Matric class of 2023 achieves pass rate of 82.9%, up from 2022
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Thursday evening that the matric class of 2023 achieved a pass rate of 82.9%.
Free State retained its top position nationally, with a pass rate of 89.03%.
The national matric pass rate is up by 2.8% from the 80.1% pass rate in 2022.
A total of 715 719 full time and 182 056 part time candidates registered to sit for the 2023 NSC (National Senior Certificate) examinations.
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Motshekga said 282 894 qualified for university admission to bachelor studies, with KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng contributing the most passes.
She said 187 876 candidates passed with a diploma.
"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 as the highest in the history of NSC exams," Motshekga said.
The class of 2023 achieved 253 807 distinctions. KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Limpopo were the main contributors.
Motshekga said it was remarkable to note that the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo – the three most rural provinces in the country, produced 50.9% of the total bachelor passes.
"In addition, these three most rural provinces produced 59.0% of the total passes with distinction," she said.
Matric 2023.
Motshekga said 56.4% of the candidates who wrote the 2023 NSC exams were girls, while 43.6% were boys.
She said 42% of the girls and 39.6% of the boys attained bachelor passes, while 26.1% of the girls and 28.6% of the boys attained diploma passes.
Motshekga announced that 14.8% of the girls and 14.6% of the boys attained higher certificate passes, while female candidates attained 66.4% of the distinctions.
Motshekga said some of the other features of the 2023 NSC exams included a high degree of stability in the system.
"There was much improved data collection, data analysis, and data feedback processes within the DBE; and more importantly, the class of 2023 showed the greatest determination, fortitude and resolve to overcome all odds."
In the 2023 NSC examinations:
None of the 75 districts attained pass rates lower than 60%.
Only one district in the country performed below 70%.
Nineteen districts performed between 70% and 79%; and
Fifty-five districts performed at 80% and above.
The top 10 district level performances in the country are:
Johannesburg West in the Gauteng with 92.5%.
Motheo in Free State with 91.2%.
Tshwane South in Gauteng with 90.4%.
Umkhanyakude in Kwazulu-Natal with 90%.
Fezile Dabi in Free State with 89.6%.
Ugu in the Kwazulu-Natal with 89.5%.
Thabo Mafutsanyana in Free State with 89.4%.
Ilembe in KwaZulu-Natal with 88.6%.
Gauteng North in Gauteng with 88.4%.
Zululand in Kwazulu-Natal with 87.2%.
