The atmosphere was electric at the recent top achievers’ recognition Well-Done Function for the Matric Class of 2025, where the Free State Department of Education celebrated the province’s 89,3% pass rate. A red carpet was rolled out for the Top 100 brightest stars for 2025. Among these exceptional students, one name stood out with particular brilliance.
Bokang Vincent Mokubung (17) of the Bluegumbosch Secondary School in Phuthaditjhaba, Qwaqwa, is the Best Overall Achiever in Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
He obtained first position among the top three learners in quintile 3 schools for exceptional results in Mathematics in the country.
He achieved eight distinctions in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations: Life Orientation (100%), Geography (100%), Tourism (98%), Life Sciences (97%), Physical Sciences (97%), Mathematics (97%), English First Additional Language (89%) and Sotho Home Language (86%).
One day I want to become a successful businessman. I’m going to use the skills I learn to enhance my businesses so that they can succeed. – Bokang Vincent Makubung
During the 2025 school term, Bokang went to school early to assist his fellow classmates before classes began, and they continued their study sessions together in the afternoon. He has become a shining example of what determination, hard work and strategic thinking can achieve.
His journey to academic excellence is one that deserves to be told and celebrated.
“When I read the results for my matric exam, the first thing that came into my mind was that I had made it. My efforts really paid off,” Bokang recalls with evident pride. His confidence was not misplaced – throughout his exam period, he maintained an unwavering belief in his preparation.
“I ensured that I aced every paper that I wrote.”
What makes Bokang’s story particularly inspiring is how he transformed his biggest challenge into one of his greatest victories. Tourism, the subject that gave him the most difficulty, ironically became one of his best-performing subjects. His solution? Going the extra mile – literally.
“I attended tourism lessons at a school different from my own because there was a teacher at another school that I understood much better.”
This story perfectly illustrates Bokang’s proactive approach to learning and his willingness to seek help wherever he could find it.
He has secured a place at the University of Pretoria (UP) to study Actuarial Sciences, with clear entrepreneurial goals in mind.
“One day I want to become a successful businessman. I’m going to use the skills I learn to enhance my businesses so that they can succeed.”
When asked about the specific type of business he envisions, his response reflects the boundless optimism of youth: “Any form of business, as long as it is business.”
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Behind every successful student is a strong support network. He openly acknowledges the crucial role his teachers played in helping him navigate the inevitable pressures of his matric year.
“To handle the pressure, I seek emotional support from my teachers. There’s this one teacher that I vented to about everything, and he would always comfort me and tell me that everything was going to get better. I just needed to relax.”
Emotional support was only part of the equation, however. Bokang also focused on building his confidence through hard work and practice – a strategy that proved highly effective in reducing exam anxiety.
Every successful student has someone who lights the way, and for Bokang, that person is Ernest Thabo Mowai, his Mathematics teacher of Gr.10. Despite only teaching him for half a year, Mr. Mowai’s impact has been lasting and profound.
“I actually have a role model at school. It is my Mathematics teacher who taught me in Gr.10. He did not teach me the whole year, but ever since he’s been inspiring me,” Bokang shares with genuine admiration.
When asked what advice he would give his younger self at the beginning of his matric year, Bokang’s response reveals a maturity that likely contributed to his success: “Never have excuses for any failure, because failure does not have to be justified.”
System characterised by ‘resilience, coherence and corrective leadership’
Dr Julia Maboya, MEC for Education, has congratulated Bokang on his stellar achievement.
“We take profound pride in Bokang, representing the Free State on the national stage, carrying the aspirations of our province with distinction and excellence as the top performer in the category of Quintile 3 schools nationally,” she said.
“Your achievement inspires your peers and communities, setting a high standard of excellence and pride for the province.”
Maboya addressed the audience at the provincial Well-Done Function for the Matric Class of 2025 held on the Bloemfontein campus of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, on 16 January.
A total of 38 205 learners wrote the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) final examination. The overall pass rate of 89,3% translates to 34 129 candidates who passed.
Beaming with pride, Maboya indicated that the province was not overly concerned with the slight decline in pass rate, noting that it had secured second place behind KwaZulu-Natal, which achieved first position with 90,6%. The Free State’s pass rate reflected a marginal decline of 1.67 percentage points from the 91% achieved in 2024.
“The quality of outcomes is reflected by 16 728 learners who obtained bachelor passes (43,8%), while 11 926 obtained diploma passes (31,2%), and 5 407 obtained higher certificate passes, underscoring that progression, when properly supported, strengthens rather than compromises system performance,” said Maboya.
ALSO READ: KwaZulu-Natal tops South Africa with record 90.6% matric pass rate for 2025
“Out of a total of 359 schools, 115 schools performed at 95% and above. This includes 58 township schools. In 2025, a total of 46 schools managed to achieve 100%, of which 14 are township schools.”
“The decline in the Free State is neither a collapse nor anything new; it is a fluctuation within a system that has demonstrated resilience over a decade of sustained excellence.
“For instance, in 2018, the Free State shifted to second position with a variance of approximately 3%, and again in 2020 with a marginal difference of 3,3%.
“On both occasions, we recalibrated and returned stronger. This demonstrated a system characterised by resilience, coherence, and corrective leadership, enabling the province to rebound decisively,” she stated.
Furthermore, Maboya based the province’s quality education on learner performance, demonstrated by learners who achieve at a national level – like Bokang, being the provincial Best Overall Achiever in Mathematics and Physical Sciences; as well as Jaco Deysel of the Hoërskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein, who is the provincial Overall Top Achiever, excelling in Mathematics.
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