Randburg: Deputy President Paul Mashatile has urged matriculants to utilise government-supported opportunities designed to help young people transition into higher education, skills development, and employment. 'The Deputy President reaffirmed government's commitment to investing in young people and creating inclusive opportunities that enable them to participate meaningfully in the economy and society,' the Deputy President's Office said in a statement.
According to South African Government News Agency, last night, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube announced the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results at the Mosaic Church in Randburg, Johannesburg. The country's Class of 2025 achieved the highest-ever pass rate of 88% - a 0.7% increase from 2024. The Minister emphasised the significance of this achievement, stating that these results represent not merely numbers but a testament to the collective efforts of educators, learners, and communities nationwide.
In 2025, more than 900,000 candidates wrote at about 6,000 centres, with the largest share of candidates being 18 years old. 'Over 656,000 learners passed the National Senior Certificate. That figure carries the effort of every teacher, every learner, families in every corner of our country,' the Minister said. Gwarube noted that the percentage of learners unable to sit for any of their exam papers has significantly decreased, from approximately 17% in 2017 to around 2% today.
She also emphasised the importance of the quality of passes, as this is crucial for shaping post-school opportunities. 'Here we look at passes that open doors to Bachelor's studies, Diploma studies and Higher Certificate studies.' The national percentage of candidates achieving Bachelor passes decreased slightly, from approximately 48% to 46%. However, the total number of candidates who received Bachelor passes increased by 8,700, reaching over 345,000 learners. In addition, 28% of candidates achieved Diploma passes, while 13.5% obtained Higher Certificate passes.
The Deputy President extended his heartfelt congratulations to the matric Class of 2025, following the release of the NSC results. 'The Deputy President commends the matriculants for their resilience, discipline, and determination in reaching this important milestone, noting that their achievement represents both personal success and a critical contribution to the country's future development.'
In September of last year, during a session in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the Deputy President stated that government is currently implementing a range of collaborative initiatives aimed at addressing youth unemployment. These initiatives focus on enhancing the functioning of the labour market through skills training, work experience opportunities, support for entrepreneurship, and wage subsidies. 'The rate of unemployment in our country is indeed a concern to all of us,' the Deputy President told Members of Parliament (MPs).
To this end, Cabinet approved Phase V of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in February 2024, aiming to create five million work opportunities between April 2024 and March 2029, with an estimated five-year budget of R178 billion. 'This programme intends to address youth unemployment by providing young people access to jobs in mass projects such as road maintenance, inclusive of pothole repairs, public infrastructure development, public space beautification, waste management, and social services,' he said last year.
Furthermore, Deputy President Mashatile stated that the government collaborates with social partners, the private sector, and educational institutions through the National Skills Development Plan and the National Skills Fund. The aim is to equip young people and marginalised groups with market-relevant skills to enhance job creation initiatives. Through the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), chaired by Deputy President Mashatile, the State collaborates with social partners such as business, labour, and civil society to develop and implement a joint response to youth unemployment.
In addition, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Department of Defence, has conceptualised the South African National Defence Force-led National Youth Service Programme. The programme aims to empower women, youth, and persons with disabilities to become emerging industrialists in agriculture, energy security, aerospace, maritime, the digital economy, and defence sectors.
'As government, we are committed to moving from fragmented efforts to an integrated national programme that encompasses skills development, economic opportunity, workplace experience, entrepreneurship support, soft skills, and civic education to foster resilience and adaptability," Deputy President Mashatile added.
