Inside_Education

Takunda Muchuweni’s presence at the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Top Achievers Breakfast on Monday stood as a powerful reminder that academic excellence is not defined by circumstance, but by resilience, discipline and unwavering belief.

For the first time, all 75 school districts across South Africa have recorded matric pass rates of 80% and above.

From R900 stationery lists to R4,500 registration fees, parents say the price of sending children back to school is spiralling.

Over the past five years, the education system has grown from supporting 12 million learners to 13.7 million.

KwaZulu-Natal emerged as the best-performing province, with a 90.6% pass rate.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has said that South Africa’s matric pass benchmark is low because of slack governance, and renewed calls for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass threshold to be raised to 50%.

Grey High signed off the 2026 Grey Festival in emphatic fashion, completing an unbeaten campaign with a tense three-wicket victory over St Andrew’s School in a clash that pitted the tournament’s two undefeated sides against each other on the Pollock Oval.

Sixty-three scholar transport vehicles have failed safety inspections in KwaZulu-Natal so far, provincial transport MEC Siboniso Duma said on Monday, as officials intensified checks ahead of the reopening of schools on Wednesday.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has called for a bold reimagining of South Africa’s education system, urging government, industry, and communities to embrace technology and innovation as the foundation for future learning.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has hailed the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Class of 2025 as "the pride of the nation", using a keynote address at the Top Achievers’ Breakfast to emphasise perseverance, character, and the value of excellence beyond examination results.