The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) has recorded a 98,31% overall pass rate in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations, with almost nine out of ten candidates qualifying for degree study. In KwaZulu-Natal, 38 IEB schools participated in the examinations, with 2 448 pupils writing in 2025. According to the IEB, all candidates who completed the 2025 NSC examinations achieved a pass that qualifies them for post-school study, with the majority securing access to degree-level education.
The IEB said 89,12% of candidates achieved entry to degree study, slightly down from 89,37% in 2024, but still higher than the 2023 figure of 88,59%. A further 7,83% qualified for diploma study, while 1,34% achieved entry to Higher Certificate programmes. Only 0,02% obtained an endorsed NSC.
In total, 17 413 candidates, comprising 16 063 full-time and 1 350 part-time pupils, wrote the examinations at 277 venues across 263 centres nationwide. IEB chief executive officer Confidence Dikgole said small shifts in pass rates were expected in a system that continues to expand. She added that what remains critical is that performance levels stay consistently high, standards are maintained, and access to degree study remains strong.
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KwaZulu-Natal education expert Jordan Erradu said that while the IEB’s 98,31% pass rate remained impressive, the slight drop was unexpected. Erradu said that the drop might also point to higher examination standards or stricter marking practices, noting that it was difficult to determine the exact cause.
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