Durban, 14 January 2025 – It was a day of celebration and pride in KwaZulu-Natal as Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli announced the province’s remarkable Matric results for 2024 during a heartfelt ceremony in Durban. The province reflected on its educational journey, celebrating a year that brought new milestones and inspiring success stories.

A Year to Remember

On 13 January, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarhube, revealed a historic achievement for South Africa’s Matric Class of 2024. KwaZulu-Natal emerged as a shining star with an impressive 89.5% pass rate, a 3.1% leap from last year’s results. This accomplishment positioned the province as the second-best performing in the country, just behind the Free State.

Premier Ntuli captured the moment perfectly:
“This success reflects the hard work happening across our schools, communities, and districts. We’re laying a solid foundation for the future, and this brings us closer to our 90% goal. I’m confident we’ll exceed this in 2025!”

Outstanding Achievements

KwaZulu-Natal’s Class of 2024 gave the province much to celebrate:

161,962 learners wrote the National Senior Certificate (NSC), with 144,990 passing (89.5%).
84,000 Bachelor passes, the highest in South Africa, showcasing a jump from 45.7% in 2023 to 52.2% in 2024.
The number of schools achieving a 100% pass rate soared from 246 in 2023 to 321 in 2024.
Districts also shone brightly, with Umkhanyakude leading the nation at 92.8%, followed by Ugu (91.7%) and Umlazi (89.8%).

Honouring Excellence

Premier Ntuli took a moment to recognize the extraordinary efforts behind these results. He praised MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka and the entire Department of Education for their dedication. Teachers, school governing bodies, and education partners received well-deserved applause for their contributions.

Special acknowledgment went to the province’s top achievers, including learners in Special and Correctional Services Centres who achieved a 100% pass rate.

Encouraging Resilience

To those who didn’t achieve the desired results, Premier Ntuli shared a heartfelt message of hope:
“Success isn’t defined by how many times you stumble but by how many times you rise. The Department’s Second Chances Programme is here to support you—never give up.”

He also urged learners to embrace opportunities in the growing fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to stay ahead in the evolving job market of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Road Ahead

As the ceremony came to a close, Premier Ntuli addressed the Class of 2024 with inspiration:
“You are the future of KwaZulu-Natal. Take every chance to learn, grow, and contribute to making our province a better place for all.”

The event ended with a collective promise to build on this year’s success and continue nurturing hope, ambition, and excellence in education.

KwaZulu-Natal is truly proud of its Class of 2024—a testament to the power of hard work, perseverance, and unity.