Matric Class of 2025 Makes History with Record-Breaking Pass Rate. 2/2

South Africa’s Matric Class of 2025 has rewritten the record books, achieving the highest pass rate in the country’s history. Just over 88% of the more than 700,000 learners who sat for the exams passed, with 656,000 crossing the finish line. Announcing the results in Johannesburg, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube praised the collective effort behind the achievement, saying the milestone was built “day by day, term by term, year by year” by learners, teachers and parents. Meanwhile, the Independent Examination Board reported an impressive 98.31% pass rate, with every successful candidate qualifying for post-school education. Phemelo speaks to IEB top achievers, including St John’s College head boy Siza Gule (9 distinctions), Ashley Erasmus from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (7 distinctions) and Nsovo Mabunda from St Peter’s College (5 distinctions).