Matric results 2022: Free State leads provinces with 88.5% pass rate

The Free State is the leading province again this year with a pass rate of 88.5%, an increase of 2.8% from 2021, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced on Thursday.

Limpopo province came last again this year, though it was the second-best improved province, with a 72.1% pass rate – a 5.3% increase from 2021.

Motshekga also lauded the province for reaching a 70% pass rate, fulfilling the promise they made last year after being the only province that failed to reach the milestone.

Achievements by province

• The Free State is the leading province at 88.5%, an increase of 2.8% from 2021.

• Gauteng achieved at 84.4%, an increase of 1.6% from 2021.

• KwaZulu-Natal, the best improved province, achieved 83.0%, an increase of 6.2% from 2021.

• Western Cape achieved 81.4%, an increase of 0.2% from 2021.

• North West achieved at 79.8%, an increase of 1.6% from 2021.

• The third best improved province, is the Eastern Cape, with an achievement of 77.3%, an increase of 4.2% from 2021.

• Mpumalanga achieved at 76.8%, a 2.9% increase from 2021.

• Northern Cape achieved at 74.2%, a 2.7% increase from 2021.

• The second best improved province, is Limpopo, with an achievement of 72.1%, a 5.3% increase from 2021.

Watch the matric results announcements below, courtesy of the SABC:

Aggregation according to gender

According to Motshekga, more than 920,000 candidates enrolled the 2022 NSC examinations. There were 92,951 more girls than boys, who enrolled for the 2022 NSC examinations – an improvement of 20.3% from 2021.

Overall, 326, 894 girls – an improvement of 10% from 2021; and 253,661 boys – an improvement of 5.4% from 2021, passed the 2022 NSC examinations. 

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When translated into percentages, this represents 80.2% girls, and 79.8% boys, who passed the 2022 NSC examinations.

NSC examinations overall performance

The 2022 NSC overall pass rate reached the 80.1%, (compared with 76.4% in 2021) – an improvement of 3.7% from the pass rate achieved by the Class of 2021. 

This represents a record of 580,555) candidates who passed the 2022 NSC examinations – an improvement of 7.9% passes by number, achieved by the Class of 2021.

“While the pass rate in number of the Class of 2022 is the highest in the history of the National Senior Certificate examinations, when the pass rate is expressed as a percentage, that of the Class of 2019, which attained 81.3% pass rate, stands out as the highest so far,” said Motshekga.

Candidates who wrote the NSC exams will receive their matric results on Friday. Candidates may fetch their statements from the school or exam centre where they wrote.

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Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde