KwaZulu-Natal came out on top in the 2025 matric results with a 90.6% pass rate, helping the national average hit a record 88%. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed it’s the highest pass rate in South Africa’s history, rising 0.7% from 2024.
The Free State followed closely behind at 89.33%, with Gauteng in third (89%), North West in fourth (88.49%), and the Western Cape at fifth (88.2%). The Northern Cape saw the biggest improvement, reaching 87.79% to land in sixth place.
Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape rounded out the bottom three. Eastern Cape had the lowest rate at 84.17%.
While celebrating the results, Gwarube urged South Africans not to focus only on the headline numbers, but also to reflect on what they reveal about the overall state of education including areas needing serious improvement.
Notably, the accounting pass rate dropped from 81% to 78%, and mathematics declined from 69% to 64%. On a positive note, physical sciences improved slightly from 76% to 78%.
