{"id":295157,"date":"2026-01-29T18:23:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T18:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:25:01","slug":"western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hard work and determination proved to be the driving forces behind Abigail Kok being named South Africa’s top matric achiever for 2025. She also claimed the top position nationally in Physical Sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The York High School learner from George achieved an exceptional overall average of 98.4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kok, together with the Western Cape’s top-performing learners, was honoured at the province’s annual National Senior Certificate Awards Ceremony, held today at the Premier’s official residence in Leeuwenhof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provincial results reach new heights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88.2%, up from the record-breaking 86.6% in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The province’s bachelor’s pass rate increased from 47.8% to 49.2%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also the highest ever for the province, and the second highest in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:<\/strong> Historic 88% pass rate marks best-ever matric results for South Africa<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kok told People’s Post being named first in the country still feels surreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Abigail
Abigail Kok tops South Africa\u2019s 2025 matric results with 98.4% average. Photos: Kaylynne Bantom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kok told People’s Post being named first in the country still feels surreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is a massive privilege. I only have God to thank that I am here. It was a wild dream come true. Last year was fun for me, yes it was hard work and exams, but it was amazing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She shared an inspiring message with the class of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Good luck and I hope you find a balance. May you enjoy and remember to laugh. Because yes, exams are important, but they can also steal your joy. God bless.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Maynier, provincial education minister, lauded the learners for their “exemplary achievement” and wished them well for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top LSEN achiever overcomes challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Takunda Muchuweni from Jan Kriel School in Kuils River, was announced as the top LSEN matric candidate (Learners with Special Education Needs) in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite living with muscular dystrophy, Takunda stayed focused and committed to her academics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"matric
Takunda Muchuweni was announced as the Top LSEN (Learners with Special Education Needs) matric learner (Learners with Special Education Needs) in the country. Photo: Kaylynne Bantom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She explains some of the challenges she experienced during her matric year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“During my matric year there were many days I was in physical pain and sick and that influenced my mood and energy and how I wrote my exams. There were times I wrote my exams while I was sick.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministerial award recognises perseverance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Roux Basson, from Piketberg High School on the West Coast, received the ministerial award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This award recognises candidates who achieved excellent academic results each year despite significant hardship, ill health, and personal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) early last year and began intensive chemotherapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"matric
Roux Basson, from Piketberg High School on the West Coast, received the ministerial award. Photo: Kaylynne Bantom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Despite major treatment, including knee transplant surgery and further chemotherapy, he continued attending school, meeting academic requirements, and supporting school activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He completed his final matric exams while still in treatment and achieved excellent results, earning a bachelor’s pass with three distinctions, including strong passes in Mathematics and Physical Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basson told People’s Post his family and friends kept him motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is always light at the end of the tunnel. You must keep pushing to get there. My family and friends were always there for me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premier Alan Winde encouraged the learners to dream big and not let fear stand in their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"matric
The Western Cape Class of 2025 achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the record-breaking 86,6% in 2024. Photo: Kaylynne Bantom
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":295162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"63","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"4","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"8322","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"","article_feature_type":"","article_main_image_caption":"","article_media_icon":"","article_template":"","author_byline":"Kaylynne Bantom","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8322,1],"tags":[7947,7904,91],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-295157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-news","tag-education","tag-local-stories","tag-top"],"yoast_head":"\nWestern Cape Achieved Top Matrics for 2025 | Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WorcesterStandard1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kaylynne Bantom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kaylynne Bantom\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kaylynne Bantom\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/679295818158b8dc2d0ac64511a90c8e\"},\"headline\":\"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":593,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Education\",\"Local Stories\",\"Top\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Education\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/\",\"name\":\"Western Cape Achieved Top Matrics for 2025 | Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1920,\"caption\":\"The Western Cape Class of 2025 achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the record-breaking 86,6% in 2024. Photo: Kaylynne Bantom\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/\",\"name\":\"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/standard-breederivier-site-icon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/standard-breederivier-site-icon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/WorcesterStandard1\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@worcesterstandard1251\"],\"description\":\"The Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette has been the voice of the Breede Valley and Langeberg communities for decades, building a legacy of trust, relevance, and community connection. Established with the goal of keeping our communities informed and engaged, we\u2019ve grown into one of the most respected and reliable local news sources in the region. From council updates and school news to cultural events and community-driven initiatives, we cover the stories that shape the everyday lives of our readers. Our mission is simple: to bring our communities the latest news, impactful stories, and insightful opinions that matter most \u2014 keeping them connected, empowered, and informed.\",\"email\":\"worcesterstandard@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"023 3470968\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/679295818158b8dc2d0ac64511a90c8e\",\"name\":\"Kaylynne Bantom\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kaylynne Bantom\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/worcesterstandard\\\/author\\\/kaylynne-bantom\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Western Cape Achieved Top Matrics for 2025 | Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","description":"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results","og_description":"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/","og_site_name":"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WorcesterStandard1","article_published_time":"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1920,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kaylynne Bantom","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kaylynne Bantom","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/"},"author":{"name":"Kaylynne Bantom","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#\/schema\/person\/679295818158b8dc2d0ac64511a90c8e"},"headline":"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results","datePublished":"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/"},"wordCount":593,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","keywords":["Education","Local Stories","Top"],"articleSection":["Education","News"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/","name":"Western Cape Achieved Top Matrics for 2025 | Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-29T16:23:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-29T16:25:01+00:00","description":"The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the\u00a0record-breaking\u00a086,6% in 2024.\u00a0The province\u2019s bachelor\u2019s pass rate increased to 49,2%.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","width":2560,"height":1920,"caption":"The Western Cape Class of 2025 achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the record-breaking 86,6% in 2024. Photo: Kaylynne Bantom"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/western-cape-honours-2025-matric-top-achievers-after-record-breaking-results\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Western Cape honours 2025 matric top achievers after record-breaking results"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/","name":"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#organization","name":"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/standard-breederivier-site-icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/standard-breederivier-site-icon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WorcesterStandard1","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@worcesterstandard1251"],"description":"The Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette has been the voice of the Breede Valley and Langeberg communities for decades, building a legacy of trust, relevance, and community connection. Established with the goal of keeping our communities informed and engaged, we\u2019ve grown into one of the most respected and reliable local news sources in the region. From council updates and school news to cultural events and community-driven initiatives, we cover the stories that shape the everyday lives of our readers. Our mission is simple: to bring our communities the latest news, impactful stories, and insightful opinions that matter most \u2014 keeping them connected, empowered, and informed.","email":"worcesterstandard@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"023 3470968","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/#\/schema\/person\/679295818158b8dc2d0ac64511a90c8e","name":"Kaylynne Bantom","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/766d03fb84279b7bef6ef8a64e66d17497687acb6c9ddd2476609bf83c1ca871?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kaylynne Bantom"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/author\/kaylynne-bantom\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ZkbAwards-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61996,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/cape-winelands-district-municipality-grapevine-newsletter-may-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":295157,"position":0},"title":"Cape Winelands District Municipality \u2013 Grapevine Newsletter \u2013 May 2025","author":"Eikestadnuus","date":"22 May 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Education"","block_context":{"text":"Education","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Cape-Winelands-District-Municipality-Grapevine-Cover-May-2025.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":294293,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/boland-college-champions-digital-pathways-for-the-future-workforce\/","url_meta":{"origin":295157,"position":1},"title":"Boland College champions digital pathways for the future workforce","author":"Worcester Standard & Breederivier Gazette","date":"11 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Boland College has been selected as one of only a few South African institutions to partner with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Internationale Zusammenarbeit) in a groundbreaking digital transformation initiative, the organization announced at its Digital Economy Employer Breakfast held last month at Nuy on the Hill. The partnership, which positions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Business"","block_context":{"text":"Business","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/business\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Boland College partners with GIZ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/621f329ffe0247a2a2cd9956d155dda9.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/621f329ffe0247a2a2cd9956d155dda9.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/621f329ffe0247a2a2cd9956d155dda9.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/621f329ffe0247a2a2cd9956d155dda9.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"People's Post","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/peoplespost.co.za","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295157\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295157"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=295157"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/worcesterstandard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=295157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}