Celebrations are continuing as the Western Cape Class of 2025 has delivered the highest matric pass rate and bachelor’s pass rate ever for the province.

The matric pass rate increased from last year’s record-breaking 86.6% to 88.2%, which is the highest pass rate the province has received since the National Senior Certificate was introduced.

The bachelor’s pass rate, a key indicator of quality matric passes, increased from 47.8% to 49.2%. This is also the highest ever for the Western Cape, and the 2nd highest in the country.

Western Cape candidates have achieved the 2nd highest distinction rate in the country, with 13,234 candidates earning a total of 31,220 distinctions in 2025.

The province also tops the country’s scores in Mathematics, achieving a pass rate of 73.7% for Mathematics. WC candidates delivered the 2nd highest Physical Science pass rate in the country, at 80.6%.

Learners with Special Education Needs matric pass rate is 91.9%, and the province has the 2nd highest bachelor’s pass rate for LSEN candidates in the country at 60.4%.

The Class of 2025 achieved this with the highest retention rate in the country at 70%, which is also the top retention rate our province has had since 2021.

Two Western Cape candidates received the top awards on the national stage.

• Abigail Kok, from York High School in George, is the Class of 2025’s top candidate and the top candidate in Physical Science.
• Takunda Muchuweni, from Jan Kriel School in Kuils River, is the top LSEN candidate in South Africa

Two WC districts have achieved pass rates of over 90% in 2025:

• The Overberg District, with a 92.4% pass rate (3rd highest district pass rate in the country), and a bachelor’s pass rate of 49.5%!
• The Metro East Education District has a matric pass rate of 90.2% and bachelor’s pass rate of 50.2%.

All remaining WC districts scored over 80% this year:

• Metro North Education District – 89.2%
• Eden and Central Karoo Education District – 89.1%
• Metro South Education District – 87.7%
• West Coast Education District – 87.4%
• Metro Central Education District – 87.0%
• Cape Winelands Education District – 84.6%

Continued improvement is also seen across no-fee school quintiles, with all quintiles increasing their pass rates and achieving a pass rate of above 80%.

• Quintile 1 achieved a matric pass rate of 82.0% and a bachelor’s pass rate of 36.1%.
• Quintile 2 schools increased their pass rates again this year, with a matric pass rate of 85.5% and a bachelor’s pass rate of 38.2%.
• Quintile 3 schools achieved a similar increase, with a matric pass rate of 84.3% and a bachelor’s pass rate of 38.9%.
• The matric pass rates for Quintile 2 and Quintile 3 schools have exceeded the pass rate for Quintile 4 (83.7%).
• More importantly, the bachelor’s pass rates for Quintiles 1, 2 and 3 all exceed that of Quintile 4 (34.4%), demonstrating that no-fee schools are rapidly catching up in terms of quality of matric passes.

READ: Debunked: No, you don’t pass matric with 30% in South Africa