Bachelor passes from no-fee schools growing: Gwarube

Minister Siviwe Gwarube making the 2025 Matric results announcement

A growing number of Bachelor passes now come from no-fee and rural schools.

This is one of the key takeaways from Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s announcement of the class of 2025 Matric results.

The Matric class of 2025 has achieved 88% pass rate, an increase from last year’s 87.03%, and the highest ever in the country’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) history.

Gwarube says the increase in Bachelor passes demonstrates that expanded educational opportunities are helping to break cycles of poverty.

“Poverty is not a destination or destiny where you come from doesn’t matter. Sustaining and expanding these gains, especially in early childhood education is seen as key to preventing recurring inequality.”

Speaking to SABC News on the sidelines of the announcement, Gwarube said that her biggest priority is to strengthen quality indicators.

“I want more learners with Bachelor passes; I want more children with special needs to excel…I want us to strengthen the system from the foundation up. So, for me it’s less about saying I want us to attain 90% but more about achieving quality passes.”

Meanwhile, all of the provinces in the country have achieved a pass rate of over 80%.