President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the matric Class of 2024, describing their achievements as a proud reflection of South Africa’s progress over 30 years of freedom and democracy.

The Class of 2024 achieved a record-breaking pass rate of 87.3%, surpassing the 82.9% attained by the Class of 2023. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the results on Monday during a celebratory ceremony in Johannesburg. Official individual results were released on Tuesday.

A total of 615,429 learners passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams this year—the highest number in the country’s history. Nearly half of all candidates earned a Bachelor’s pass, while approximately 320,000 distinctions were awarded.

“These results bear testimony to learners’ personal commitment and the advances in our basic education sector,” said Ramaphosa. “They also provide proof that we are undoing apartheid’s planned legacy of intergenerational indignity, disadvantage, and poverty for the majority of South Africans.”

Ramaphosa highlighted the resilience, agency, and pride shown by young people in striving for a better future.

“These results demonstrate the agency, resilience, and pride of the youth of our nation in creating a better future for themselves and for all of us,” he said.

Gratitude to Stakeholders

The president expressed gratitude to learners, teachers, parents, guardians, school governing bodies, trade unions, and academic contributors in both public and private sectors for their role in the education system.

“The doors of learning have swung wide open, and we will celebrate each new generation that passes through these doors successfully,” he added.

Ramaphosa also called on government and civil society to work together to create opportunities for learners.

“This must include the space and inspiration for young people to set their own course as entrepreneurs, innovators, inventors, and other embodiments of creativity and self-reliance,” he said.

He urged that the 2024 results serve as motivation to address the challenges facing the education sector and the economy. “We are confident the Class of 2024 will itself produce some of the answers to these challenges,” he said.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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