The Independent Examination Board has recorded a small drop in its overall matric pass rate for the class of 2025, with results slipping to 98.31, down from 98.47 the previous year.
According to figures reported by News24 , the marginal decline mirrors a similar movement in bachelor-level passes, with 89.12 of candidates achieving bachelor's passes in 2025 compared to 89.37 in 2024. The proportion of pupils qualifying for diploma studies also shifted, moving from 7.56 to 7.83.
The IEB, which is primarily used by private schools but still offers the National Senior Certificate in line with Department of Basic Education standards, assessed 17,143 candidates in 2025. This included both full-time and part-time pupils, marking an increase from the 16,304 who wrote in 2024.
