Prisoners score 93.2% Matric pass rate

SOUTH AFRICA – Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola has announced a 93.2% pass rate for prisoners who wrote the matric exams in 2023. Lamola announced the results for inmates at Durban Correctional Centre in Westville on Tuesday morning.

Last Thursday, the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga released the final National Senior Certificate results for the matric class of 2023, which shows a 2.8% increase to an overall of 82.9% pass rate.

Lamola also announced that for the first time in the history of correctional services, the department registered a female school in the 2023 academic year. The school, which is based at Johannesburg Management Area, achieved a 62.5% pass rate.

“A total of 137 out of 147 full time candidates passed their 2023 National Senior Certificate exams. We also have part-time registered learners in DCS,” Lamola said. “When looking at their performance combined with full-time learners, we are observing a 84% pass rate, where 157 learners out of 187 passed. Furthermore, 100 of these learners achieved bachelor passes, 41 achieved diploma passes and 16 achieved higher certificate passes,” added Lamola.

The department has also managed to obtain 129 distinctions. “Nine schools obtained a 100% pass rate and they are, Usethubeni Youth in KZN, Cradock in the Eastern Cape, Thuto Kitso in North West, Sicebengolwazi in KZN, Brandvlei Youth Centre in the Western Cape, Qalakabusha in KZN, Bokamoso in Limpopo, Baviaanspoort Youth Centre in Gauteng, and Ekuseni in KZN,” he added.