WATCH: Western Cape celebrates record-breaking achievements at the NSC Awards
The top achievers in the matric class of 2025 were honoured by Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, at his official residence Leeuwenhof in Cape Town along with Education MEC David Maynier and Education Director-General Brent Walters.
Image: Tracy-Lynn Ruiters
The Western Cape’s top academic achievers were honoured at the annual Provincial National Senior Certificate (NSC) Awards held at the Premier’s residence, Leeuwenhof, where education leaders celebrated what they described as a record-breaking Class of 2025.
Addressing the ceremony, Western Cape Education Department Head Brent Walters said the event marked far more than an awards presentation.
“Today is not just an award ceremony, it is a moment of triumph,” he said.
Walters said while the gathering is always significant, this year carried added meaning because of the story behind the matric class.
“Every year this gathering is special, but this year it feels slightly different because of the story of the Class of 2025 rising above challenges,” he said.
He emphasised that the NSC represents more than a final examination, describing it as the culmination of over a decade of effort shaped by families, teachers and learners.
“When you speak about NSC, it is more than just the exam. It is the journey of more than a decade's dreams nurtured by parents, guided by teachers and lived by learners.”
The province achieved its highest-ever pass rate of 88.2%, alongside a bachelor’s pass rate of 49.2%. Walters said the results were not merely statistics but reflected determination and belief among young people.
“These are not just statistics, but stories of young people who believe in their future,” he said.
The Class of 2025 recorded more than 31,000 distinctions, achieved the top mathematics results in the country, placed second in physical sciences, and posted the highest retention rate and number of passes.
“To the ex-learners, you have reached the pinnacle. You have climbed to the top with a whole village behind you — your teachers who sacrificed their own family time, principals who kept the lights on long after hours, and especially your parents who held your hands steady when you had doubts,” Walters said.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier echoed the sentiment, noting that expectations were already high following strong performances in previous years.
“Two years ago we were delighted with the results of the Class of 2024. We were worried about how this would be kept up, but the Class of 2025 didn’t see it that way; they broke records,” he said.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Western Cape produced the top candidate nationally. The province’s leading learner outperformed roughly 66,000 matriculants in the Western Cape and about 746,000 across South Africa.
Maynier highlighted that the cohort was the largest ever to sit for the NSC, signalling growth in participation.
“Clearly we have increased quantity, but we must also increase quality,” he said.
He pointed to strong subject outcomes, including a mathematics pass rate of 25.4% with learners achieving 60% or higher, and 27% of physical sciences candidates reaching the same benchmark.
Looking ahead, Maynier said the department intends to shift its focus beyond overall pass rates.
“Our goal now is to have a bachelor’s pass rate at 60%, as well as mathematics and physical science pass rates at 60%,” he said.
He also highlighted school-level improvement, noting that Crestway Secondary, once among the province’s lowest performers now boasts a bachelor’s pass rate exceeding 70%, with the Class of 2023 achieving 84.5%.
“This has even rubbed off on the Class of 2028, who already have a vision to be on top. Improvement and excellence are possible,” Maynier said, congratulating the province’s top achievers.
Premier Alan Winde described the ceremony as one of the most anticipated events on the provincial calendar.
“This is the event we look forward to every year. If you got here, know that we are here to celebrate you,” he told learners.
Winde said the Class of 2025 had set a new benchmark for those who follow.
“You have set the bar, the challenge for the Class of 2026. You have set your pathway to the future: a future job, a future career, and making a difference.”
Encouraging learners to be bold, he urged them to embrace opportunity while they are young.
“My message today is take a little more risk, push those boundaries a bit harder, because the world needs you to make a difference. Don’t get to my age and think, ‘Why didn’t I?'"
He also called on top performers to uplift others rather than compete destructively.
“Don’t pull the small poppies down — help them. Pick up the ball and ask what went wrong and how we can fix it.”
Highlighting emerging career paths, Winde pointed to fields such as auditing artificial intelligence, digital twin engineering, urban food design and lunar construction. He added that about 20% of all satellites contain components produced in the Western Cape, underscoring the province’s role in global innovation.
“South Africa is a place of opportunity, make use of it. The opportunity is there, the table is set, the environment is there. The world is your oyster,” he said.
As the province celebrated another year of academic excellence, the message from leaders was clear: the Class of 2025 has not only rewritten the record books but also laid down a challenge for future cohorts to aim even higher