Fewer than 10 000 pupils in the country got distinctions for maths and only 1.2% of those who wrote the simpler version of maths literacy got a distinction.

Hinting the matric pass rate would increase‚ Chief Director for Public Exams Rufus Poliah has revealed some of the key numbers of the matric exams.

They show that in what the department calls “gateway subjects” such as maths and science‚ the number and percentage of pupils getting top marks was very low.

In Science‚ 3.7% of pupils who wrote the paper‚ a total of 7 043‚ received a distinction.

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In Maths‚ 3% or 8070 pupils who wrote the paper‚ received a distinction.

The number of pupils getting distinctions for African languages was not revealed but Poliah said the number was low and quality of passes in all African languages was poor.

Other numbers showed:

- In 2016‚ 674 652 full time candidates were registered for the exam‚ and 610 178 wrote it. The missing pupils are writing over two years to stop them dropping out completely.

- Just above half of all matrics who wrote and passed matric achieved diploma passes — allowing them to go to a college or bachelors passes going to University‚ said Poliah.

- The number of schools with a 100% pass rate has increased to 8% of all schools up from 6‚9% all schools. In numbers‚ this means 548 schools had every pupil passing up from 470 schools in 2015. There are just over 6000 schools in the country

-18 schools had no students passing down from 22 schools in 2015. “They will have us at the doorstep when they open‚” said Poliah.

- In 2015‚ 243 schools had 20% of all pupils passing which last dropped down to 196 of schools.

- In 2015‚ 2631 or 38.9 % of schools had a pass rate of 40% of above

Last year‚ 2852 schools or 41.9% of schools had a pass rate of 40% and above which shows we are improving said Poliah.

 - Of the? just over 6000 schools‚ 111 schools have obtained 100% past rates of past five years. Of these‚ 32 are in Gauteng and 31 in the Western Cape and 12 in the Free State.

Other distinctions:

- Of the 128 853 pupils who wrote accounting ‚6576 or 5.1% received a distinction.

- Of the 361 865 pupils who write maths literacy only 1.25% or 4364 got a distinction

- For Afrikaans first language — 6167 pupils received a distinction — about 7.4% who wrote.

- In English 1.2% or 6644 students got a distinction.

To check your results‚ visit http://matric.sowetanlive.co.za/ as soon as they are made available on Thursday morning.