The national matric pass rate is up by 2.8% percentage points from the 80.1% pass rate in 2022.

A total of 715 719 full time and 182 056 part time candidates registered to sit for the 2023 NSC examinations.

The number of bachelor passes increased, to 40.9% in 2023 — up from 38.4% in 2022.

Free State continued its dominance as the top-performing province, achieving 89.3% from 88.5% last year.

In a surprise turn, KwaZulu-Natal overtook Gauteng to clinch second spot, getting 86.36% from 83.0% in 2022 as the latter came in third, getting 85.38%, up from 84.4% in 2022.

KwaZulu-Natal continued its impressive streak, overtaking Western Cape to become the province with the most distinctions, the province jumped from 6% to 8.3%, the Western Cape came in second while Gauteng took third place.

It was also among three of the nine provinces whose districts achieved 80% and above as the other two were Gauteng and Free State.

This was revealed in the technical briefing report by Basic Education director-general Mathanzima Mweli.

“To just give you a glimpse, out of 10 pupils, four pupils presented with bachelors, in terms of the 900,000 candidates who enrolled for the NSC in 2023, which means it has increased from last year," Mzweli said.

Meanwhile, Motshekga said that the class of 2023 had done the country proud.

"The class of 2023 showed the greatest determination, fortitude and resolve to overcome all odds, similarly to the class of 2022," Motshekga added.

Here is the official pass rate of the 2023 Matric results per province:

1.Free State - 89%

2.KwaZulu-Natal - 86.4%

3.Gauteng - 85.4%

4.North West - 85.6%

5.Western Cape - 81.5%

6.Eastern Cape - 81.4%

7.Limpopo - 79.5%

8.Mpumalanga - 77%

9.Northern Cape - 75.8%