/ 3 January 2018

IEB class of 2017 shines as matric results are released

Matriculants eagerly check their results in a previous year.
Matriculants eagerly check their results in a previous year.

The pass rate for the Independent Examination Board (IEB) for the matric class of 2017 has increased from 98.67% in 2016 to 98.76%. The results were released today.

Of the 12 130 pupils that sat for exams, 88.50% are eligible for a university degree, 8.96% to study towards a diploma and only 1.30% achieved entry at the higher certificate level.

The province with the highest number of pupils who sat for the exams was Gauteng with 6 546, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 2 206 and Western Cape at 1 049.

Northern Cape and Mozambique had the least number of pupils at 31 and 30 respectively.

“The 2017 NSC (National Senior Certificate) candidates have done very well and have once again shown that with a commitment to hard work over their 12 years of schooling, and supported by a dedicated cohort of teachers and parents, they have passed with flying colours. They are ready for the next step in their journey of life-long,” said chief executive of the IEB Anne Oberholzer.

Mark Smith, principal of Southdowns College in Centurion near Pretoria – whose school achieved 100% – said he was pleased with the results achieved by the matriculants in the IEB.

“To all our matric pupils – congratulations on your excellent results. We are proud of you and we wish you every success in your future endeavours,” said Smith.

The school also achieved a 94.7% bachelor degree pass rate.

Maragon Mooikloof in Pretoria achieved 100% pass rate and 90% of its pupils achieved bachelor degree passes. Two pupils achieved seven distinctions and one of them is among the top 50 pupils in the IEB results.

“Congratulations to all our 2017 grade 12 students for finishing strong. You can now enjoy the fruit of 12 years of hard work. It is now your time to go and live your calling and be a city changer,” said principal Chris Zaayman.

The Mail & Guardian reported last year that the Department of Basic Education was planning to implement a national independent examination council which would, in part, lead to a single matric examination that would do away with the NSC written by pupils in the public education system and the IEB.

All pupils will write one examination set by the council.

One of the people who was vocal about a single matric examination was Gauteng MEC of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, who said the character of the two exams gave an impression that the IEB is a difficult exam for the rich and the NSC is the weaker one for the poor.

“Our argument is that it is not possible to have one examination that is independently monitored, so that those that are fearing that if we combine them the standard will go down, they must be assured that it’s not government that is running it but it is an independent body,” Lesufi said at the time.

However, Oberholzer said at the time that the IEB had a role to play and that it offered an alternative.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will release the matric results for public schools tomorrow. The national pass rate in 2016 was 72.5%.