Five Eastern Cape schools score 100% matric pass for fifth year running
For the past five years, only a handful of schools in the Eastern Cape have managed the rare feat of achieving a 100% matric pass rate — and 2025 was no different.
The province recorded an overall pass rate of 84.17% for the grade 12 cohort, below the national record-high of 88%.
Yet five schools across the Eastern Cape have achieved a 100% pass rate each year from 2021 to 2025.
The elite group includes King Edward High in Alfred Nzo West, Lilyfontein High in Buffalo City, Collegiate Girls’ High in Nelson Mandela Bay, Insight Learning School, also in the Bay — and the school at Cradock Correctional Centre in Nxuba.
In East London on Tuesday, education MEC Fundile Gade told the media that the results were a chance for the province to reflect on what he called the health of the education system.
“This occasion is not only a moment to recognise the accomplishments of our learners and the collective efforts and unwavering commitment of all stakeholders in the basic education sector, but it is also an opportunity for us as a province to reflect on the health off our basic education system at the start of 2026,” he said.
He said it was impossible to ignore the challenges the province experienced.
“The sporadic cases of taxi strikes, allegations of ill-discipline against some educators and principals, and the general financial constraints experienced by the education sector also limited the extent to which support programmes could be intensified,” he said.
Gade said the Class of 2025 also had to contend with a sexual harassment scandal against teachers that led to more than 30 of them being suspended.
“They sat for their final examinations under conditions that required discipline, focus, and adaptability,” he said.
“Despite socio-economic challenges, observable social ills, and ongoing inequalities that characterise our province, learners and teachers demonstrated commendable commitment to their studies and duties.”
He also raised concern over the large number of pupils who did not sit for the exams.
Gade also said just under 44,300 pupils earned a bachelor pass.
“The number of bachelor passes slightly declined by 4.24%, from 45.78% in 2024 to 41.54% in 2025.
“In real terms, this means a drop from 45,662 to 44,267 learners obtaining a bachelor pass in 2025.
“However, over the term from 2021 to 2025, the Eastern Cape has produced 194,185 Bachelor passes.”
Gade said the Joe Gqabi district was the top district in the province with 88%, a 3.2% improvement from 85.2% in 2024.
Chris Hani East was second at 88.1%, a slight decline of 0.4% from the previous year.
Nelson Mandela Bay claimed third spot with 87.4%, a 0.7% improvement from 2024’s 86.7%.
Education expert Prof Susan van Rensburg said the large number of people leaving the Eastern Cape was having a major impact on the province’s education.
“We need to ask ourselves: what is the quality of matrics we are producing?” Van Rensburg said.
“The Eastern Cape is usually at rock bottom, which is often its position.
“You get a lot of migration — on the eastern side of the province, people usually move into KwaZulu-Natal, and then their achievements count for KwaZulu-Natal.
“On the western side, people move to the Western Cape.”
The Congress of SA Students in the Eastern Cape welcomed the results.
“We would like congratulate Gade and the [provincial] education department, together with the learners for the outstanding achievement of an 84,17% pass rate,” it said, adding 90% was possible for this year’s matrics.
DA MPL Horatio Hendricks said Gade’s attempt to blame the drop in results on suspended principals and teachers facing allegations of financial misconduct and sexual offences, was “laughable”.
“His own department’s reluctance to act when these allegations were first brought to their attention is what resulted in suspensions over the exam period following public outcry,” he said.
“Allegations of this sort are extremely serious and must be acted on immediately.”
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