Ramaphosa: Almost 500,000 children who started Grade 1 in 2014 failed to reach matric
President Ramaphosa expressed concern that nearly half a million learners who began Grade 1 in 2014 didn't complete their schooling.
Image: Presidency
President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the Class of 2025 for achieving the highest matric pass rate in South African history, but warned that nearly half a million learners who started Grade 1 in 2014 did not make it to matric.
According to the president, of the 1.2 million children who started grade one 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,” said Ramaphosa.
The President acknowledged the historic achievement of the 2025 matric cohort, in which more than 650,000 learners passed the National Senior Certificate, yielding an 88% pass rate.
“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.
The results also reflected progress in gender and socioeconomic equity.
More girls than boys wrote the exams, with similar pass rates, and a higher proportion of girls qualified for Bachelor studies.
Nearly two-thirds of all bachelor passes came from schools in disadvantaged communities, classified as quintiles 1-3.
Ramaphosa also praised 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.”
However, challenges remain in subjects like mathematics and accounting, where pass rates have declined despite more learners taking the courses.
Ramaphosa said improving these areas is crucial for preparing young people to succeed in a rapidly changing economy.
To tackle these challenges, 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. We are working to ensure that they all finish their schooling, that they excel in matric and that they go on to thrive in everything they do,” the president said.
Ramaphosa encouraged future learners to draw 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.”
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