Matric results: Class of 2021

NATIONAL NEWS - Matrics of 2021 are making their way to schools countrywide this morning to collect their results.

The Western Cape's National Senior Certificate pass rate was announced by National Minister of Education Angie Motshekga last night as 81,2%, showing an increase of 1,3% on last year's results.

The average for the country is 76,4%, with 256 000 learners eligible for university entrance.

Eden and Central Karoo Education District (ECKED) is one of two districts in the Western Cape that made the country's top ten. This is the second year that Metro North Education District (MNED) is on the list.

Western Cape Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer congratulated Director Jewel Jonkers of ECKED and Director Wendy Horn of MNED with this achievement.

Schäfer said she is "absolutely delighted" with the results of the matric class of 2021 in the Western Cape. "Considering that this was achieved after two years of a global pandemic, it is even more remarkable. The class of 2021 has had a tough two years," said Schäfer. "Their Grade 11 year in 2020 was marred by school closures, with their grade going back to class later than many others. However, their matric year has been very stable, with more time in class than in other matric years."

Schäfer said the Western Cape had 6 076 extra candidates writing this year, which makes the province's performance even more impressive.

The pass rates in all the provinces.

Good to know

* The WC retention rate from Grade 10 to 12 (those actually writing the NSC) has increased by 3,7 percentage points to 70,3% - the highest ever.
* The WC has also achieved the highest ever percentage of bachelors passes and the highest in the country, at 45,3%.
* Mathematics and science pass rates: in mathematics, the WC's pass rate increased to 72,4% (+1,6%) and in science increased to 77,1% (+2,2%).

Learner support

Motshekga said the department remains grateful to schools providing extra learner support programmes. She thanked non-governmental organisations, corporates, institutions of higher learning, community groups and volunteer-based learning programmes for providing highly valuable support to learners.

"Stakeholders and partners in education immensely contributed to the readiness and success achieved by the class of 2021."

Performance summary of all the provinces.

Read the full school performance report released by Motshekga here