This follows the 82.9% pass rate for the cohort of matriculants who sat the National Senior Certificate exam last year becoming the highest pass rate obtained since the National Senior Certificate (NSC) was introduced in 2008.

The accomplishments of their predecessors should encourage them to set their sights even higher," Ramaphosa said.

As the country marks 30 years since it became a democracy, the president said the achievement of last year’s matriculants shows the progress the government has made in making education not only more accessible but also more equal.

“In a country such as ours, universal access to education is by far the most impactful intervention in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, it is our most effective weapon to overcome the effects of centuries of racism, discrimination and marginalisation of the black majority," said Ramaphosa.

Despite being proud of all the matriculants, Ramaphosa said the government was particularly proud of the young people who have succeeded in the face of great hardship and adversity.

“Of the 110 top performing learners in last year’s NSC exam, 62 were social grant beneficiaries and in 2023, matriculants who receive some form of social grant together achieved more than 160,000 distinctions, and more than 200,000 qualified for university entrance," Ramaphosa added.

For the many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who passed matric this year, Ramaphosa said being given an opportunity to work or to study further was a way out of poverty.

Therefore it is now up to all of society to work together to ensure that every South African, young and old, is lifted out of poverty, given access to decent work and an opportunity to fulfil their true potential," Ramaphosa reiterated.