Lerato Mbhiza and Johnathan Paoli
Announcing the official release of the 2023 National Senior Certificate results at a briefing in Randburg on Thursday evening, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said 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 said.
All the top achievers from across all provinces were accompanied by their parents at an earlier breakfast meeting with the minister and her senior officials.
Top student Melissa Muller from Rhenish Girls’ High in the Western Cape succeeded against all odds and was quoted as saying she kept going “even when the last thing she wanted to see was a textbook”. Muller said she wanted to study mechatronics engineering at Stellenbosch University.
The 2023 NSC examinations recorded the highest pass rate since SA’s democracy with 82.9% – an overall increase of 2.8% from last year’s results.
Best performing provinces in that order are the Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, North West, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape.
The minister said that there was no doubt that basic education had reached the desired level which was very important for the country.
Motshekga said that the quality of learner outcomes have seen significant improvement and that there was a high degree of stability within the system.
The minister awarded the top achiever of public schools, Melissa Muller from the Western Cape.
DBE deputy minister Regina Mhaule congratulated the award winners and said that it remained vital to equip the youth of the country with the skills required for achieving their dreams.
“Our education system is the cornerstone of society shaping our future leaders and providing them with the tools to meet the ever changing world,” Mhaule said.
The night ended with a performance amid jubilation and congratulations from parents, learners, department officials and supporters.
INSIDE EDUCATION
