The matric class of 2017 worked hard to achieve optimum results during the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
The Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced the NSC results at the SABC studios in Auckland Park on 4 January.
The occasion was attended by top achieving students, their families, sponsors and department representatives. Radio and television presenter Peter Ndoro was the master of ceremonies.
During Motshekga’s address, she said this year’s results were a clear indication that teaching and learning in the education sector have improved.
She commended the class of 2017 for achieving a 75,1 per cent pass rate, which was a 2,6 per cent improvement on the previous year.
The top achieving province is the Free State‚ recording a pass mark of 86 percent which is down from 88 per cent in 2016. In second place is Gauteng‚ with 85,1 per cent, the same pass rate as in 2016. The Western Cape is in the third place with a pass rate of 82,7 percent‚ down from 85,9 per cent.
“Consequently, in 2017 we saw the second largest number of progressed learners since the policy was promulgated in 2013.
An analysis of the raw data on progressed learners paints an extremely interesting picture, particularly for this year. For the class of 2017 we had 107 430 registered progressed learners,” said Motshekga.
She said a total of 1 801 distinctions were attained, including in crucial subjects such as accounting, business studies, economics, mathematics and physical science.
The class of 2017 has recorded the third highest enrolment of Grade 12 learners in the history of the basic education system in South Africa.
“We wish to thank all provinces, especially Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu Natal for the extra support and pointed interventions they gave to these learners.
If these provinces did not do this, some of the progressed young people, could have fallen through the cracks of the system, due to continuous repetition and ultimate drop-out from the system,” said Motshekga.
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