Education movements slam high dropout rate for matric class of 2024:
Advocacy movement Equal Education (EE) has criticised the department of basic education’s failure to address the high dropout rate after it was revealed that 1 222 851 learners started grade 1 in 2013 but only 724 156 enrolled as full-time candidates in grade 12 for 2024.
“Cracks in the education system disrupt learning, affect performance and push learners to disengage, putting them at a high risk of dropping out before matric. The department of basic education must protect the potential of all learners throughout their schooling journey,” Equal Education said in a statement.
But Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has cautioned that the number of learners that did not make it to matric does not indicate a high dropout rate for various reasons, including learners migrating to technical vocational education and training colleges or private schools and grade failure.
“We cannot therefore classify all of those who did not enrol for grade 12 in 2024 as having dropped out. This would be a misrepresentation,” Gwarube said during a press briefing on Monday, when she announced the results.
Commenting on Gwarube’s statement, the Zero Dropout Campaign said the department should focus on “early warning signs” to reduce the dropout rate.
“Practices such as ‘gatekeeping’, where learners are repeatedly kept behind because the schools don’t have the resources to catch them and don’t want to jeopardise their pass rates by progressing those learners, can be demoralising and prematurely push learners out of the school system,” the campaign’s Siyabulela Sandi said in a statement.
Gwarube announced on Monday that the class of 2024 achieved the highest grade 12 pass rate in the country’s history, at 87.3%, an improvement from 82.9% in 2023.
The number of full-time candidates writing the national senior certificate exams increased from 691 160 in 2023 to 705 291 in 2024.
More than 615 000 learners passed the exams, with 47.8% qualifying for admission to bachelor’s studies — an increase from 40.9% last year.
KwaZulu-Natal led with 84,470 bachelor passes, followed by Gauteng with 66,979 and the Eastern Cape with 45,662.
Provincial performance showed improvement across the board, with the Free State achieving the highest pass rate at 91%, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (89.5%) and Gauteng (88.4%). At district-level, Johannesburg West led at 97%.
But Equal Education, which held a peaceful demonstration during the minister’s briefing, said they were “intimidated and interrogated” for their placards highlighting the “urgent issues of education injustice”.
One of the placards read “Stop teacher cuts”. This follows the Western Cape education department announcing last year that it would lose 2,400 teaching posts in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) achieved an overall pass rate of 98.47% in the 2024 examinations, the highest pass rate recorded in the past five years.
According to the board, all candidates who completed the exams obtained a pass that qualifies them for tertiary study.
Of the cohort 89.37% achieved entry to degree study, compared with 88.59% in 2023 and 7.56% qualified for entry to diploma study, compared with 8.31% in 2023.
And 1.53% of its candidates achieved entry for study at the higher certificate level, compared with 1.57% in 2023.
Somerset College IEB Matric Results 2024:
Yet another 100% Bachelor’s pass rate for Somerset College
| Pass rate: A 100% Bachelor’s Degree (University Entrance) pass
Average A symbols per candidate: 4.2 A Averages: 59 A averages from 98 candidates (of these, 8 averages of 90% or above) Candidates with A symbols: 93 Commendable Achievements: 4 (Achieved within the top 5% in 5 subjects and achieved a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation) Outstanding Achievement Awards: 6 (Achieved within the top 5% in 6 subjects and achieved a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation) Top 1% Awards in specific IEB subjects: 40 |
Somerset College takes pride in its unwavering commitment to academic excellence. The Class of 2024 has set a remarkable standard, achieving an average of 4.2 A symbols per student. Over the past eight years, the school has maintained an impressive average of at least 3 A symbols per student. We are also delighted to uphold our unbroken record of a 100% Bachelor’s Degree pass rate, ensuring all our students have access to university opportunities. Among the 98 candidates, an outstanding 59 achieved an A average, with 8 students attaining an exceptional 90% or higher average.
In addition, numerous students featured nationally in the upper echelons of the IEB results.
Tahirah Ahmed, Megan Falkenberg, Zara Hingeston, and Matthew Wylie were awarded a Commendable Achievement award for achieving within the top 5% of all IEB candidates nationally across five subjects and an A symbol for Life Orientation.
Ashleigh Cotterrell, Nila Prinsloo, Isabella Pritchett, Sarah Tucker, Gabriella Verdal-Austin, and Harriet Wraith achieved Outstanding Achievement Awards for ranking within the top 5% across six or more subjects and achieving an A symbol in Life Orientation.
Somerset College students were also awarded 40 Top 1% awards for featuring in the top 1% percent of their cohort nationally across a range of subjects. This includes 2 in Accounting; 2 in Afrikaans; 6 in English HL; 1 in Geography; 1 in History; 10 in Life Orientation; 4 in Life Sciences; 3 in Mathematical Literacy; 6 in Mathematics Core; 2 in Further Studies Mathematics; 2 in Physical Sciences; and 1 in Visual Art.
In all our academic departments except one, the Somerset College average was higher than the national IEB average. Our students attained an average over 10% higher than the national IEB average in 10 subjects, including Accounting, Afrikaans, Design, Geography, History, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Further Studies Mathematics and Visual Art. The Somerset College average for Mathematics Core is 18% higher than the National Average.
A special mention goes to Sarah Tucker for attaining 8 A symbols with an average of 95.1%. She achieved 100% for Core Mathematics, FSM Standard and FSM Elective!
We applaud the Class of 2024 for their remarkable fortitude and resilience throughout their journey. At this time, we honour the memory of Frances Downes (2006–2024), remember her as a member of the Matric Class of 2024, and extend our thoughts to her friends and family. The success of this cohort in their final examinations reflects the dedication, professionalism, and resilience of our exceptional teaching staff, who have consistently navigated challenges while supporting students and upholding standards of excellence.
We also acknowledge the contribution of the Student Development Unit. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our committed parent community, whose unwavering support for their children and the school, especially during this pivotal Grade 12 year, has been vital to this shared achievement.
Students with 8 A symbols:
- Tahirah Ahmed
- Ella Beattie
- Ashleigh Cotterrell
- Zara Hingeston
- Nila Prinsloo
- Isabella Pritchett
- Sarah Tucker
- Gabriella Verdal-Austin
Students with 7 A symbols:
- Dayle Combrinck
- Sarah Davidson
- Megan Falkenberg
- Nina Gräbe
- Cameron Leybrandt
- Caitlyn Macleod Smith
- Hannah O’Connor
- Bailey Pinto
- Alyssa Pretorius
- Gracie Smith
- Ruby van der Merwe
- Emma van Schalkwyk
- Harriet Wraith
- Matthew Wylie
Students with 6 A symbols:
- Talia Abelson
- Jack Bamford
- Julia Brown
- Megan Huggett
- Joshua Human
- Coco Macdonald
- Hannah Macfarlane
- Caroline Morris
- Tristan Williamson
- Chloe Young
STUDENTS WITH 5 A SYMBOLS:
- Erin Cunningham
- Rowan Curtin
- Helené Goosen
- Milla Harris
- Naia Harwood
- Madison Irvine
- Caitlin Kendall
- Nicola Kloppers
- Liza Linkov
- Sarah Pardoe
- Nicholas Plotz
- Sian Prothero
- Tyrone Rieth
- Hannah Willis
Message from Jacques Nel, Executive Head:
Dear Class of 2024,
Congratulations on your extraordinary academic achievements! Your unwavering dedication, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence have culminated in these spectacular results. Each of you has proven to be in a class of your own, leaving a significant legacy that will inspire generations to come.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated teachers who have selflessly imparted their knowledge and guided you on this journey. Their unwavering commitment to your education has played a pivotal role in your success.
A special word of appreciation goes to the parents who have been your constant source of support. Your unwavering belief in the potential of your children, the Class of 2024, has fueled their determination and contributed significantly to their achievements.
As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, may your dreams soar high, your endeavours be fruitful, and your journey be filled with boundless opportunities. We wish you a future as bright and promising as the remarkable accomplishments you have achieved in 2024.
Congratulations once again, Class of 2024! Your success is a testament to your hard work and dedication. We are immensely proud of you.
At 87.3%, class of 2024 achieves highest pass rate in history of South Africa:
The 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results have marked a historic moment for South Africa’s education system, with a record-breaking pass rate of 87.3%, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced on Monday night.
This is the highest pass rate in the country’s history, and an improvement from 82.9% in 2023. Every province improved on its 2023 performance, the minister said.
Gwarube said that the number of full-time candidates writing the NSC examinations increased from 691 160 in 2023 to 705 291 in 2024.
“We also saw the number of learners with special education needs who wrote the National Senior Certificate examinations increase from 5 288 in 2023 to 6 470 in 2024.
“Furthermore, we saw 556 726 learners who are beneficiaries of social grants writing the National Senior Certificate exams in 2024 – 12 938 more than in 2023,” she said.
More than 615,000 learners passed the NSC exams, with 47.8% qualifying for admission to bachelor’s studies— an increase from 40.9% last year.
KwaZulu-Natal led with 84,470 bachelor passes, followed by Gauteng with 66,979 and the Eastern Cape with 45,662.
Gwarube said that 67% of bachelor passes came from underprivileged schools in Quintiles 1 to 3.
“This means that poorer communities are producing more and more candidates who can go on to become doctors, engineers, accountants and scientists,” she said.
“The Class of 2024 has shown extraordinary resilience,” said Gwarube, referencing challenges such as pandemic disruptions, budget constraints, and social issues like gangsterism and violence. She likened the learners’ perseverance to the protea, which thrives in adversity.
Despite the success, challenges persist. International benchmarks and systemic evaluations reveal ongoing deficits in foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy. Over 69% of learners passed mathematics, an improvement from 63.5% in 2023, but physical sciences saw a slight decline to 75.6% from 76.2% last year.
The minister highlighted plans to address these gaps, including expanding early childhood development programs and improving teacher training. “Foundational literacy and numeracy are crucial to unlocking future successes,” she said.
Provincial performance showed improvement across the board, with the Free State achieving the highest pass rate at 91%, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (89.5%) and Gauteng (88.4%). District-level performance also impressed, with Johannesburg West leading at 97%.
The results underline the growing maturity of the education system, said Gwarube, but she cautioned that the matric pass rate “does not tell us about the quality of education outcomes that our schooling system is achieving, it is an important indicator of progress.
“It simply tells us what percentage of learners who wrote the National Senior Certificate achieved the minimum pass requirements for this qualification.”
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