Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi praised the province’s strategic investments in Schools of Specialisation (SOSs) as key contributors to the Class of 2025’s impressive matric performance, announced today alongside Education MEC Matome Chiloane at Telkom Park in Centurion.
Gauteng achieved a record 89.06% pass rate, up from 88.4% in 2024, securing third place nationally behind KwaZulu-Natal (90.6%) and Free State (89.33%). The national pass rate reached a historic 88%.
Lesufi highlighted that SOSs are tailored to meet the skills demands of Gauteng’s economy, ensuring learners gain relevant, employable knowledge rather than subjects leading to unemployment. “Our education system must be relevant to the economy of our province,” he said, defending the initiative against earlier criticism.
The premier cited successful private-sector partnerships, including with BMW, which supported an engineering-focused school in Soshanguve—located near the company’s Rosslyn plant—by donating new BMW cars and providing industry exposure. Such collaborations offer learners hands-on experience, easing transitions to tertiary education and the workplace.
Several SOSs recorded 100% pass rates, underscoring the model’s success. Lesufi and provincial authorities vowed to build on these gains for further improvements.