The Eastern Cape’s Class of 2024 has set a new record, boosting the province’s overall pass rate by an impressive 3.56 percentage points.
This year’s matriculants achieved an 84.9% pass rate, a notable improvement from 81.4% in 2023.
Over the term, this represents a shift from the 76.5% in 2019 to 84.9% in 2024, representing a 4.17% shift over the term. The Eastern Cape has produced a total of 352 524 passes over the term from 2020 to 2024.
This was announced by the provincial education department on Tuesday led by Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade, together with Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, at the International Convention Centre in East London.
“The Class of 2024 represents a watershed period in the learner performance trajectory of the Eastern Cape, characterised by unprecedented improvements in average pass, bachelor passes, subjects pass marks, as well as performance by examination centers.
“The year 2024 is also marked by improved quality of school-based assessments (SBA) submitted to Umalusi for resulting. The emphasis on quality SBA has paid off handsomely again in 2024,” the MEC said.
The number of Bachelor passes increased by 6.1 % from 39.6% in 2023 to 45.7% in 2024. In real terms it means 45 662 of the 99 739 learners obtained a Bachelor pass.
“Equally improving is the number of distinctions over the last 5 years, moving from 29 064 in 2020 to 35 640 in 2024. Year on year improvements have equally scaled up from 4.2% in 2023 to 5% in 2024. This is evident in the quality of passes in each subject written in 2024,” MEC Gade said.
The MEC also announced that subject performance, across the spectrum, has improved in 2024. Of the 56 subjects that were written, 30 subjects have shown an upward trajectory, and only 14 subjects dropped by low margins.
High enrolment subjects, with no less than 10 000 learners for the specific subject, exhibited commendable improvements, with Mathematics, Physics and History showing unprecedented upward trajectories.
District performance also took a new turn in 2024, with 11 districts performing above 80%, with only one district remaining at the upper 70%. Six more districts, compared to 2023, have joined the 80% benchmark.
The top five performing districts in 2024 are: Chris Hani East being number one at 88.5%, a 4.5% improvement from 84% in 2023, Amathole East is number two at 87.8%, a 5.4% improvement from 82.4% in 2023, Alfred Nzo West is number three at 86.9%, a 2.1% improvement from 84.2% in 2023, Nelson Mandela is number four at 86.7%% a 3.6% improvement from 83.1% and Nzo East is number five at 85.9%, a 0.8% improvement from 85.1% in 2023.
The MEC mentioned the tragic incident where five candidates were raped while preparing for examinations. Despite the tragedy, the candidates insisted on writing the exams and all obtained Bachelor passes.
“The unfortunate incident was that of five candidates’ gang- raped while preparing for their examinations in OR Tambo. However, these kids insisted on writing despite their demise, and I am happy to report that they all obtained Bachelor passes and have joined us for the ceremony,” he said.
Minister lauds the EC for its performance
Minister Gwarube lauded the province, adding that no province in the country scored below 84%.
She said this was a result of years of investment and hard work by previous leaders.
“This province has come a very long way over the years, to get to the point where it is. It's also incredibly encouraging to know that in South Africa today, in 2024 there is not a single province that has scored less than 84% of the pass mark in the country.
“And that is not something that happens overnight, that is years and years in the making… it takes investment into the system.
“It's incredibly important for us to pay tribute to those Ministers and MECs who've come before us, who have essentially planted the seed before we arrived, to say this is the direction in which we need to go and now finally, we are able to see and reap the benefits of their hard work over the years,” Gwarube said. – SAnews.gov.za
