What is this about?
The Department of Basic Education has released the full 2025 school-by-school performance report for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. This section covers all public and independent schools in the Eastern Cape that wrote the 2025 matric exams, including a three-year performance trend (2023–2025).
Why it matters to you
This report helps parents, learners, teachers, and officials:
- Check how each school in the Eastern Cape performed
- Identify schools improving or declining over time
- Highlight schools needing urgent support
- See which districts had the strongest results
2025 Eastern Cape School Performance Overview
Out of 964 Eastern Cape schools that participated in the 2025 NSC exams:
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Schools with 80–100% pass rate | 658 |
| Schools with 60–79.9% pass rate | 185 |
| Schools with 40–59.9% pass rate | 116 |
| Schools with 0–39.9% pass rate | 5 |
| Schools with 100% pass rate (2025) | 57 |
| Schools with 100% pass (2021–2025) | 5 |
Nearly 70% of schools achieved a pass rate above 80%
Top Performing Schools in the Eastern Cape (100% Pass Rate in 2025)
Only 57 schools in the province achieved a 100% pass rate in the 2025 NSC exams. But just 5 of them have done so for three consecutive years (2023–2025):
- Mthatha High School (OR Tambo Inland)
- Mariazell High School (located in Matatiele, Alfred Nzo Municipality) – listed under Joe Gqabi District by DBE for administrative purposes
- St James High School (OR Tambo Coastal)
- Ugie High School (Joe Gqabi)
- Holy Cross High School (OR Tambo Inland)
These schools consistently performed above national averages, even in rural or under-resourced areas.
Schools Needing Urgent Support (Pass Rate Below 40%)
Only 5 Eastern Cape schools scored below 40% in 2025:
- Mabhobho Senior Secondary (Alfred Nzo East) – 35.3%
- Mantlaneni Senior Secondary (OR Tambo Inland) – 39.0%
- Emdeni Senior Secondary (Chris Hani East) – 33.3%
- Kwadiki Senior Secondary (Amathole West) – 25.0%
- Mabhobho S.S.S. (duplicate listing – admin note)
Each of these schools had fewer than 20 learners pass, and all showed declining performance over the past three years.
District Breakdown: How Each Performed
| District | Schools >80% Pass | Schools <40% Pass | Notable Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| OR Tambo Inland | 110 | 1 | Mthatha High |
| Alfred Nzo East | 72 | 1 | Bizana schools |
| Amathole East | 60 | 0 | Beaconhurst |
| Joe Gqabi | 45 | 0 | Ugie High, Mariazell* |
| Chris Hani East | 75 | 1 | Queenstown High |
| Nelson Mandela Bay | 64 | 0 | Collegiate Girls |
| Sarah Baartman | 41 | 0 | Humansdorp Sec. |
**Mariazell High is in Alfred Nzo geographically, but listed under Joe Gqabi in DBE data.
What you should do next
Parents & learners:
- Search the DBE report for your school’s 3-year trend
- If your school declined, ask your SGB for a turnaround plan
Educators & principals:
- Compare your school’s trend with district averages
- Partner with consistently high performers nearby
District officials:
- Prioritise under-40% schools for support
- Invest in teacher development and school leadership where declines are sharp
Where to get the full Eastern Cape school list
You can download the full 149-page 2025 DBE School Performance Report directly from the Department of Basic Education website or request it from your district office.
Coming Next in This Series:
👉 Part 3: Which Schools Improved or Declined Since 2023?
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