The class of 2025 matrics have expressed joy in passing their grade 12 final examinations. While some encountered many challenges, that did not deter them from pushing forward. The overall national pass rate is a record 88%.
Oratile Dimpane, a determined young man from RT Mokgopa High School in Thabanchu in the Free State, which obtained an 84.5% pass rate, faced the high-stakes pressure of grade 12 exams head-on. He juggled relentless study sessions with daily life amid mounting stress, yet came out victorious with a hard-earned diploma pass.
“As exams started, I faced challenges like managing time between studying and other activities and dealing with exam stress. To overcome these, I made a study schedule and stuck to it, took breaks to relax and recharge, and focused on understanding concepts rather than just memorising,” Dimpane said.
Eyes on the future of farming
Now eyeing a future in agriculture, Dimpane shared his bold ambitions: “I plan to study agriculture further (BSc or diploma), explore specialisations like crop science or livestock management, and gain practical experience through internships or farm work.”
Meanwhile, Hugo Coetzee, an agricultural teacher at HS Martin Oosthuizen (HMO) in the Northern Cape, the country’s first agricultural school that was founded in 1920, shared that they achieved a 100% pass rate in agriculture and for the school overall.
“I am very proud of my kids and proud to be part of this school in the Northern Cape,” he said.
One of his learners, JC Pieterse, shared that he was happy about his matric and is proud of what he achieved. “I only had to study hard,” he said, so that he could further his studies in millwright at African Skills College in Pofadder.
One of the best performing agricultural schools in the Western Cape, Augsburg Landbougimnasium, congratulated its 2025 matric pupils for attaining 100% – an increase from 2024’s 98.4%.
“We are very excited about the matrics of 2025 this morning. Congratulations on your 100% pass rate,” the school stated.
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Empowering young minds
The minister of basic education, Siviwe Gwarube, said as the sector closes this chapter of grade 12 class of 2025 and looks to the road ahead, they are reminded that the true legacy of the national senior certificate lies not only in certificates awarded, but in minds empowered and futures transformed.
“In the achievements of the class of 2025, we see proof that when education is protected, nurtured and made accessible to all, it becomes South Africa’s most enduring force for justice, progress and shared prosperity.
“We thank our parents, teachers and all our partners in education for your unflinching support during this thirteen-year journey of the class of 2025,” she said.
Hannes Noëth, executive director of Solidariteit Helpende Hand, said the organisation welcomes the minister’s call for earlier intervention, stronger support in key subjects and the addressing of dropout rates.
“Sustainable solutions do not lie in dependency, but in targeted investment in people’s ability to learn, work and live independently.
“Solidariteit Helpende Hand believes that every young person empowered through education is proof that self-reliance through work is the path to lasting wellbeing and a stronger, more resilient society,” he said.
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