Matric Pass Rate Increases to 76.4%

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has announced that the 2021 matric pass rate is 76.4% up from 76.2% in 2020

Motshekga released results on Thursday.

The class of 2021 is the second cohort of matrics who had to endure extraordinary challenges, having written their exams under the COVID-19 pandemic.

The class of 2019 achieved a pass rate of 81.3%, the highest in democratic South Africa.

Motshekga said the class of 2021 was the most affected by the COVID-19 because they had to endure two unrelenting years of exposure to the pandemic.

“It is important to remind the nation that for the past ten years, the National Senior Certificates (NSC) pass rates have consistently been going up from 60% in 2009, to above 70% in recent years.  The Class of 2021 must be commended for maintaining this trend, despite the astronomical challenges they faced.”

The Free State achieved the highest past rate at 85.7%, an improvement of 0.6% from 2020.

• Gauteng achieved at 82.8%, a 1.0% decline from 2020.

• Western Cape achieved 81.2%, an improvement of 1.3% from 2020.

• North West achieved 78.2%, an improvement of 2.0% from 2020.

• KwaZulu-Natal achieved at 76.8%, a decline of 0.8% from 2020.

• Mpumalanga achieved at 73.6%, a 0.1% decline from 2020.

• Eastern Cape achieved at 73.0%, an improvement of 4.9% from 2020 which was the second highest improvement.