These are the top performing districts in the country.

Announcing the NSC 2021 matric results Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said: “The Class of 2021 must be commended due to the astronomical challenges they faced. The pass rate stands at 76.4 %, an improvement of 0.2%. This includes the results from the progressed learners. This represents a record of 537 687 candidates, who passed the 2021 NSC examinations – an improvement of 21.9% passes from 2020. Without the progressed learners, the overall pass rate stands at 79.8% – just 0.2% below the 80% pass rate.”

The 2021 matric is the second cohort to write the November National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Umalusi, the matric class of 2021 was disrupted in their schooling for two years and lost more than 50% of their Grade 11 year due to the pandemic.

These are the top-performing district in the country:

1st place is Tshwane South from Gauteng with 89.3%;

2nd place is Motheo in the Free State with 87.9%;

3rd place is Fezile Dabi in the Free State, with 87.5%;

4th place is Johannesburg West in Gauteng, with 86.5%;

Tied in the 5th place, are Ekurhuleni South in Gauteng and Metro North in the Western Cape, with 86.2%;

7th place is Lejweleputswa in the Free State with 85.6%;

8th place is Xhariep in the Free State, with 85.5%;

9th place is Johannesburg North in Gauteng with 84.9%;

10th place , is Eden and Central Karoo in the Western Cape, with 84.4%;

Teachers’ unions reaction

The Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysers Unie (SAOU) congratulates the Grade 12 class of 2021 with their academic performances.

“The pass rate of 76.4% for the NSC examination under the auspices of the DBE that exceeds the 76.2% of last year is truly satisfactory in light of the serious disruptions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021,” said the union.

The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation South Africa (Naptosa) says it is pleased with the pass rate of 76.4 % which represents a marginal increase from 2020.

“This improved result is remarkable in the context of the difficulties that the class of 2021 faced. Clearly, dedication, resilience, and hard work once again proved to be the elements of success on the part of both the learners and teachers.”

Lastly, Equal Education applauded the hard work and time invested by pupils, teachers, parents and schools over the last two years to get to this point.