DataFirst
2026-05-26
Nesstar Publisher
Version 7
National Senior Certificate Examinations 2008-2025
NSCE 2008-2025
zaf-dbe-nsce-2008-2025-v1.3
Department of Basic Education
Department of Basic Education Directorate: Research Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation (RCME)
Nesstar Publisher
DataFirst
Administrative Records [ad]
Department of Basic Education South Africa. National Senior Certification Examination 2008-2025 [dataset]. Version 1.3. Pretoria: DBE [producer], 2026. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/pcn8-pc32
v1.3 Edited, anonymised dataset for licensed distribution
Secondary Education
Girls’ Education
The National Senior Certificate or NSC is the main school-leaving certificate in South Africa. This certificate is commonly known as the matriculation (matric) certificate, and is obtained after grade 12. The NSC, previously known as the Further Education and Training Certificate or FETC, replaced the Senior Certificate with effect from 2008 and was phased in starting with grade 10 in 2006. These school-level National Senior Certificate (NSC) datasets were derived by the DBE Directorate: Research Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation (RCME) from the November NSC "343” reports received from the Directorate for National Examinations. The data used for this release cover the years 2008 to 2025
South Africa
The data has national coverage
The lowest geographical unit is district
Institutions
Administrative records
The dataset provides data on type of school and examination centre, subjects, and grades obtained, as well as the learners' gender.
Other [oth]
DataFirst
Department of Basic Education South Africa. National Senior Certification Examination 2010-2016 [dataset]. Version 1.2. Pretoria: DBE [producer], 2016. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/pcn8-pc32
Licensed use files, available for non-commercial use only
nsce-centre overall-2008-2025-v1.3.NSDstat
240168
17
Nesstar 200801
nsce-centre subject-2008-2025-v1.3.NSDstat
3039971
22
Nesstar 200801
Matric Year
240168
0
2008
12669
2009
12968
2010
12899
2011
13011
2012
12766
2013
13214
2014
13252
2015
13405
2016
13497
2017
13455
2018
13592
2019
13583
2020
13538
2021
13576
2022
13642
2023
13639
2024
13711
2025
13751
EMIS Number of the exam centre
240168
0
0
9955021102
571355648.036
322770691.967
Gender
239852
316
0
0. Female
120104
1
1. Male
119748
Sysmiss
316
Number of matric candidates
240168
0
1
593
46.856
37.666
Number of bachelor passes
240168
0
0
392
14.469
20.451
Number of diploma passes
240168
0
0
149
12.322
11.461
Number of higher certificate passes
240168
0
0
114
7.07
6.782
Number of national senior certificate passes
240168
0
0
29
0.0163
0.202
Number of fails
240168
0
0
339
10.663
12.961
Number of learner of special educational needs passes
240168
0
0
23
0.00432
0.167
Number of matric incompletes
240168
0
0
282
2.311
6.044
Number of any passes
240168
0
0
573
33.882
31.702
Province of the exam centre
240168
0
1
1. EC
33011
2
2. FS
11797
3
3. GP
29688
4
4. KZ
61751
5
5. LP
49300
6
6. MP
19724
7
7. NW
14566
8
8. NC
4881
9
9. WC
15450
Quintile level of the exam centre
231584
8584
0
99
6.924
20.296
Sector of the exam centre
239921
247
1
1. Independent
17647
2
2. Public
222274
Sysmiss
247
Old education district classifications before 2019
130406
109762
1
Butterworth
974
2
Cofimvaba
584
3
Cradock
322
4
Dutywa
855
5
East London
1686
6
Fort Beaufort
913
7
Graaff-Reinet
313
8
Grahamstown
386
9
King Williams Town
2123
10
Lady Frere
448
11
Libode
856
12
Lusikisiki
628
13
Maluti
540
14
Mbizana
544
15
Mt Fletcher
416
16
Mt Frere
574
17
Mthatha
1201
18
Ngcobo
452
19
Port Elizabeth
1537
20
Queenstown
833
21
Qumbu
562
22
Sterkspruit
593
23
Uitenhage
698
24
Fezile Dabi
1179
25
Lejweleputswa
1380
26
Motheo
1567
27
Thabo Mofutsanyana
1766
28
Xhariep
492
29
Ekurhuleni North
1377
30
Ekurhuleni South
1127
31
Gauteng East
1040
32
Gauteng North
342
33
Gauteng West
920
34
Johannesburg Central
1061
35
Johannesburg East
1195
36
Johannesburg North
1153
37
Johannesburg South
1313
38
Johannesburg West
738
39
Sedibeng East
527
40
Sedibeng West
940
41
Tshwane North
745
42
Tshwane South
1723
43
Tshwane West
943
44
Amajuba
1331
45
Ilembe
2309
46
Pinetown
3111
47
Sisonke/Harry Gwala
1640
48
Ugu
2559
49
Umgungundlovu
3050
50
Umkhanyakude
2984
51
Umlazi
3340
52
Umzinyathi
2679
53
Uthukela
2663
54
Uthungulu
3902
55
Zululand
4139
56
Capricorn
7228
57
Greater Sekhukhune
6648
58
Mopani
5016
59
Vhembe
6055
60
Waterberg
3106
61
Bohlabela
2624
62
Ehlanzeni
2670
63
Gert Sibande
2424
64
Nkangala
2956
65
Bojanala
2597
66
Dr Kenneth Kaunda
1412
67
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
1629
68
Ngaka Modiri Molema
1867
69
Frances Baard
782
70
John Taolo Gaetsewe
485
71
Namaqua
405
72
Pixley Ka Seme
508
73
Siyanda/ZF Mgcawu
378
74
Cape Winelands
1168
75
Eden And Central Karoo
928
76
Metro Central
1634
77
Metro East
1119
78
Metro North
1426
79
Metro South
1186
80
Overberg
427
81
West Coast
455
Sysmiss
109762
New education district classification since 2019
95275
144893
1
Alfred Nzo East
582
2
Alfred Nzo West
1138
3
Amathole East
1222
4
Amathole West
1275
5
Bafallo City
1717
6
Chris Hani East
786
7
Chris Hani West
1158
8
Joe Gqabi
691
9
Nelson Mandela Metro
1340
10
OR Tambo Coastal
1084
11
OR Tambo Inland
1422
12
Sara Baartman
704
13
Fezile Dabi
855
14
Lejweleputswa
1023
15
Motheo
991
16
Thabo Mofutsanyana
1342
17
Xhariep
384
18
Ekurhuleni North
1163
19
Ekurhuleni South
1028
20
Gauteng East
785
21
Gauteng North
245
22
Gauteng West
791
23
Johannesburg Central
904
24
Johannesburg East
1090
25
Johannesburg North
947
26
Johannesburg South
1093
27
Johannesburg West
642
28
Sedibeng East
430
29
Sedibeng West
652
30
Tshwane North
692
31
Tshwane South
1265
32
Tshwane West
796
33
Amajuba
1016
34
Sisonke/Harry Gwala
1254
35
Ilembe
1665
36
Uthungulu/King Cetshwayo
2858
37
Pinetown
2260
38
Ugu
1825
39
Umgungundlovu
2108
40
Umkhanyakude
2326
41
Umlazi
2246
42
Umzinyathi
2000
43
Uthukela
1963
44
Zululand
2898
45
CAPRICORN NORTH
2051
46
SEKHUKHUNE EAST
2109
47
MOPANI EAST
1947
48
VHEMBE EAST
2203
49
VHEMBE WEST
1876
50
Bohlabela
1961
51
Ehlanzeni
1980
52
Gert Sibande
1751
53
Nkangala
2213
54
Bojanala
2315
55
Dr Kenneth Kaunda
904
56
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
1162
57
Ngaka Modiri Molema
1757
58
Frances Baard
610
59
John Taolo Gaetsewe
426
60
Namaqua
301
61
Pixley Ka Seme
354
62
Siyanda/ZF Mgcawu
280
63
Cape Winelands
881
64
Eden And Central Karoo
690
65
Metro Central
1126
66
Metro East
1006
67
Metro North
953
68
Metro South
902
69
Overberg
294
70
West Coast
337
71
CAPRICORN SOUTH
2313
72
MOGALAKWENA
1355
73
MOPANI WEST
1548
74
SEKHUKHUNE SOUTH
2246
75
WATERBERG 2
768
Sysmiss
144893
EMIS Number of the exam centre
3039971
0
0
9955021102
564604491.97
317009841.109
Matric Year
3039971
0
2008
163247
2009
167474
2010
167127
2011
167800
2012
163742
2013
170011
2014
168355
2015
169976
2016
170046
2017
168357
2018
170343
2019
169459
2020
168931
2021
169289
2022
170277
2023
170655
2024
171811
2025
173071
Subject Code
3039907
64
1
1. ABRSM Practical Music Grade 6
17
2
2. ABRSM Practical Music Grade 7
60
3
3. ABRSM Practical Music Grade 8
34
4
4. Accounting
176549
5
5. Afrikaans First Additional Language
44735
6
6. Afrikaans Home Language
25021
7
7. Afrikaans Second Additional Language
13113
8
8. Agricultural Management Practise
3178
9
9. Agricultural Sciences
93580
10
10. Agricultural Technology
1786
11
11. Arabic Second Additional Language
794
12
12. ASSPD
7
13
13. Business Studies
194676
14
14. Chinese A-Level
172
15
15. Civil Technology
8425
16
16. Computer Applications Technology
52656
17
17. Consumer Studies
45656
18
18. Dance Studies
1501
19
19. Design
4955
20
20. Dramatic Arts
13812
21
21. Economics
159380
22
22. Electrical Technology
5597
23
23. Engineering Graphics and Design
10616
24
24. English First Additional Language
213713
25
25. English Home Language
47948
26
26. English Second Additional Language
35
27
27. Equine Studies
52
28
28. French A-Level
1
29
29. French Second Additional Language
2192
30
30. Geography
191425
31
31. German Home Language
5
32
32. German Second Additional Language
1450
33
33. Gujarati First Additional Language
3
34
34. Gujarati Second Additional Language
27
35
35. Hebrew Second Additional Language
129
36
36. Hindi First Additional Language
9
37
37. Hindi Second Additional Languae
88
38
38. History
132113
39
39. Hospitality Studies
11507
40
40. Information Technology
10503
41
41. IsiNdebele First Additional Language
29
42
42. IsiNdebele Home Language
3087
43
43. IsiNdebele Second Additional Language
26
44
44. IsiXhosa First Additional Language
3086
45
45. IsiXhosa Home Language
41248
46
46. IsiXhosa Second Additional Language
282
47
47. IsiZulu First Additional Language
10744
48
48. IsiZulu Home Language
72995
49
49. IsiZulu Second Additional Language
62
50
50. Italian Second Additional Language
112
51
51. Japanese A-Level
4
52
52. Latin Second Additional Languaage
23
53
53. Life Orientation
240168
54
54. Life Sciences
227108
55
55. Maritime Economics
549
56
56. Mathematical Literacy
219977
57
57. Mathematics
225601
58
58. Mathematics: probability, data
7375
59
59. Mechanical Technology
5090
60
60. Modern Greek Second Additional Language
16
61
61. Music
6127
62
62. Nautical Science
100
63
63. Physical Sciences
210656
64
64. Portuguese First Additional Language
39
65
65. Portuguese Home Language
11
66
66. Portuguese Second Additional Language
595
67
67. PRTGA
1
68
68. Religion Studies
4456
69
69. RSSNA
1
70
70. Sepedi First Additional Language
1001
71
71. Sepedi Home Language
46773
72
72. Sepedi Second Additional Language
44
73
73. Serbian A-Level
2
74
74. Sesotho First Additional Language
946
75
75. Sesotho Home Language
18542
76
76. Sesotho Second Additional Language
250
77
77. Setswana First Additional Language
766
78
78. Setswana Home Language
23372
79
79. Setswana Second Additional Language
42
80
80. SiSwati First Additional Language
514
81
81. SiSwati Home Language
5993
82
82. SiSwati Second Additional Language
9
83
83. Spanish A-Level
3
84
84. Spanish Second Additional Language
93
85
85. Sport and Exercise Science
138
86
86.
0
87
87. Tamil First Additional Language
1
88
88. Tamil Second Additional Language
296
89
89. TCL Practical Music Grade 6
53
90
90. TCL Practical Music Grade 7
51
91
91. TCL Practical Music Grade 8
36
92
92. Telegu Home Language
1
93
93. Telegu Second Additional Language
11
94
94. TMLF
2
95
95. TMLHL
2
96
96. Tourism
104246
97
97. TRNPD
1
98
98. TRNPL
1
99
99. Tshivenda First Additional Language
105
100
100. Tshivenda Home Language
9482
101
101.
0
102
77
103
155
104
27
105
105. Urdu First Additional Language
69
106
106. Urdu Home Language
2
107
107. Urdu Second Additional Language
146
108
108. Visual Arts
12931
109
109. Xitsonga First Additional Language
94
110
110. Xitsonga Home Language
14505
111
111. Xitsonga Second Additional Language
1
112
112. Civil Technology (Civil Services)
0
113
113. Civil Technology (Construction)
0
114
114. Civil Technology (Woodworking)
0
115
115. Electrical Technology (Digital Sys
0
116
116. Electrical Technology (Electronics
0
117
117. Electrical Technology (Power Syste
0
118
118. Hindi First Additional Language
0
119
119. Hindi Second Additional Language
0
120
120. Mandarin Second Additional Languag
0
121
121. Mechanica Technology (Automotive)
0
122
122. Mechanica Technology (Fitting and
0
123
123. Mechanica Technology (Welding and
0
124
124. Portuguese Home language
0
125
125. South Africa sIHN hOME lANGUAGE
0
126
126. Technical Mathematics
0
127
127. Technical Science
0
150
150. Engineering Graphic and Design
19824
151
1
153
2
154
154. TCL Practical Music Grade 7
33
155
155. ARABIC A-LEVEL
1
156
156. Civil Technology (Civil Servic
802
157
157. Civil Technology (Construction
3741
158
158. Civil Technology (Specialisati
1
159
159. Civil Technology (Woodworking)
2375
160
160. Electrical Technology (Digital
408
161
161. Electrical Technology (Electro
1197
162
162. Electrical Technology (Power S
4698
163
163. Electrical Technology (Special
1
164
164. Hindi First Additional Languag
15
165
165. Hindi Second Additional Langua
149
166
166. Latin Second Additional Langua
5
167
167. Mandarin Second Additional Lan
93
168
168. Mechanical Technology (Automot
2746
169
169. Mechanical Technology (Fitting
1957
170
170. Mechanical Technology (Welding
2256
171
171. Portuguese A-Level
3
172
172. Portuguese Home Language
4
173
173. South African Sign Language Ho
267
174
174. Technical Mathematics
5589
175
175. Technical Sciences
5746
176
176. Gujarati First Additional Lang
3
177
177. TCL Associate Performers Licen
1
178
178. Marine Sciences
118
Sysmiss
64
Gender of the candidate
3036758
3213
0
0. Female
1521955
1
1. Male
1514803
Sysmiss
3213
Number of candidates with non-missing mark in subject
3039971
0
0
588
25.828
26.654
Number of candidates achieving 0-9%
3039971
0
0
219
0.364
2.031
Number of candidates achieving 10-19%
3039971
0
0
125
1.046
2.949
Number of candidates achieving 20-29%
3039971
0
0
157
2.438
4.32
Number of candidates achieving 30-39%
3039971
0
0
185
3.905
5.519
Number of candidates achieving 40-49%
3039971
0
0
180
4.82
6.748
Number of candidates achieving 50-59%
3039971
0
0
196
5.124
7.978
Number of candidates achieving 60-69%
3039971
0
0
301
4.455
8.44
Number of candidates achieving 70-79%
3039971
0
0
302
2.581
6.651
Number of candidates achieving 80-89%
3039971
0
0
277
0.947
3.833
Number of candidates achieving 90-100%
3039971
0
0
130
0.148
1.061
Number of candidates with missing final percentage
3039971
0
0
118
0.462
1.859
Mean final percentage in subject
3036364
3607
0
100
46.434
14.41
Province of the exam centre
3039971
0
1
1. EC
407222
2
2. FS
159643
3
3. GP
446980
4
4. KZ
756162
5
5. LP
556072
6
6. MP
257344
7
7. NW
175941
8
8. NC
61215
9
9. WC
219392
Quintile level of the exam centre
2927973
111998
0
99
7.186
20.524
Sector of the exam centre
3037171
2800
1
1. Independent
235699
2
2. Public
2801472
Sysmiss
2800
Old education district classifications before 2019
1668018
1371953
1
Butterworth
11963
2
Cofimvaba
6868
3
Cradock
3986
4
Dutywa
10781
5
East London
21682
6
Fort Beaufort
9965
7
Graaff-Reinet
3706
8
Grahamstown
4931
9
King Williams Town
22763
10
Lady Frere
5397
11
Libode
10545
12
Lusikisiki
8079
13
Maluti
7240
14
Mbizana
6809
15
Mt Fletcher
5668
16
Mt Frere
7409
17
Mthatha
15408
18
Ngcobo
5452
19
Port Elizabeth
21380
20
Queenstown
10517
21
Qumbu
6672
22
Sterkspruit
7876
23
Uitenhage
9523
24
Fezile Dabi
16802
25
Lejweleputswa
18966
26
Motheo
22211
27
Thabo Mofutsanyana
23431
28
Xhariep
5777
29
Ekurhuleni North
20449
30
Ekurhuleni South
18069
31
Gauteng East
15415
32
Gauteng North
5017
33
Gauteng West
14402
34
Johannesburg Central
15258
35
Johannesburg East
18280
36
Johannesburg North
16984
37
Johannesburg South
19457
38
Johannesburg West
11794
39
Sedibeng East
7579
40
Sedibeng West
13576
41
Tshwane North
11613
42
Tshwane South
26623
43
Tshwane West
13673
44
Amajuba
16978
45
Ilembe
27453
46
Pinetown
43712
47
Sisonke/Harry Gwala
19289
48
Ugu
31542
49
Umgungundlovu
36743
50
Umkhanyakude
35862
51
Umlazi
49337
52
Umzinyathi
28341
53
Uthukela
30704
54
Uthungulu
47456
55
Zululand
48206
56
Capricorn
80659
57
Greater Sekhukhune
74355
58
Mopani
60934
59
Vhembe
73903
60
Waterberg
35537
61
Bohlabela
34612
62
Ehlanzeni
36642
63
Gert Sibande
32253
64
Nkangala
39123
65
Bojanala
32614
66
Dr Kenneth Kaunda
19578
67
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
18615
68
Ngaka Modiri Molema
21399
69
Frances Baard
10597
70
John Taolo Gaetsewe
5592
71
Namaqua
4510
72
Pixley Ka Seme
6059
73
Siyanda/ZF Mgcawu
5174
74
Cape Winelands
17033
75
Eden And Central Karoo
12918
76
Metro Central
22896
77
Metro East
16795
78
Metro North
21192
79
Metro South
17008
80
Overberg
5817
81
West Coast
6584
Sysmiss
1371953
New education district classification since 2019
1191133
1848838
1
Alfred Nzo East
7367
2
Alfred Nzo West
14369
3
Amathole East
14609
4
Amathole West
12393
5
Buffalo City
21080
6
Chris Hani East
9149
7
Chris Hani West
13367
8
Joe Gqabi
9302
9
Nelson Mandela Metro
18388
10
OR Tambo Coastal
13915
11
OR Tambo Inland
16969
12
Sara Baartman
8849
13
Fezile Dabi
11989
14
Lejweleputswa
13623
15
Motheo
14165
16
Thabo Mofutsanyana
17037
17
Xhariep
4461
18
Ekurhuleni North
17250
19
Ekurhuleni South
17325
20
Gauteng East
11948
21
Gauteng North
3547
22
Gauteng West
12345
23
Johannesburg Central
13043
24
Johannesburg East
15963
25
Johannesburg North
14079
26
Johannesburg South
16259
27
Johannesburg West
9998
28
Sedibeng East
6202
29
Sedibeng West
9784
30
Tshwane North
10306
31
Tshwane South
19403
32
Tshwane West
11727
33
Amajuba
12858
34
Sisonke/Harry Gwala
14388
35
Ilembe
19540
36
Uthungulu/King Cetshwayo
33984
37
Pinetown
31426
38
Ugu
20936
39
Umgungundlovu
25078
40
Umkhanyakude
27336
41
Umlazi
34321
42
Umzinyathi
21334
43
Uthukela
22027
44
Zululand
33910
45
CAPRICORN NORTH
20581
46
SEKHUKHUNE EAST
22526
47
MOPANI EAST
21586
48
VHEMBE EAST
24228
49
VHEMBE WEST
20817
50
Bohlabela
24144
51
Ehlanzeni
25721
52
Gert Sibande
22281
53
Nkangala
27916
54
Bojanala
27925
55
Dr Kenneth Kaunda
12624
56
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
12822
57
Ngaka Modiri Molema
19531
58
Frances Baard
8134
59
John Taolo Gaetsewe
5529
60
Namaqua
3198
61
Pixley Ka Seme
4247
62
Siyanda/ZF Mgcawu
3974
63
Cape Winelands
12508
64
Eden And Central Karoo
9236
65
Metro Central
15008
66
Metro East
14553
67
Metro North
13735
68
Metro South
12481
69
Overberg
4038
70
West Coast
4784
71
CAPRICORN SOUTH
25143
72
MOGALAKWENA
13753
73
MOPANI WEST
17770
74
SEKHUKHUNE SOUTH
24037
75
WATERBERG 2
8954
Sysmiss
1848838