LIVE FEED: Melissa Muller tops the Class of 2023 as it achieves 82.9% matric pass rate
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga - for the 15th consecutive year - is expected to announce the 2023 matric results in Johannesburg on Thursday night.
Motshekga has been a mainstay in the country's basic education system, having been first deployed to the newly formed Department of Basic Education by former president Jacob Zuma.
In 2009, Zuma split the then Department of Education into two separate departments, Basic Education and Higher Education.
Beside Motshekga, the department has known no other minister since, as President Cyril Ramaphosa also retained the former ANC Women’s League president in the role.
This is how the matric pass rate has looked every year since Motshekga took charge:
2009 - 60.6%
2010 - 67.8%
2011 - 70.2%
2012 - 73.9%
2013 - 78.2%
2014 - 75.8%
2015 - 70.7%
2016 - 72.5%
2017 - 75.1%
2018 - 78.2%
2019 - 81.3%
2020 - 76.2%
2021 - 76.4%
2022 - 80.1%
– LIVE FEED
Courtesy of the public broadcaster, you can watch the live feed here.
– BLOG
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8.17pm: Melissa Muller of Rhenish High School in the Western Cape province, was named as the Number 1 learner in the country, says she will study mechatronics engineering at the University of Stellenbosch this year.
Muller had some words of advice for the Class of 2024.
“Enjoy your year, it’s a jam packed year. It will get overwhelming, have a support system, your family, ask them for help when needed. I think also stay upto date with your school work, it will help you identify problem areas early on, which will help you avoid the stress of cramming the night before exams,” she said.
Muller also played first team hockey and waterpolo for her school.
“My family were very supportive because I get very stressed out during exams and my mom was always checking if I am okay and if I needed anything,” she said, adding that she had incredible support at school as well.
7.38pm: Melissa Muller of Rhenish High School in the Western Cape province, was named as the Number 1 best performing matric learner in the country. She effectively placed first out of 717,377 learners who sat for the matric exams between October and November last year.
7pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announces the Class of 2023 pass rate at 82.9%. The highest ever, along with the most distinctions ever.
8.37pm: IOL reporter Kamogelo Moichela spoke to some of the matric achievers on the sidelines of the event in Randburg, and one of them was the top achiever in Quintile 2 schools, Mbedzi Mavhungu Remonia from Patrick Ramaano Secondary School in Limpopo.
“I am very happy to be here, super proud,” she said. She plans to study actuarial sciences at the University of Witwatersrand and has appealed for funding from sponsors.
6.54pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says at 89.03%, the Free State is the leading province.
KZN - 86.4%.
Gauteng - 85.4%.
North West - 81.6%
Western Cape - 81.5%
Eastern Cape - 81.4%
Limpopo - 79.5%
Mpumalanga - 77%
Northern Cape - 75.8%
Motshekga said the results showed that the system was stabilising, and the narrow margins in performance were indicative of that.
6.49pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says 55 education districts performed at 85% and above. The Joburg West District was the best, followed by Motheo in the Free State and Tshwane.
6.41pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga explains the policy on progressed learners was introduced to ensure learners get a second chance. It also ensures learners do not repeat a grade unnecessarily, but explains there are conditions to be met before progression.
6.40pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says the Class of 2023 are “real Covid-19 babies” who did not have it easy as they were exposed to the pandemic during Grade 9 and 10. She says they were placed in the eye of the Covid storm. She says the learners output is down to their resilience, commitment and hard work through difficult environment.
6.27pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says 60% of Black Africans are now completing matric, compared to 10% in the 1960s and 1970s, and 30% in the 1980s. She says this is according the Household Survey.
6.20pm: Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has taken the podium and is about to deliver her address before revealing the pass rate.
6.15pm: Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule says the Class of 2023 faced challenges but have conquered. She calls on those who have not achieved the results they wanted to enroll in the second chance programme. She has also called on parents not to be harsh on learners who have not achieved as desired
5pm: "We are extremely thankful to have our son as a top achiever. It is only through hard work that he was able to make it this far,“ say Jean and Lientjie Goodey, parents of one of the top achievers. They were speaking to the DBE’s media team in Pretoria.
Some of the 2023 top achievers enjoyed breakfast with Motshekga and Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule at the MTN Innovation Centre in Randburg.
– QUICK FACTS
– Over 717,377 learners sat for the National Senior Certificate at over 6,898 mostly public high schools across the country. This accounts for roughly 34,000 more learners sitting for their matric exams compared to the class of 2022. A tiny percentage of the 6,898 examination centres are independently run.
– 181,143 wrote their matric exam as part-time learners.
– In contrast, 15,186 learners wrote the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams, achieving an impressive 98.46% pass rate.
– 13 million children attend school in South Africa.
– 52,500 exam markers were hired for matric exam marking, which took place during November and December.
– 72,500 exam invigilators were used.
– 207 Umalusi-approved question papers were administered for the 2023 NSC matric exam.
“We possess the numbers, the infrastructure, and the determination to ensure that this year is successful and memorable for our Grade 12 learners.
“Let us collaborate to ensure they are adequately prepared and ready for the examinations.
“As we embark on this journey, let us bear in mind that the future of our nation hinges on the success of these young minds, and together, we can help them shine brilliantly,” said Motshekga at the start of the matric 2023 final examinations in October last year.
IEB
The IEB matric results were released on Thursday, with the IEB announcing a matric pass of 98.46% from its 15,186 learners at 248 schools.
Gauteng had the most IEB-accredited schools, with 135. The 135 schools constituted just over 9,000 matric learners, or 60% of the IEB's entire population for matric 2023.
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