Matric results: Candidates reminded to fetch their NSC statements from designated exam centres

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has issued a reminder to the Matric class of 2024 to collect their National Senior Certificate (NSC) results from their designated examination centres when results are released in January.

“The Department of Basic Education is currently processing the results for the Matric class of 2024. When the results are released, we urge you to collect your results at the centre where you sat for your 2024 National Senior Certificate examinations.

“Come get your original statement of your matric results from the 14th of January 2025,” the department announced on social media platform X.

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube is scheduled to announce the results on January 13, with the official release to students following on 14 January.

Looking back at matric class of 2023’s results

The upcoming results release follows a notable performance by the Class of 2023, which achieved a record-high overall pass rate of 82.9%, with 40.9% of students obtaining bachelor’s passes.

However, the results highlighted significant disparities between public and private school achievements.

In public schools, only 41% of students who wrote the 2023 Matric examinations received bachelor passes, compared to 89% of private school students.

This bachelor’s pass, which requires students to attain 40% for their home language subject and 50% for four other high-credit subjects (excluding Life Orientation), is crucial as it determines university access to degree programs.

ALSO READ: Matric results 2023: DBE must face ‘sobering reality’ of alarmingly high dropout rate

Debate over educational standards

The stark contrast in results prompted discussions about educational quality and standards.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has called for a unified examination system, though he clarified this doesn’t mean eliminating existing examination bodies.

“What I am calling for is that we are one country called South Africa, let all our children write one examination. You can’t have other children writing a better maths, while other children are writing an inferior maths in our own country,” Lesufi told eNCA.

The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) defended the current system, with their CEO Confidence Dikgole emphasising that all three of South Africa’s examination bodies – the DBE, IEB, and South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (Sacai) – follow the same curriculum.

“It’s about how a curriculum is delivered and taught and how the standards are set in terms of the examinations. That’s where the difference lies, but it’s the same curriculum that these learners are being assessed on,” stated Dikgole.

Lesufi maintained his stance on educational equality.

“What we are fighting for is quality for all. Let all our children write the same examination. If IEB is the best, let all of us write it.”

He further argued that since many matriculants would face similar examinations at tertiary institutions, “why not prepare them early,” advocating for a standardised approach to benefit all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

NOW READ: ‘It’s about how standards are set’ – IEB CEO weighs in on Lesufi’s matric exam comments