Central SA
Matric results: Free State ‘simply the best’ fourth year running─── 06:14 Fri, 20 Jan 2023
The Free State achieved the best pass rate in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam for the fourth consecutive year, outclassing its South African counterparts.
With an 88.5% matric exam pass rate, the Free State’s Class of 2022 earned the crown once again. South Africa’s overall pass rate is 80.1%.
To top this off, the Free State’s Motheo District performed the best in the country with a 90.8% pass rate, while the province’s Fezile Dabi District is firmly in second place countrywide with a 90.4% pass rate. In total, four districts in the Free State are in the top 10 countrywide - the Xhariep district is in 6th place (87.5%) and Thabo Mofutsanyana is in 7th (87.3%).
The current reign started in 2019 when the Free State achieved an 88.4% matric pass rate; in 2020 it was 85.1%. In 2021, the province achieved a pass rate of 85.7%, and with the latest results of 2022, it yet again outclassed all eight other provinces with its 88.5% pass rate.
The Free State was the top performer in six of the past seven years. The Western Cape was the best in 2015, but from 2016 to 2022, the Free State has held the top position in six of the seven years, with Gauteng slightly overtaking the Free State in 2018.
