BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga is set to release the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results on Thursday, 18 January.
Motshekga will also host pupils and parents for a congratulatory breakfast.
This will then be followed by the official release of the results to candidates on Friday, 19 January.
At least 898 520 candidates sat down for the NSC examinations. Of this number, 717 377 candidates were full-time while 181 143 were part-time.
Compared to last year's total of 921 879, 2023 recorded a decrease of 23 351 (3%) in candidates.
Last year's NSC results proved a great success, with the class of 2022 achieving an 80,1% pass rate. This meant that at least 580 555 candidates passed matric in 2022.
This is the same group that bore the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic and the worst load shedding in years.
The pass rate last year, according to provinces, was as follows:
Free State: 88,5%, an increase of 2.8% from 2021
Gauteng: 84,4%, an increase of 1.6% from 2021
KwaZulu-Natal: 83%, an increase of 6.2% from 2021
Western Cape: 81,4%, an increase of 0.2% from 2021
North West: 79,8%, an increase of 1.6% from 2021
Eastern Cape: 77,3%, an increase of 4.2% from 2021
Mpumalanga: 76,8%, a 2,9% increase from 2021
Northern Cape: 74.2%, a 2.7% increase from 2021
Limpopo: 72.1%, a 5.3% increase from 2021
At the time, Motshekga commended the class of 2022 for achieving such results, given the hardships among those during the pandemic.
"The matric class of 2022 must be commended for maintaining this trend despite the astronomical challenges they faced – challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, Eskom's load shedding and sporadic service delivery protests," Motshekga said at the time.
It's yet to be seen if the 2023 class aimed higher with results.
Earlier this week, the national education quality assurance body, Umalusi, announced that it had approved the release of the November 2023 NSC examination results.
This is despite dishonesty detected during the examinations.
According to Umalusi CEO Mafu Rakometsi, 945 National Senior Certificate candidates were identified in group copying; of that total, he said 763 cases were detected in KZN and 164 in Mpumalanga.
Rakometsi said these irregularities and dishonesty during the examinations are considered unresolved issues, which will be investigated to indicate those who are guilty and innocent clearly.
