Education districts break records with 80% pass rates

By Charmaine Ndlela

For the first time, all 75 school districts across South Africa have recorded matric pass rates of 80% and above.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the milestone during the official release of the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on Monday night in Johannesburg.

Gwarube said the achievement signals a significant shift in the education system, noting that performance gaps between districts and provinces are narrowing compared to previous years.

“District performance is one of our clearest quality indicators – because it shows whether improvement is spreading system-wide or remaining concentrated in pockets of strength,” she said.

She added that this marks a turning point where improvement is no longer limited to a few pockets of excellence but is being realised across all districts.

“[W]e see what is possible when schools are supported and districts are strong. Districts like uMkhanyakude and Umlazi remind us that outstanding