As we reflect on the recently released 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results; we at Teachers CAN extend our deepest gratitude and admiration to you, the teachers. This year, the Class of 2025 has made history with a record 88% pass rate in the NSC exams, the highest our nation has ever seen. For the first time, every province achieved above 80%, a truly national accomplishment that fills us with pride. Such numbers are more than statistics; they are a testament to your hard work. We know these results were not achieved by learners alone. Behind every young person who crossed the finish line was you, their teacher, lighting the way. Indeed, even the official NSC report acknowledges that this success was made possible through learners’ perseverance and the “steadfast support of teachers, families and communities nationwide”. Thank you for being the driving force behind this collective achievement. The Class of 2025 will forever be remembered as a hallmark of resilience, a description proudly affirmed in the Department of Basic Education’s reports. We must remember what this cohort has endured. These learners started Grade R in 2013 full of dreams, only to face an unprecedented crisis in 2020 when they were in Grade 7, the final year of primary school. The advent of COVID-19 dealt a harsh blow to their education. Schools closed, teaching time was slashed, and the curriculum was condensed. Our children had to navigate not only lost learning, but also the trauma and uncertainty that came with the pandemic. Yet, despite these major impediments, the Class of 2025 demonstrated immense resilience and fortitude. This remarkable recovery did not happen by chance, it happened because you, their teachers, refused to give up on them. You adapted to new teaching modes, made up for lost time with catch-up programs, offered guidance and emotional support, and went the extra mile to ensure no learner was left behind. The triumph of this cohort is your triumph as well, born from your unwavering commitment to helping them recover and excel against the odds.
In celebrating the 2025 results, we also recognise the many areas of academic excellence that showcase your impact. Learners shone in literacy and the humanities, a fact that reflects the foundation you have laid in reading, writing and critical thinking. Subjects like History and Geography saw exceptional performance, with national pass rates exceeding 90%. English results, too, remained strong; virtually all candidates met the requirements in English First Additional Language. Through your dedication, you have nurtured a generation of young South Africans who are articulate, informed and capable of understanding their world. These successes in the languages, arts and social sciences are a direct reflection of your pedagogy, passion, and the countless hours you invested in enriching learners’ minds.
At the same time, we must confront the ongoing challenges in Mathematics and Physical Sciences; areas critical for our country’s future, but where the road is still steep. Only about one-third of this year’s matriculants chose to take Mathematics, with the majority opting for Mathematical Literacy. Even more concerning, of those who did write Maths, only 64% achieved a passing grade, a drop from 69% the year before. Physical Sciences, while it improved slightly to a 77% pass rate, remains a subject that many learners struggle to master. Even Accounting, another important gateway subject, saw its pass rate dip from 81% to 78%. These figures confirm what you witness in the classroom: weak foundations in the early grades continue to hamper learner progress in the STEM fields. Far too many children arrive in high school without the necessary grounding in maths and science, making it harder for them to thrive in these subjects. We know that these shortcomings are not a reflection of your effort or ability; on the contrary, you have been doing everything in your power to spark a love for science and numeracy. Rather, these results highlight systemic issues that need addressing. They scream for better resources, teacher support, and interventions in the lower grades to ensure our learners (and you, their teachers) are better equipped by the time they face the intensity of Grade 12 Maths and Science. We hear this call, and we will continue to fight for the support you need to turn these trends around.
Moreover, we are mindful that the impressive 88% pass rate, as celebratory as it is, does not tell the whole story of our education system. This was the largest matric class in South Africa’s history, over 900,000 candidates wrote the final exams at some 6,000 centres, yet we cannot forget that roughly 1.2 million learners started Grade 1 together back in 2014. By the time the Class of 2025 reached Grade 12, many had been left behind. In fact, only about 778,000 full-time learners were enrolled in matric, meaning a significant number of children fell through the cracks somewhere between Grades 1 and 11. In other words, only about 78% of learners made it from Grade 11 to Grade 12, a statistic that should give us pause even in this moment of celebration. Behind the joy for those who passed, there are quiet stories of those who never got the chance. Poverty, inequality, and other systemic barriers still rob too many children of their right to education. As Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube rightly noted, our schooling system still “bears the imprint of deep inequality,” even as it remains one of the most powerful tools for social cohesion and change. We see that imprint in the rural student who had to study by candlelight, in the township school overcrowded and under-resourced, in the learners who dropped out because life’s burdens became too heavy. As teacher-activists, we cannot be truly satisfied by high pass rates alone until every child in every community is given an equal opportunity not just to pass matric, but to receive a quality, enriching education from the start. These results are a step forward, but they also strengthen our resolve to keep pushing for the systemic changes needed to support all learners, especially the most vulnerable. Through all the highs and lows of this journey, one truth stands firm: teachers are the backbone of our education system. You are not only implementers of the curriculum; you are leaders, caregivers, and change-makers. Each time you innovate a lesson plan to make it more engaging, each time you stay after school to tutor a struggling student, each time you mentor a new teacher or share resources with colleagues, you are exercising what we call teacher agency. You are proving that teachers are not passive recipients of directives, but active shapers of what happens in our schools. In the strong bonds we’ve seen you form, whether it’s collaborative grade-group meetings or cross-district WhatsApp groups swapping advice, we see a powerful community of professionals uplifted by a shared mission. In the way you rally around each other during tough times, we see a profound sense of belonging in the teaching profession. This spirit of solidarity, of not letting each other fall, is what makes the teaching community special. It is also the spirit at the heart of Teachers CAN. Our movement is built on the values of community, teacher agency, belonging, and systemic change. And this year, perhaps more than ever, we have seen those values in action. You have shown that when teachers unite as a community, claim their agency to innovate and advocate, and foster an environment of belonging for every child in their classroom, systemic change is not just a distant dream; it’s already underway, piece by piece, lesson by lesson.
As we say thank you, we also want to remind you that you are not alone in the work that lies ahead. Teachers CAN stands with you and for you. We will continue to amplify your voice in every conversation about education reform. We will continue to fight for the resources, policies, and respect you deserve as professionals and as nation-builders. The 2025 results have given our country much to celebrate, but also much to reflect on. And if there is one lesson we take into the future, it’s that real change happens when teachers are empowered and heard. Your insights from the classroom, your firsthand experience of what learners need; this is invaluable, and it must shape how we improve our education system going forward.
In closing, we salute you once again for your incredible dedication. You have poured your hearts into teaching, and the Class of 2025’s success is living proof of the difference you have made. You have shown the nation that, as one Sesotho proverb puts it, “Thuto e matla ho feta tshepe”, education is stronger than iron. It has the power to shape minds, unlock possibilities, and build our nation up without breaking it down. Through your work, you have proven this true. South Africa is so proud of its teachers. We are proud of you. The future beckons with new challenges and new opportunities to touch lives, and we know that with teachers like you at the helm, our learners are in the very best of hands.
Teachers CAN (Teachers Change Agent Network)
References:
Department of Basic Education (2026). National Senior Certificate 2025 – Examination Results and Analysis. Pretoria: DBE.
Gwarube, S. (2026). Speech: Release of the 2025 National Senior Certificate Results, 12 January 2026. Department of Basic Education, Pretoria.
Written by Michael Sterksen – Network Mobiliser at Teachers CAN
