York High School’s Abigail Kok from George has been named South Africa’s top matric candidate for the Class of 2025, capping an exceptional year for the Western Cape, which has once again achieved its highest-ever matric pass rate.
The province recorded an overall 88.2% pass rate, improving on last year’s 86.6% and marking the best performance since the National Senior Certificate (NSC) was introduced.
Matric exams 2025 | Beat the queues, how to get your results on your PHONE
The bachelor’s pass rate also reached a new high, rising from 47.8% to 49.2% – the highest ever for the province and the second highest nationally.
National Top Achiever
Against this backdrop of provincial excellence, Kok stood out on the national stage.
She was named South Africa’s top matric candidate for 2025 and also achieved the top result in Physical Sciences.
Her achievement marks the fifth consecutive year that the country’s top matric learner has come from the Western Cape.
Her success reflects the province’s strong performance in key gateway subjects.
The Western Cape recorded the highest Mathematics pass rate in the country at 73.7%, while the Physical Sciences pass rate of 80.6% was the second highest nationally.
Distinctions and Inclusive Education
In total, 13 234 Western Cape candidates achieved 31 220 distinctions, giving the province the second-highest distinction rate in South Africa.
The province also performed strongly in inclusive education. Learners with Special Education Needs (LSEN) achieved a matric pass rate of 91.9%, with a bachelor’s pass rate of 60.4%, the second highest in the country.
National recognition in this category went to Takunda Muchuweni from Jan Kriel School in Kuils River, who was named South Africa’s top LSEN candidate.
Strong Retention and Support
Another standout feature of the 2025 results is the Western Cape’s 70% retention rate, the highest in the country and the best the province has achieved since 2021.
This indicates that more learners are staying in school through to matric and completing their studies on time, improving access to further education and employment opportunities.
Education authorities praised the Class of 2025 for being one of the hardest-working matric groups to date, while also acknowledging the critical role played by teachers and parents, who supported learners through extra classes, long hours, and sustained encouragement.
Accessing Results
Candidates can collect their results from their schools and access them on the Western Cape Education Department’s website on Tuesday, 13 January from 10:00.
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