Durban, 14 January 2025 - KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli, joined the province in jubilation as he officially announced the 2024 Matric results during a ceremony held in Durban. The province proudly celebrated a stellar performance, marking another milestone in its educational journey.

A Record-Breaking Year

On 13 January 2025, Minister of Basic Education, Honourable Siviwe Gwarhube, announced a historic national performance by the Matric Class of 2024, with KwaZulu-Natal achieving an 89.5% pass rate. This represents a 3.1% improvement from the previous year and positions the province as the second-best performing in South Africa, following the Free State.

“This is proof that the essential foundation of basic education in KwaZulu-Natal is being laid brick by brick, district by district, school by school, and learner by learner,” Premier Ntuli said. “We are firmly on track towards our 90% target, and I have no doubt this performance will be surpassed in 2025.”

Key Highlights

KwaZulu-Natal recorded:
• 161,962 candidates writing the National Senior Certificate (NSC), with 144,990 passing (89.5%).
• 84,000 Bachelor passes, the highest in the country, marking a significant improvement from 45.7% in 2023 to 52.2% in 2024.
• An increase in schools achieving a 100% pass rate, from 246 in 2023 to 321 in 2024.

District performances also showed impressive growth, with Umkhanyakude leading nationally at 92.8%, followed by Ugu (91.7%) and Umlazi (89.8%).

Celebrating Excellence

Premier Ntuli commended MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka and the Department of Education for their unwavering commitment to academic excellence. He also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of educators, school governing bodies, and organised labour.

Special recognition was given to top achievers and schools, including Special and Correctional Services Centres, which achieved a 100% pass rate.

Message of Encouragement

Premier Ntuli offered words of encouragement to learners who did not pass, highlighting the Department’s Second Chances Programme. “Success is not measured by how many times you fall, but by how many times you rise. Never give up,” he emphasised.

He also encouraged learners to embrace the evolving job market and equip themselves with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to remain competitive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Looking Ahead

The Premier concluded with an inspirational message for the Class of 2024. “You are our future in the making. Grab every opportunity with both hands. KwaZulu-Natal is counting on you to make our province a better place for all.”

The ceremony ended with a collective commitment to continue inspiring hope and striving for even greater achievements in education.

ENDS