These are SA’s top achievers from the Matric Class of 2023, with Melissa Muller named Number One

Stellenbosch's Melissa Muller has been placed number one out of more than 700,000 matric learners who sat for the National Senior Certificate exams in October and November last year.

The Rhenish High School learner with a beaming bright smile of joy was serenaded with well wishes from Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule and Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier as she was announced the best of the best at an awards and matric results ceremony which took place in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Muller, who was also a dedicated sportswoman representing her school in first team water polo and hockey, told the media she will study mechatronics engineering at the University of Stellenbosch this year.

The Class of 2023 produced the best matric results in South Africa’s democratic dispensation, with a 82.9% pass rate - which equates to over 572,000 pupils passing their matric exams.

This represented a 2.8 percentage point increase from the 80.1% achieved in 2022.

There has been improvement in the gateway subjects as well, with 63% of learners passing maths in 2023 compared to 53.8% in 2020.

In terms of physical sciences, 76.2% passed in 2023, compared to 65.8% in 2020.

There were also 674 public schools around the country that achieved a 100% pass rate.

How SA learners have performed in gateway subjects between 2020 and 2023. Source: DBE Technical Report

Reflecting on the matric results, Motshekga said the generation of the 1960s and 1970s, only 10% passed matric, 30% in the 80s, and this generation, at least 60% of black Africans were achieving matric. She said this was according to the Household Survey.

All provinces performed better than they did in 2022, with the smallest increases being marginal 0.1 percentage point increases and the most - between 4 and 6 percentage points, in the case of Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, respectively.

Rhenish High School’s Melissa Muller was placed Number 1 out of 717,377 matric learners who sat for the 2023 National Senior Certificate. Picture: DBE

Muller, meanwhile, has offered words of advice and encouragement for the Class of 2024.

“Enjoy your year, it’s (going to be) a jam-packed year. It will get overwhelming, have a support system, your family, ask them for help when needed. I think also stay up to date with your school work, it will help you identify problem areas early on, which will help you avoid the stress of cramming the night before exams,” she said.

“My family were very supportive because I get very stressed out during exams and my mom was always checking if I am okay and if I needed anything,” she said, adding that she had incredible support at school as well,” said Muller.

Meanwhile, IOL can clarify a viral video on social media of matric top achiever Simlindele Khumalo of Masibumbane High School in Ulundi, who was prematurely announced as the number one best performing learner among his classmates before the awards ceremony.

Khumalo was in fact named as the number two best performing learner among Quintile 4 schools in the country. The full list of winners can be found below.

This is being clarified after scores of people questioned if Muller was indeed number one after they believed it was Khumalo through the viral video.

The other big winners unveiled on the night were as follows.

Top Learner at Quintile 5

Note: Quintile 5 schools are well-resourced fee-paying public schools, known as former Model C schools. They receive the least government assistance.

3. WESTVILLE BOYS HIGH, KZN - JASKARAN MOOPANAR RAJARUTHNAM

2. WYNBERG BOYS' HIGH, WC - JARED RYAN BENN

1. RHENISH GIRLS' HIGH, WC - MELISSA MULLER

Top Learner at Quintile 4

Quintile 4 schools are resourced fee-paying public schools, normally in working class communities.

3. KHOMBINDLELA HIGH, KZN, ZIPHOZENKOSI SIBONGAKONKE MNTAMBO

2. MASIBUMBANE HIGH, KZN, SIMLINDELE THANDOLWETHU KHUMALO

1. SIDELILE HIGH, KZN, UPHILE SHANGE

Top Learner at Quintile 3

Quintile 3 schools are the more resourced of the no-fee schools. They receive considerable government assistance in funding and running of the school, including provisions for the learner population to benefit from the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) - which is often referred to as the feeding schemes.

3. SIPHESIHLE SECONDARY, KZN, ZONKE HOPE THWALA

2. SELELEKELA SECONDARY, FS, KAMOHELO KATLEHO NEO MOSIKILI

1. BOKAMOSO SENIOR SECONDARY, LP, NTHABISENG LEFOPHANA

Top Learner at Quintile 2

Quintile 2 are no-fee schools receiving the maximum financial support and government assistance, including NSNP and other interventions.

3. SERITARITA SECONDARY, LP, JONAS KGAKISHI MOSHABI

2. PATRICK RAMAANO SECONDARY, LP, MAVHUNGU REMONIA MBEDZI

1. KADWA SECONDARY, KZN, BONUKWENZA THANDOLWETHU MTSHALI

Top Learner at Quintile 1

Quintile 1 schools are the most under-resourced no-fee schools and receive the maximum government spending per learner. Learners at these schools rely on NSNP, social assistance programmes, stationery and other government-led interventions.

3. SIMTFOLILE SECONDARY SCHOOL, KZN, IRVIS ZIBUSISO CHISALE

2. NTULABAKAYISE SECONDARY SCHOOL, KZN, NOMFUNDO NELISWA MTHEMBU

1. MANDLA MTHETHWA SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE, KZN, OLWETHU KUHLEKONKE KHUMALO

Overall Top Learner

PUBLIC SCHOOLS - MELISSA MULLER

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS - ETHAN MYERS

Note: The independent schools above are those that take part in the NSC exam. They are not to be confused with those who take part in the IEB exams.