Ramaphosa Applauds Historic Success of the Matric Class of 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa has lauded the matric Class of 2024, noting that their achievements are a proud reflection of South Africa’s progress over the 30 years since the country’s transition to freedom and democracy.
The Class of 2024 recorded a historic pass rate of 87.3%, surpassing the 82.9% achieved by the Class of 2023. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube made the announcement during a celebratory ceremony in Johannesburg on Monday, with official individual results released the following day. A total of 615,429 learners passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams this year, the highest number in the nation’s history. Nearly half of the candidates earned a Bachelor’s pass, and approximately 320,000 distinctions were awarded.
According to Ramaphosa, these results reflect the learners' personal dedication and the progress made in the country’s basic education sector. They also demonstrate South Africa’s efforts to overcome the legacy of apartheid, which sought to impose intergenerational disadvantage, poverty, and indignity on the majority of its citizens.
He also emphasized the resilience, agency, and pride demonstrated by the youth as they strive for a better future.
Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude to all those involved in the education system, including learners, teachers, parents, guardians, school governing bodies, trade unions, and academic contributors in both the public and private sectors.
He noted that the doors of learning had been opened wide, with each new generation successfully passing through these doors being cause for celebration. He further urged the government and civil society to work together to create more opportunities for learners, including fostering an environment that encourages young people to pursue careers as entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators, thus promoting self-reliance.
The president also stated that the 2024 results should inspire efforts to address the challenges facing both the education sector and the economy, and he expressed confidence that the Class of 2024 would play a significant role in finding solutions to these issues.
The Class of 2024 recorded a historic pass rate of 87.3%, surpassing the 82.9% achieved by the Class of 2023. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube made the announcement during a celebratory ceremony in Johannesburg on Monday, with official individual results released the following day. A total of 615,429 learners passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams this year, the highest number in the nation’s history. Nearly half of the candidates earned a Bachelor’s pass, and approximately 320,000 distinctions were awarded.
According to Ramaphosa, these results reflect the learners' personal dedication and the progress made in the country’s basic education sector. They also demonstrate South Africa’s efforts to overcome the legacy of apartheid, which sought to impose intergenerational disadvantage, poverty, and indignity on the majority of its citizens.
He also emphasized the resilience, agency, and pride demonstrated by the youth as they strive for a better future.
Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude to all those involved in the education system, including learners, teachers, parents, guardians, school governing bodies, trade unions, and academic contributors in both the public and private sectors.
He noted that the doors of learning had been opened wide, with each new generation successfully passing through these doors being cause for celebration. He further urged the government and civil society to work together to create more opportunities for learners, including fostering an environment that encourages young people to pursue careers as entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators, thus promoting self-reliance.
The president also stated that the 2024 results should inspire efforts to address the challenges facing both the education sector and the economy, and he expressed confidence that the Class of 2024 would play a significant role in finding solutions to these issues.
