President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the Class of 2025 for achieving the highest matric pass rate in South Africa’s history, but cautioned that the success masks a deeper crisis in the education system.
According to the president, nearly 500,000 learners who started Grade 1 in 2014 did not make it to matric.
“Of the 1.2 million children who started Grade 1 in 2014, only 778,000 made it through to Grade 12 in 2025. That’s nearly half a million young people who left school before finishing,” Ramaphosa said.
Record-breaking matric results
The 2025 matric results marked a historic milestone, with more than 650,000 learners passing the National Senior Certificate, resulting in an 88% pass rate, the highest on record.
Ramaphosa congratulated learners, teachers, families and communities for the achievement.
“We congratulate all the learners and their teachers, families and communities for this great achievement. We applaud every learner who sat these exams,” he said.
Progress in equity and inclusion
The president highlighted positive trends in gender and socioeconomic equity:
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More girls than boys wrote the matric exams, with similar overall pass rates
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A higher proportion of girls qualified for Bachelor studies
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Nearly two-thirds of all Bachelor passes came from schools in disadvantaged communities (quintiles 1–3)
Ramaphosa also praised the performance of learners with special education needs.
“We are encouraged by the fact that 90% of learners with special education needs passed matric, and 52% achieved Bachelor passes, both higher than the national average,” he said.
Warning signs in key subjects
Despite the overall success, Ramaphosa expressed concern about declining pass rates in critical subjects such as mathematics and accounting, even as more learners enrolled in these courses.
He said strengthening performance in these subjects is essential for preparing young people to compete in a rapidly changing and skills-driven economy.
Government focus on early education
To address high dropout rates and learning gaps, Ramaphosa said the government is prioritising early childhood education.
“By investing in children at the start of their school career, by giving them a solid educational foundation, we are preparing them for success,” he said.
The president stressed the importance of ensuring learners complete their schooling, excel in matric and transition successfully into higher education, training or work.
Message to future learners
Ramaphosa urged younger learners to take inspiration from the Class of 2025.
“The achievements of the Class of 2025 must inspire and encourage all the years of learners that are to follow,” he said.
