Matric results: 2022 IEB class gets ‘outstanding’ 98.42% pass rate after being hit hardest by Covid

The matric results are out for the schools that wrote the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams, with the 2022 class achieving a pass rate of 98.42%.

This is a slight improvement on 2021’s pass rate of 98.39%.

The IEB said all its matric candidates achieved results good enough to allow them to study at tertiary institutions.

Of this, 89.32% of IEC pupils will be able to study for a degree, 7.52% qualified for entry at a diploma level, while 1.57% can study at the higher certificate level.

Matric results ‘outstanding’

Anne Oberholzer, CEO of the IEB, said the matric results are “outstanding” as the class of 2022 were hardest hit by Covid-19.

“While the Class of 2022 has seen how previous Grade 12 classes of 2020 and 2021 managed to adapt to a new reality, this was the class that missed out the most in their Grade 10 and Grade 11 years which are fundamentally important to success in their Grade 12 performance,” said Oberholzer.

“They have had to work hard to maintain their drive and perseverance to succeed and, in many respects, dig deep to play catch up in terms of lost time and experiences.”

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Oberholzer said the social and emotional impact of the pandemic cannot be overlooked.

“The impact of lockdown, the absence of normal social interaction with friends and engagement in the social activities of teenagers should not be underestimated,” she said.

2022 saw 12 580 full-time and 945 part-time candidates writing the IEB National Senior Certificate (NSC) matric exams across Southern Africa.

Top performing schools

The IEB also released a list of pupils that it classified as having an outstanding achievement. These are the pupils whose matric results were within the top 5% in six or more subjects and achieved a rating level of 7 in life orientation.

Midstream College, in Midrand, came out tops with the most pupils that pulled off an outstanding achievement. Eleven of its students achieved this status.

King David High School, Linksfield, was second with seven outstanding achievements.

Redhill School and St John’s College both had six pupils with this achievement.

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