Silikamva High shine in 2025 matirc results

The Western Cape recorded its highest-ever matric pass rate for the Class of 2025, achieving an impressive 88.2%, improving on last year's 86.6%.

Western Cape pupils excelled in the mathematics field, recording a pass rate of 73.7% and also delivered the second-highest physical science pass rate nationally, recording an 80.6%.

Nationally, more than 900 000 pupils wrote the 2025 NSC examinations at about 6 000 centres across the country with 656 000 pupils successfully passing their exams, with 345 000 of them passing with a bachelor's pass, despite there being a slight decline from 48% to 46%.

In Hout Bay, for the first time since opening their doors in 2013, Silikamva High School produced a 100% pass rate, continuing their rapid improvement with a steady incline since 2023, when they produced a 93.3% pass rate, followed by a 94.4% in 2024.

Silikamva High School is a Quintile 3 no-fee school and struggled in the past with its results. In 2019, they produced a pass rate of just 40.4%.

Silikamva High School principal, Siphathisiwe Nkahla-Nkohla, was delighted with the results and commended the teachers and pupils for their efforts.

"Our results are a reflection of the strong academic culture we have inculcated as a school, the use of data to improve results, the commitment of our educators, and the support of parents and our school operating partner," she said.

"We are proud of what has been achieved."

Onako Qhekeka from the Eastern Cape was Silikamva High School's top performer, produsing codes 6 and 7's.

"As a principal, I am ecstatic and proud of our 2025 Matrics. I am already looking forward to starting the year with the 2026 Matrics," Ms Nkohla said.

Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, visited the school on Tuesday, January 13, to celebrate the moment with the school.

Mr Maynier said the department was happy to see improvements across no-fee school quintiles, with all of them increasing their pass rates and achieving more than 80%.

"We are delighted to celebrate this moment with the school and wish to congratulate everyone for this amazing achievement," he said.

"The school's name means 'we are the future', and with matric results like these, that future is very bright."

Hout Bay High School experienced a major drop in its results, from 93.6% in 2024 to 62.9% for 2025.

Hout Bay High School principal Emilton Cloete could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.

For the first time in the country's history, all 75 education districts in the country managed to achieve a pass rate above 80%.

National Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, announced the record national pass rate of 88%, highlighting that it represented a steady 0.7% increase from 2024.

The Western Cape landed fifth, with a pass rate of 88.2%, on the provincial ranking, behind the likes of the North West with 88.49%, Gauteng with 89.6%, Free State with 89.33% and in first place, KwaZulu-Natal, with a 90.6%.

Hout Bay community worker, Kenny Tokwe, applauded the efforts of Silikamva, saying: "It's a blessing to our future."

"Education is a direct step toward a better future. A winning nation is a reading nation. Their results were amazing, and I want to congratulate the teachers and pupils and the community at large who gave their support," Mr Tokwe said.

"It makes us really proud as a community to achieve such results in this very challenging environment in our community."