2025 Matric Results: Top & Worst Performing Provinces, Districts & Enrolment by Gender
The 2025 Matric results have been released, and we are here to provide a clear analysis and summary.
According to the results released by the Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest provincial pass rate at 90.6%, followed closely by the Free State with an 89.33% pass rate. Limpopo and the Eastern Cape were the weakest-performing provinces, achieving pass rates of 86.15% and 84.17% respectively.
NSC Provincial Breakdown Pass Rate
| Rank | Province | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KwaZulu-Natal | 90.6% |
| 2 | Free State | 89.33% |
| 3 | Gauteng | 89.06% |
| 4 | North West | 88.49% |
| 5 | Western Cape | 88.20% |
| 6 | Northern Cape | 87.79% |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 86.55% |
| 8 | Limpopo | 86.15% |
| 9 | Eastern Cape | 84.17% |
Although KwaZulu-Natal emerged as the top-performing province overall, it did not produce the best-performing district. That distinction went to Gauteng’s Johannesburg West district, which recorded 6,711 enrolments, with 6,456 learners passing. This resulted in a pass rate of 96.20%, representing a slight decline of 0.8% from the previous year.
KwaZulu-Natal’s Umkhanyakude District ranked second nationally, recording 16,066 enrolments and 15,043 passes. This translated to a pass rate of 93.63%, marking an improvement of 0.8% compared to the previous year.
Top Ten Districts (2025 Matric Results)
| Rank | Province | District | Total Wrote | Total Achieved | % Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | Johannesburg West | 6,711 | 6,456 | 96.20% (-0.8%) |
| 2 | KwaZulu-Natal | Umkhanyakude | 16,066 | 15,043 | 93.63% (+0.8%) |
| 3 | Western Cape | Overberg | 2,473 | 2,284 | 92.36% (+4.06%) |
| 4 | KwaZulu-Natal | Pinetown | 19,134 | 17,642 | 92.20% (+2.8%) |
| 5 | Gauteng | Tshwane North | 8,470 | 7,795 | 92.03% (+2.02%) |
| 6 | Free State | Mangaung Metropolitan | 10,966 | 10,092 | 92.03% (-0.17%) |
| 7 | KwaZulu-Natal | Umlazi | 21,757 | 20,013 | 91.98% (+2.14%) |
| 8 | KwaZulu-Natal | Ugu | 11,748 | 10,786 | 91.81% (+0.11%) |
| 9 | KwaZulu-Natal | Ilembe | 9,776 | 8,945 | 91.50% (+2%) |
| 10 | KwaZulu-Natal | Amajuba | 9,442 | 8,617 | 91.26% (+1.44%) |
Among the lowest-performing districts in 2025 was the Eastern Cape’s Alfred Nzo East District, which recorded 8,112 enrolments and only 6,681 passes, resulting in a pass rate of 81.13%. This reflects a decline of 4.76% from the previous year. Eastern Cape’s Amathole West District performed the worst overall, with 4,765 enrolments and just 3,828 passes, giving a pass rate of 80.34%, a decrease of 1.12% year-on-year. See table below.
Bottom Ten Districts (2025 Matric Results)
| Rank | Province | District | Total Wrote | Total Achieved | % Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | Alfred Nzo West | 10,592 | 8,930 | 84.31% (-2.65%) |
| 2 | Eastern Cape | Chris Hani West | 5,358 | 5,330 | 83.83% (-0.54%) |
| 3 | Limpopo | Sekhukhune South | 10,409 | 8,713 | 83.71% (+3.31%) |
| 4 | Gauteng | Gauteng East | 10,082 | 8,439 | 83.70% (-0.81%) |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | Bohlabela District | 15,806 | 13,197 | 83.49% (+4.9%) |
| 6 | Limpopo | Waterberg | 4,116 | 3,402 | 82.65% (-2.34%) |
| 7 | Eastern Cape | OR Tambo Coastal | 14,552 | 11,968 | 82.24% (-1.73%) |
| 8 | Eastern Cape | OR Tambo Inland | 13,976 | 11,345 | 81.17% (-1.85%) |
| 9 | Eastern Cape | Alfred Nzo East | 8,112 | 6,681 | 81.13% (-4.76%) |
| 10 | Eastern Cape | Amathole West | 4,765 | 3,828 | 80.34% (-1.12%) |
The enrolment breakdown by gender shows that female learners accounted for the majority of candidates. In 2025, female enrolment stood at 428,344, compared to 335,670 male learners. This represents an increase from 405,330 female and 318,826 male enrolments recorded in 2024.
Enrolment by Gender (2024-2025)
| Province | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | Male | % Female | % Male | Female | Male | % Female | % Male | |
| Eastern Cape | 57,047 | 44,237 | 56.3% | 43.7% | 60,782 | 46,935 | 56.4% | 43.6% |
| Free State | 20,554 | 17,007 | 54.7% | 45.3% | 21,645 | 17,696 | 55.0% | 45.0% |
| Gauteng | 75,574 | 60,486 | 55.5% | 44.5% | 79,865 | 64,387 | 55.4% | 44.6% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 96,043 | 73,109 | 56.8% | 43.2% | 101,167 | 76,843 | 56.8% | 43.2% |
| Limpopo | 52,460 | 41,754 | 55.7% | 44.3% | 56,558 | 45,037 | 55.7% | 44.3% |
| Mpumalanga | 37,423 | 29,513 | 55.9% | 44.1% | 39,247 | 30,263 | 56.5% | 43.5% |
| North-West | 23,001 | 18,549 | 55.4% | 44.6% | 23,187 | 18,604 | 55.5% | 44.5% |
| Northern Cape | 7,131 | 5,908 | 54.7% | 45.3% | 7,883 | 6,308 | 55.5% | 44.5% |
| Western Cape | 36,097 | 28,263 | 56.1% | 43.9% | 38,010 | 29,597 | 56.2% | 43.8% |
| National | 405,330 | 318,826 | 55.7% | 44.3% | 428,344 | 335,670 | 55.9% | 44.1% |
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