KwaZulu-Natal leads nation: rural schools shine in record-breaking 2025 NSC results
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka praises the resilience of KwaZulu-Natal's Matric Class of 2025 as they lead the nation in academic excellence, with the deeply rural uMkhanyakude District being top in the province and coming second nationally.
Image: NTOMBIZODWA DLAMINI Independent Newspapers
KwaZulu-Natal has emerged as the top-performing province in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, demonstrating both quality and quantity in its academic outcomes.
The province recorded the highest number of exam writers, the most bachelor passes, and the top overall pass rate in the country a historic 90.6%.
Speaking at the provincial awards ceremony held at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) on Tuesday, Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka praised the Class of 2025 for defying the odds.
“The Class of 2025 largely comes from schools with limited resources, many of them in rural areas, making the achievement even more significant,” he said.
The event honoured KwaZulu-Natal’s top-performing learners and districts, with families, educators, and officials gathering to celebrate a cohort that began high school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province’s performance was officially confirmed by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube during the national results announcement on Monday evening.
She revealed that the national pass rate had climbed to 88%, a 0.7% improvement from 2024, with KwaZulu-Natal leading the pack, followed by the Free State and Gauteng.
Gwarube commended learners and schools for their resilience, particularly in under-resourced communities.
“We have seen that in township and no-fee schools, excellence is becoming a pattern. Poverty is not a destination. Pupils are showing us that where they come from is not where they will end up,” she said.
Hlomuka echoed this sentiment, describing KwaZulu-Natal as a “province of hope” and attributing the success to the unwavering commitment of educators.
“We have remained hopeful in many situations. That is why we are so grateful and congratulate all our teachers for their hard work and commitment,” he said.
He also acknowledged the broader context in which these achievements were made, noting that this was the second NSC results released under the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
“Today, we proudly return them to their parents and communities, well equipped to take the next steps in their lives,” Hlomuka said.
Despite the celebration, he pointed to ongoing challenges, including rapid population growth, which continues to place pressure on the province’s education system by increasing the number of school-going children.
KwaZulu-Natal’s 2025 matric triumph is not only a statistical victory but a powerful statement about the potential of learners across all communities in rural and urban areas in fee-paying and no-fee schools, to rise, achieve, and lead.