IEB candidates slay 2022 matric year with 98.4% pass rate

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Independent Examinations Board (IEB) matric candidates have obtained a 98.42% pass rate with 89.32% achieving bachelor’s passes.

The 2022 pass rate is slightly higher than that of 2021, which was 98.39%. 

The chief executive of IEB, Anne Oberholzer, applauded the performance of the class of 2022, highlighting that the learners were the class that was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, which started when they were in their grade 10 year.

“They have had to work hard to maintain their drive and perseverance to succeed and in many respects, dig deep to play catch up in terms of lost time and experiences,” she said. 

“Various strategies have been employed to try and mitigate these — moving teaching online, pen and paper distance education, catch-up programmes, weekend school lessons and so on — some more successful than others.” 

A number of schools recorded strong performances, with many reporting scores of distinctions.

St John’s College in Johannesburg scored a 100% bachelor pass, with six learners — Matthew Pryce, Sebastian Boulliart, Khelan Desai, Rahil Gosai, James Hind and Thomas Kruger — included in the IEB Outstanding Achievements list. They were placed in the top 5% of candidates in six or more subjects, including life orientation.

Redhill School, also in Johannesburg, also came out tops, with 60% of its class receiving distinctions in maths.

“Our DUX Scholar is Charlotte Snyckers — an average of 93% with eight distinctions, of which seven distinctions were above 90%,” Redhill said in a statement. 

St Mary’s girls school in Johannesburg came through with a total of 376 distinctions, with 41 learners achieving distinctions in maths and 95% of its class achieving an average of 60% or higher.

Head of school Deanne King said: “It is an outstanding achievement. We are proud of this group of learners, many of whom have been with us since the very early days of their school careers.

“I thank the teaching and co-curricular staff for their investment in each of the girls and their unstinting dedication to ensuring every girl in the class achieved her full potential.” 

Somerset College, near Stellenbosch, said that in all its academic departments, its average was higher than the national average. 

“Our students attained an average over 10% higher than the national IEB average in 12 subjects, including accounting, Afrikaans FAL [first additional language], geography, German SAL [second additional language], history, information technology, life science, mathematics, further studies mathematics, mathematical literacy, physical science and visual art.”

Graham Sayer, the executive head of Somerset College, said: “To the matric 2022 year group: now you have added to that achievement the distinction of having produced the best crop of matric results in Somerset College’s 25-year history, in our 25th year. Please accept our warmest congratulations. We are very proud of you and we wish you a happy and fulfilling future.”

Oberholzer said: “The IEB congratulates the candidates, their teachers and parents for a job extraordinarily well done.”