There were more bachelor passes at no-fee schools than fee-paying schools in 2017.

That is what the Minister of Basic Education‚ Angie Motshekga‚ said on Thursday when she announced the matric results for 2017 at the SABC in Auckland Park‚ Johannesburg.

“This is poignant‚ as it points to a remarkable shift in the balance of forces. From 2015 to date‚ greater equity was observed despite the reality that inequalities still remain in the system.”

No-fee schools produced 76‚300 bachelor passes while fee-paying schools produced 67‚867 bachelor passes. No-fee schools are quintile one to three schools. The quintile rating of a school is based on the income‚ unemployment and illiteracy of the surrounding area. Quintile one to three schools ask no school fees.

2017 was the year with the second largest number of progressed learners since the policy was introduced in 2013. Of the 107‚430 progressed learners‚ 18‚751 wrote the final exams.

Motshekga said she believes this dispels the myth that “progressed learners adversely affect the overall results”.

“In fact‚ in KwaZulu-Natal‚ the results with progressed learners included‚ are better than those without the progressed learners.”

There were 2‚777 learners with special needs that wrote the matric exams in 2017. Of these 906 learners achieved bachelor passes‚ 789 got diploma passes‚ 307 achieved higher certificate passes.

More than three out of four special needs learners passed (77.2%) matric.

In total 629‚155 full-time and 173‚276 part-time learners enrolled for matric last year. Of these‚ 534‚484 full-time and 117‚223 part-time learners wrote the 2017 National Senior Certificate exam. The overall pass rate for 2017 with the progressed learners excluded is 76.5%. This is up from 76.2% in 2016.

Almost four out every five learners (79.7%) received some form of social grants. Of these 5‚016 got bachelor passes‚ 5‚997 achieved diploma passes‚ 2‚863 achieved higher certificate passes and two achieved NSC passes.