is spreading beyond isolated pockets of strength and becoming more system-wide. They also reinforce the Minister’s emphasis that matric is not an event, but the culmination of a long journey – often travelled under real strain, including poverty, hunger, unsafe environments, overcrowded classrooms and uneven resource distribution. Seen in that light, the Class of 2025’s achievement is not only a record; it is a national indicator of resilience, coordination and the quiet strength of families, teachers and communities who carried learners to the finish line.

The Minister urged South Africans to look beyond headline pass rates and focus on what the numbers say about quality, equity and readiness. The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes this emphasis. While the share of Bachelor passes dipped from about 48% to 46%, more learners than ever achieved Bachelor passes – over 345 000, an increase of 8 700 from the year before. Importantly, over 66% of Bachelor passes were achieved by learners from no-fee schools, affirming that excellence is becoming a pattern in communities that have carried the heaviest burdens of poverty and inequality.

At the same time, urgent work is still needed in basic education. South Africa must strengthen early learning so that children thrive by five, read for meaning by ten and enter the senior phase with strong numeracy and language foundations. Retention pressures in the later grades must be confronted with earlier support, better learner tracking and credible second-chance pathways. Learner well-being is inseparable from outcomes: school nutrition, safety partnerships, anti-bullying interventions and inclusive support are not “extras”, but conditions for learning – especially in poorer communities.

Christo van der Rheede, Executive Director of the FW de Klerk Foundation, said, “The Class of 2025 has shown South Africa what resilience looks like: a record 88% pass rate, KwaZulu-Natal leading at 90,6% and district-wide improvement that strengthens national confidence. These results should inspire us to protect what works and extend it to every classroom.”

Ismail Joosub, Manager of Constitutional Advancement, added, “This is a national victory, but also a constitutional reminder: the right to basic education must translate into real learning. If we secure strong foundations early and protect learner well-being, we widen dignity, opportunity and social mobility for every young South African.”

The FW de Klerk Foundation congratulates the Class of 2025 and calls on all stakeholders to sustain this momentum by strengthening learning foundations and protecting proven support programmes for the years ahead.