Gender Gap in 2025 Matric Exams Concerns Basic Education Department

• The Department of Basic Education have sounded the alarm on a worrying increase in boys dropping out of school
• Minister Siviwe Gwarube warned that the sharpest decline occurs between Grades 10 and 12, with boys more likely to leave the schooling system and not return
• She said the department is urgently assessing the causes, including grade repetition and socio-economic pressures, to prevent the boy child from being left behind

More girls than boys wrote the National Senior Certificate examinations in the 2025 matric year, a trend the Department of Basic Education has flagged as a growing concern.

Speaking after the release of the matric results on 12 January 2025, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the gender imbalance in matric participation highlights persistent challenges in keeping boys in the schooling system through to Grade 12.

Gwarube said the department is assessing the underlying factors contributing to boys dropping out earlier in their schooling careers, including socio-economic pressures and disengagement from the education system, as it works to develop strategies to address the disparity.

Read also

Panyaza Lesufi pushes for AI in classrooms, SA debates his chalkboards belong in museums comment

“There is a big problem for us, and that is that the boy child is being left behind,” Gwarube said.

“Where we see the greatest drop is between Grade 10 and Grade 12, and that, for me, is a big concern. One of the reasons we believe this happens is grade repetition, with learners giving up and leaving school. However, the boy child appears to be more susceptible to dropping out and not returning.”

Looking at the broader picture, Gwarube said that, according to experts she has consulted, some of these boys may end up in prison or join gangs, particularly in provinces such as Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. She said this points to a wider societal challenge that requires collaboration between the education sector and other government departments.

Social media users weigh in

A News24 post reporting on the issue sparked debate online, with many South Africans sharing their views.

Read also

Nongoma matric learner finished school despite illness and months of missed classes

See post here:

@PSAFMophiring commented:

“The system is leaving boys behind. It started with ‘take a girl child to work’, then came Oprah Winfrey’s girls-only school, and so on. What happens to the boy-child, especially in black communities and rural areas? They suffer hopelessness, run away from home, become drug addicts and make up the highest percentage of criminals in prison.”

@ghettostar_22 remarked:

“But the richest people in South Africa are men.”

@Khumbs007 stated:

“There is a deliberate effort to suppress men and boys. It’s not a random outcome. Men are on their own.”

bonolo_bestie asked:

“Is it because they were not accepted into matric at the same rate as girls, or because they did not pass?”

@LeoMcoboth55625 added:

Women outnumber men in schools and tertiary institutions around the world. This is not only a South African issue.”

KwaZulu-Natal shines in the Class of 2025

Against this backdrop, KwaZulu-Natal learner Ethan Naicker has emerged as a powerful reminder of what is possible when boys are supported to remain in school. Naicker, a matriculant from Port Shepstone Secondary School, earned national recognition after being interviewed on TV for his outstanding academic performance. The clip, shared by eNCA journalist Nabeelah Shaikh on Facebook on 12 January 2026, attracted widespread praise and engagement from an impressed online community. In the interview, Naicker credited his success not only to hard work but also to the consistent love and support of his family throughout his schooling journey. When asked about his plans, he said he had long been torn between studying medicine and actuarial science, but is now leaning towards medicine in 2026.

Read also

Body of toddler found in Mpumalanga river, South Africans horrified

More matric success stories

Previously, Briefly News reported on the inspiring reaction of a deaf KwaZulu-Natal top achiever following the release of the matric results. Amahle Ngidi, a matriculant from St Martin’s School for the Deaf, relies on sign language to communicate and was among only four deaf learners at her school who sat for the National Senior Certificate examinations. Despite significant challenges, Ngidi has completed her matric year and is now preparing for life beyond high school.

In other news, Reddam House Umhlanga celebrated an exceptional academic achievement by twin siblings Rebecca and Daniel Major, who delivered outstanding results in the 2025 matric examinations. The twins collectively achieved 16 distinctions in the IEB exams, contributing to a record-breaking year for the school. Staff and parents praised the siblings not only for their academic excellence, but also for their character, saying their success inspired the wider school community.

Source: Briefly News