Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education, released the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) in Johannesburg on Monday, January 13, 2025.
The Eastern Cape 2025 NSC examination results indicated a slight decline in overall Provincial pass rate from the previous academic year. The province achieved 84,17% compared to 84,9% in 2024.
While the slight decline is a matter of concern, the Eastern Cape Premier, Mr Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, has congratulated all learners who successfully passed their matric examinations, recognising their dedication, tenacity and hard work during the academic year. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to educators, schools, leadership, parents and communities for their vital support of learners.
“We must confront the realities reflected in these results with honesty and determination. A slight decline serves as a call to action to sharpen our focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in subjects that are critical to learner progression and accessing further education,” said the Premier Mabuyane.
Despite the province’s ninth-place overall ranking, five Eastern Cape schools had a 100% pass rate each year from 2021 to 2025. These schools include, King Edward High in Alfred Nzo West, Lilyfontein High in Buffalo City, Collegiate Girls’ High in Nelson Mandela Bay, Insight Learning School, also in the Bay area, and Cradock Correctional Centre in Nxuba.
According to IOS, education expert Professor Susan van Rensburg pointed out that “learner migration” also distorts results, since the province’s top-achieving learners frequently relocate to KwaZulu-Natal or the Western Cape, where their achievements are attributed to those administrations.
In order to pin point certain areas that need intervention, such as subject-level performance, district patterns, and learner assistance needs, the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, through the Department of Education, will carry out a thorough examination of data. This analysis will inform the implementation of focused academic recovery programs, improved measures for educator development, and increased oversight and assistance for schools.
