Class of 2025 celebrate strong passes

Buren High School was filled with a quiet sense of anticipation as the matric class of 2025 gathered to hear their results.

Past pupils sat patiently as names were called out one by one, marking the end of an important chapter in their school journey.

School principal Marwaan Shiri announced that Buren High School achieved a 92% matric pass rate, an improvement from 89.7% in 2024.

While pleased with the results, Mr Shiri said there is still room for growth.

“I like to think of education as a three-legged pot - the teachers, the pupils, and the parents. We need parents to support both the school and their children, as it plays a vital role in their development,” he said.

Tabletalk also visited Sinenjongo High School, where principal Khuselwa Nopote stood proudly at the school gates, congratulating former pupils as they arrived to receive their results.

The school achieved an 87% pass rate, just one percentage point below last year’s result.

Ms Nopote said teachers remain committed and have already begun discussing ways to further support the class of 2026.

“The staff are working hard and are focused on improving pupil outcomes even further,” she said.

At a national level, minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube announced a record-breaking national matric pass rate of 88% for the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

The Western Cape also recorded its highest-ever pass rate, achieving 88.2%, up from 86.6% in 2024.

The province performed particularly well in mathematics, with a pass rate of 73.7%, and achieved the second-highest physical science pass rate nationally at 80.6%.

More than 900 000 pupils wrote the 2025 NSC examinations at approximately 6 000 centres across the country. Of these, 656 000 pupils passed, with 345 000 achieving bachelor’s passes, despite a slight national decline from 48% to 46%.

Several schools within Tabletalk’s distribution area also posted strong results.

Sunningdale Private School achieved 66.7%, compared to 100% in 2024, while Table View High School recorded 91.4%, down from 96.4% last year.

Elkanah House in Table View and Parklands College both maintained 100% pass rates.

Bloubergstrand Secondary School improved to 95.2%, up from 93.9% in 2024, and Bosmansdam High School increased its pass rate from 94.9% to 95.4%. Edgemead High School achieved 98.8%, Melkbos High School 98.5%, and Milnerton High School recorded a 100% pass rate, improving on 98.7% in 2024.

Milnerton High School principal Gert van Tonder said the results were about more than just percentages.

“A 100% pass rate with such a strong bachelor pass is more than just a result; it is a statement of what is possible when pupils believe in themselves and work with purpose. We are proud of the Class of 2025 and excited to see the impact they will have in the future,” he said.

Dunoon’s Inkwenkwezi Secondary School recorded a 76.1% pass rate, compared to 81.6% in 2024, while Bothasig High School, a newly established school, achieved a commendable 91.7% in its matric results.