THERE were smiles, screams and hugs at high schools in Wentworth and The Bluff when matric learners received their examination results earlier today (January 14).

Fairvale Secondary School secured a 94.2% pass rate this year while Umbilo Secondary got 86.2% followed by Wentworth Secondary with a 74% pass rate.

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Grosvenor Boys High School on The Bluff also did exceptionally well this academic year, going from 73% the previous year to a 97% pass rate last year.

New Forest High School earned a 93% pass rate this year with Mayenziwe Msibi obtaining an aggregate pass of 84.9%.

Anele Cele, a Grade 12 learner from Fairvale Secondary School thanked teachers and the management of the school for being supportive.

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“The support that we received from our teachers was magnificent because we did not feel much pressure. I received a bachelor pass rate. I have been accepted to study at the University of Johannesburg,” she said.

Leah Enicker from Umbilo Secondary was beaming with excitement when she received her statement at the school.

“I am thinking of pursuing a career in medicine this year,” she said.

KZN learners raise the province’s flag high with 89.6% pass rate

Meanwhile, MEC for Basic Education Sipho Hlomuka congratulated the class of 2024 for achieving a historic 89.6% pass rate. He noted that the number of schools that obtained 100% pass rate also increased significantly from 246 in 2023 to 321 in 2024.

“KwaZulu-Natal is not only the most improved province in the country, but we are also home to the most improved district nationally. All 12 districts performed above 80%.”

Schools from the South of Durban under Umlazi District including those from The Bluff, Wentworth, and Montclair received 89.9%.

Bachelor passes increased in 2024 academic year

Hlomuka said the bachelor passes have increased from:

• 72 099 in 2023 to 84 470 in 2024 while the number of diploma passes decreased from 43 769 in 2023 to 42 830 in 2024.
• The number of higher certificate passes also decreased from 20 435 in 2023 to 17 609 in 2024.

KZN recorded a 100% in IsiXhosa First Additional Language, 99.9% in IsiXhosa Home Language, 99.9% in IsiZulu Home Language, 98,5% in Afrikaans Home Language, 100% in SeSotho, 83.0% South African Sign Language, 99.8% in IsiZulu Home Language, 98.4% Afrikaans Home Language and 97.9% in SiSwati Home Language.

“While we recorded an increase in a number of gateway subjects, as the department we want to see an improvement in English first additional language, mathematics and all science subjects,” said Hlomuka.

Physical science pass rate drops

According to the department in 2024, 69.1% of learners passed mathematics, which is an increase from 63.5% in 2023. However, in physical science, while 75.6% of learners passed, this is a decrease from 76.2% in 2023.

While the number and percentage of learners achieving distinctions in mathematics increased in 2024 from 2023, the number and percentage of learners achieving distinctions in physical sciences has dropped.

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