Matric Results From 2016-2020

Matric Results From 2016-2020

From 2016, the matric results have seen a gradual improvement. 2019 ended strong with a pass rate of 81%, proving the growth in South African schooling. 

2020 is the year that will either make or break the gradual improvement since 2016. However, with all the coronavirus interruptions, it is hard to expect a pass rate that is even higher than in 2019. 

Here is a summary of all provincial results from 2016-2019.

Historic Results

Here are the results for the DoBE and the IEB from 2016-2019.

Department of Basic Education

2016: 76.2% pass rate 

2017: 79.4% pass rate 

2018: 76.4% pass rate 

2019: 81.3% pass rate 

2020: will be released on 23rd February 2021

IEB

2016: 67% pass rate 

2017: 76% pass rate 

2018: 92% pass rate 

2019: 82% pass rate 

2020: will be released on the 23rd February 2021

Provincial Results

Despite the all-time high that was hit in 2019, some provinces have done better than others. Here are the results from all 9 provinces from 2016-2019:

The highest improvement for the Eastern Cape matric results was in 2019 where the pass rate rose by 6% from 2018 to 76.5%. 2017 saw a 2.7% increase from their 2016 results keeping them at 65.8%. 

In 2016, the Eastern Cape held the worst pass rate amongst all the provinces at 63.3%. 

Since 2016, the Free State has managed to keep a pass rate above 80%. 2019 saw their highest pass rate at 88.4% followed by the second highest of 87.5% in 2018. 2017 saw a 2.2% drop from their 88.2% pass rate in 2016. 

As one of the top-performing provinces, Gauteng scored a matric pass rate of 87.2% in 2019. In 2018 they were the top-performing province with 87.9%. 

Their pass rates in 2016 and 2017 remained at 85.1%. 

The matric pass rate of KwaZulu-Natal has risen each year from 2016.  

The results were as follows:

  • 2016: 5% pass rate 
  • 2017: 8% pass rate
  • 2018: 3% pass rate 
  • 2019: 3% pass rate

Limpopo has experienced a steady increase in their matric results since 2016. At 62.5% in 2016, the pass rate increased by 4.9% in 2017. 

2018 saw an increase to a 70.6% pass rate. 2019 experienced another increase of 2.6 %.

As a province, Mpumalanga has experienced fluctuating matric results from 2016-2019. 2017 saw a pass rate of 74,8%, a 2.3% decrease from 2016. 2018 came close to an 80% pass rate at 79%. 

2019 was the best year for Mpumalanga with a pass rate of 80.3%.

Fluctuating since 2016, the Northern Cape pass rates were as follows:

  • 2016: 7% pass rate 
  • 2017: 6% pass rate
  • 2018: 3% pass rate 
  • 2019: 5% pass rate

The biggest improvement for North West came in 2019 with an 86.8% pass rate. This was a 5.6% improvement from the previous academic year. 2017 saw a pass rate of 79.4% whilst 2016 has a pass rate of 82.5%.

The Western Cape has retained a matric pass rate of over 80% since the academic year of 2016. Their results are as follows. 

  • 2016: 87.7%
  • 2017: 84.4%
  • 2018: 81.5%
  • 2019: 82.3% 

For more information about the matric pass rates over the years, click here

Author: Andrea Frisby

Last Updated: 12 November 2020

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