Despite its reputation as one of South Africa’s poorest provinces, the Free State has again defied expectations by securing the top spot in the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams for the sixth consecutive year, achieving an impressive 91% pass rate. This marks another milestone in the province’s unwavering commitment to improving educational outcomes, even in the face of significant socio-economic challenges.
Education MEC, Dr. Julia Maboya, expressed immense pride in the achievement, emphasizing that the success was born out of the Free State’s determination to invest in its people. “We have committed ourselves to investing in our people through education, probably because we are one of the poorest,” she said, highlighting that education remains the province’s pathway to a better future despite its many struggles. She continued, “The only thing that we can do is to make sure that we give our children the best education.”
Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, presented the national matric results in Johannesburg, revealing that the overall pass rate for the Class of 2024 had increased to 87.3%, up from 82.9% in 2023. This marks the highest matric pass rate in South Africa’s history, a moment of pride for the entire nation. Gwarube, who was presenting the results for the first time as education minister, applauded the learners’ exceptional achievements, noting that all provinces had shown improvements compared to previous years.
The Free State led the way with its 91% pass rate, a significant increase from 89% in 2023. This performance secured its position as the top-performing province in the country. KwaZulu-Natal followed closely with 89.5%, up from 86% the previous year, while Gauteng showed substantial improvement, moving from 85.4% in 2023 to 88.4% in 2024. Other provinces, including North West, the Western Cape, and Limpopo, also showed remarkable progress, with each surpassing their previous year’s results.
Maboya, in an interview with IOL News, reiterated the significance of Free State’s performance, especially given the province’s struggles with poverty, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and limited access to essential services. Despite these challenges, the province has focused on setting ambitious educational goals. Maboya revealed that the target for a 90% pass rate was set in 2010, with the aim of achieving 40% bachelor passes. After 14 years of focused effort, the province reached this remarkable goal, surpassing the target with a 91% pass rate for the first time.
The Free State’s strategy for success, according to Maboya, has been rooted in clear targets, consistent implementation of strategies, and, importantly, community involvement. “We have brought together our community, and when we say that education is a societal matter, everyone supports us,” she said. Maboya believes that the involvement of parents and local communities has been key to sustaining this culture of performance and accountability.
While the Free State is not the leader in bachelor passes—KwaZulu-Natal claimed that honor with over 84,000 bachelor passes—Maboya was still elated that the province had achieved 48% bachelor passes. She celebrated this as another groundbreaking accomplishment, underlining the transformative power of education in shaping the future of the province’s youth.
With this historic result, the Free State has again proven that it is possible to achieve greatness despite financial and socio-economic barriers. The province’s success story is a testament to the resilience of its people, the power of educational reform, and the importance of setting ambitious, yet achievable, goals. Maboya concluded with a firm belief that this achievement is not an isolated incident but rather the result of years of hard work, community support, and strategic planning.
On January 14, 2024, Dr. Maboya, alongside Free State Premier Maqueen Letshoha-Mathae, is set to host a technical briefing to officially announce and discuss the province’s NSC results. This moment of triumph for the Free State serves as an inspiring example of how, even in the face of adversity, determined efforts can lead to remarkable success.
