What is this about?
The Department of Basic Education has released the full 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) School Performance Report, detailing how every province — and every school — performed in last year’s matric exams.
This part of the report focuses on national trends, provincial comparisons, and which regions saw the strongest — and weakest — school performance.
Why it matters to you
Matric results shape futures. This report helps:
- Parents and learners understand where their province stands
- Teachers and officials compare local vs national progress
- Communities track long-term education outcomes in their area
It’s also a tool to identify struggling schools, and support those that are improving.
National & Provincial Results: 2025 Summary
South Africa had 6,950 schools write the 2025 matric exams.
Here’s how provinces performed by percentage of schools in the 80–100% pass range:
| Province | Total Schools | 80–100% Pass Rate | 0–39.9% Pass Rate | Schools with 100% Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Cape | 964 | 68.2% | 0.5% | 57 |
| Free State | 359 | 87.7% | 0.3% | 45 |
| Gauteng | 938 | 86.7% | 0.3% | 180 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 1,764 | 86.5% | 0.6% | 313 |
| Limpopo | 1,278 | 75.2% | 0.7% | 134 |
| Mpumalanga | 583 | 74.8% | 0.5% | 57 |
| North West | 449 | 83.1% | 0.2% | 45 |
| Northern Cape | 146 | 85.6% | 0.0% | 11 |
| Western Cape | 469 | 80.2% | 0.0% | 78 |
| National Total | 6,950 | 80.3% | 0.5% | 920 |
Source: Department of Basic Education 2025 School Performance Report
Which provinces had the strongest school performance?
- Free State, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal led the country in school performance, with over 86% of schools achieving a pass rate above 80%.
- Western Cape also showed strong results, with 80.2% of schools reaching that benchmark.
Where did most schools struggle?
While most schools performed well:
- Eastern Cape had 5 schools scoring below 40%
- Limpopo recorded the highest number of low-performing schools: 9
- Nationally, 33 schools scored below 40% — around 0.5% of all schools
These schools are likely to be prioritised for support in 2026.
Which schools achieved a 100% pass rate?
In total, 129 schools maintained a 100% pass rate over the past five years — from 2021 to 2025.
Top provinces for consistently perfect scores:
| Province | Schools with 100% Pass (2021–2025) |
|---|---|
| Gauteng | 38 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 31 |
| Western Cape | 24 |
| Free State | 15 |
| Limpopo | 5 |
| Eastern Cape | 5 |
Full school names and details are available in the complete DBE report.
What should you do next?
Parents and learners:
- Check if your school is among those improving or struggling
- Ask your SGB or teachers what interventions are in place
- Use the data to make informed school choices
Teachers and school leaders:
- Compare results with 2023 and 2024
- Use top-performing schools in your district as learning partners
- Highlight improvements to motivate learners and staff
Officials and education planners:
- Focus support on underperforming districts
- Analyse progress over time using three-year trends
- Celebrate stable and improving schools
Where to find your school’s results
Every school’s detailed 2025 result — including progression and pass rate — is listed in the DBE’s School Performance Report. You can access it via the Department of Basic Education website or request a copy from your district office.
Coming Next in This Series:
👉 Part 2: Eastern Cape Matric Results — Every School Ranked
👉 Part 3: Which Schools Improved or Declined Since 2023?
