Minister Gwarube to announce 2025 Matric top achievers at breakfast briefing
Anxiety and anticipation are gripping thousands of matriculants and their families across South Africa as the country awaits the release of the 2025 National Senior Certificate results.
Image: File
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is set to host a ministerial breakfast with the top achievers from the class of 2025 on Monday morning as the release of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results draws near.
Gwarube will formally announce the matric results on Monday evening.
As the countdown to the official release enters its final hours, matriculants across the country are experiencing a mix of anticipation and nervous excitement as they await confirmation of their results.
The 2025 NSC results will be published in accredited newspapers.
However, following privacy rulings, only candidates’ examination numbers - and not their names - will be listed.
Gwarube is expected to announce the top-performing learners and provinces on Monday, January 12, while individual results will be released on Tuesday.
She will be joined by Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule to host the official results release.
More than 920,000 candidates sat for the 2025 NSC examinations nationwide, making it one of the largest national assessment processes ever undertaken.
“This release marks the culmination of an extensive and tightly regulated examination, marking and quality assurance process,” the Department of Basic Education said in a statement.
The previous cohort, the class of 2024, achieved an 87.3% pass rate - an improvement on the 82.9% recorded in 2023.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected to release the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results on Monday evening.
Image: Basic Education Department / X
Every province improved its performance, with all achieving pass rates above 84%.
Attention is now firmly focused on the class of 2025 and how they will perform.
The official announcement will take place at 6pm at Mosaïek Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg.
Earlier in the day, the department’s director-general will deliver a technical briefing at the same venue.
“The director-general will provide a detailed technical briefing on the 2025 NSC examination cycle, including system readiness, marking and moderation processes, standardisation outcomes and integrity assurance measures,” the department said.
Last week on Friday, Gwarube announced that the results of 40 candidates from eight Tshwane schools implicated in an examination irregularity will be temporarily withheld pending the outcome of formal disciplinary hearings.
She said each learner will undergo an independent hearing.
Candidates found guilty may have results in the affected subjects nullified and could be barred from sitting the NSC examinations for up to three examination sessions.
“Outcomes will be referred to provincial and national examination irregularity committees, with Umalusi serving as the final arbiter,” Gwarube said.
She confirmed that officials suspected of involvement have been placed on precautionary suspension and that the matter has been reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Meanwhile, National Investigative Task Team (NITT) chairperson Professor Chika Sehoole revealed that a Department of Basic Education human resources official, whose son is a Grade 12 learner, has been identified as the source of the 2025 NSC examination paper leak.
Anticipation is running high among thousands of learners and their families nationwide as Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube prepares to release the 2025 National Senior Certificate examination results.
Image: File
The breach is believed to be limited to about 40 learners from eight schools in the Tshwane area.
The Department of Basic Education had previously interviewed 26 learners whose scripts were flagged during analysis.
Investigators confirmed that these learners had gained prior access to examination question papers and marking guidelines.
Meanwhile, as the weight of national expectations rests on matriculants, experts have urged parents to be vigilant for signs of distress among their children.
The South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) has previously advised parents to seek professional help if they notice serious emotional or behavioural changes.
Warning signs include withdrawal, isolation and a loss of interest in activities the child previously enjoyed.
Dr Lauren Martin, a counselling psychologist and dean at SACAP, emphasised the importance of helping young people understand that their future success is not defined solely by their marks.
“Parents should continue focusing on their child’s strengths, efforts and emerging identity, rather than placing excessive emphasis on specific outcomes like results,” she said.
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