Take a bow KZN, for a 90% matric pass rate

KWAZULU-NATAL, despite overseeing one of the country’s largest matric cohorts, not only met the challenge but excelled, showcasing the strength of its teachers, the resilience of its communities, and the discipline of its pupils.

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KZN achieved the highest provincial pass rate for the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams at 90.6%, helping nudge the national pass rate to a record 88%, up 0.7% from 2024.

A decade ago, in 2015, KZN's pass rate was 60.7%, making it one of the worst-performing provinces nationally.

The POST congratulates Ethan Naicker of Port Shepstone Secondary School, who is the top 2025 KZN matric pupil.

KZN also made its mark on a national level with several districts, Umkhanyakude, Pinetown, Umlazi, Ugu, Ilembe, and Amajuba, all ranking among the Top 10 performing districts in South Africa.

Many rural KZN schools which experienced poor roads, lack of water and proper sanitation, and shortages of textbooks and stationery, also shone in the matric exams.