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Girls outnumber boys in South Africa’s grade 12 classrooms. Since at least 2021, just over half (56%) of the matric learners have been girls, according to department of basic education data.
This gender imbalance is one reason why 51,000 more girls earned bachelor passes than boys in the 2024 National Senior Certificate exams. A bachelor pass is the highest-level pass, and the minimum requirement to attend university.
Education expert Nicky Roberts has expressed concern about the disparity in numbers between boys and girls in grade 12 because it suggests that boys may be struggling in the education system.
The national matric pass rate for 2024 was 87.4%, the highest ever achieved and a 4.4 percentage point increase from 2023.
To be awarded a bachelor pass, learners must score at least 50% in four subjects, 40% in their home language and 30% in two other subjects.
— 20 January, 2025Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for more charts like this
