​Lerato Mailoane
The 2021 National Senior Certificate (NSC) overall pass rate, with the progressed learners included, stands at 76.4%.
Announcing the results of the NSC examinations in Auckland Park on Thursday evening, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said this is an improvement of 0.2% from 2020. 
The pass rates at a provincial level were as follows:
Free State: 85.7%
Gauteng: 82.8%
Western Cape: 81.2%
North West: 78.2%
KZN: 76.8%
Mpumalanga: 73.6%
Eastern Cape: 73%
Northern Cape: 71.4%
Limpopo: 66.7%
A total of 897 163 candidates sat to write the 2021 exam, an increase of 23% from 2020.  
This includes 733 198 full-time learners, the largest cohort in the last few years. A total of 163 967 part-time learners registered to write the examination.
There were 297 152 girls, who passed the exams – an improvement of 21.4% from 2020, and 240 535 boys, who passed - an improvement of 22.5% from 2020.
A total of 211 725 distinctions were achieved, an increase of 19.3% from 2020. 
Motshekga said the 2021 Bachelor passes in numbers is the highest attained in the entire history of the NSC examinations; but is the second-highest to that attained in 2019, when expressed as a percentage.
"The number of candidates qualifying for admission to Bachelor studies at universities is 256 031. It is an improvement of 21.4% from 2020. This represents 36.4% of the total number of candidates who wrote the 2021 NSC exams," she said.
The number of candidates who passed with a diploma is 177 572, which represents 25.2% - an improvement of 17.8% from 2020. 
"We must state that KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng contributed the most Bachelor passes in the combined Bachelor passes of 117 704, which is equivalent to 46.0% of the overall Bachelor passes nationally."
The minister noted that a total of 433 603 candidates – equivalent to 61.6% who achieved Bachelor and Diploma passes, are now eligible for studies at Higher Education Institutions. 
The 103 859 candidates – equivalent to 14.7% - who obtained Higher Certificate passes, may register at TVET and other skills training institutions, she said.
Over the past 10 years, the NSC pass rates have consistently been heading up, from 60% in 2009 to above 70% over the past couple of years.
"There is no doubt that the system has begun to achieve its desired stability. The unquestionable resilience our school community has shown against such a devastating pandemic cannot go by unnoticed."
Motshekga applauded the Class of 2021 for their resilience despite the astronomical challenges faced caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
"It is therefore correct to contextualise the hostile environment within which the Class of 2021 sat for their 2021 National Senior Certificate examinations, an environment that none of the previous cohorts of learners was ever exposed to in the past." 
While there are still several challenges faced by schools countrywide particularly in poor and rural areas, Motshekga said the government's interventions are helping to improve the situation. 
The minister said all hands must be on deck, as the Class of 2022 may face three consecutive years of hardship, brought on by the COVID-19 and its variants.
"We, therefore, encourage our 12 to 17-year-old learners to vaccinate but do so with parental consent."
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the class of 2021, educators and parents for multiple successes and improvements.
"Equally commendable is the support given to learners by educators and parents who made sacrifices of their own and placed the interests of learners ahead of their own concerns."
While this is a moment for celebration for learners who have passed, President Ramaphosa said it is a moment for other learners to return to their desks and make another effort to advance their education and improve their quality of life into the future.
"Our Second Chance Matric Programme is another route to success." The registration into the programme will close on 15 February 2022.