They came from lower-quintile schools, but PROTEC learners’ 2025 matric results tell another story

Matriculants in PROTEC’s 2025 Learner Excellence Programme achieved pass and bachelor pass rates that exceeded those recorded by the 2025 Independent Examinations Board (IEB) cohort, according to PROTEC CEO Balan Moodley.

The programme, which mainly accommodates learners in non-fee-paying high schools and provides education support in STEM subjects and English, produced a 99,3% pass rate and a 91,4% bachelor pass rate.

This compares with the 2025 IEB National Senior Certificate pass rate of 98,3% and an 89,1% bachelor pass rate.

“Although our PROTEC programme matriculants attend schools within the lower quintiles, a far cry from the highly resourced private school sector, their results demonstrate that with this level of educational support and effective motivational interventions delivered by PROTEC , combined with learner dedication, exceptional results can be achieved,” explains Moodley.

“These results are a testament to the learners’ single-minded commitment and hard work, as well as the dedication and professionalism of the PROTEC staff and the programme facilitators – and we applaud them all,” he adds.

A total of 292 learners from multiple branches and projects across the country wrote matric through the programme. These included six branches in KwaZulu-Natal, Inanda, Mandeni, Stanger, Tongaat, Umbogintwini and Umlazi, as well as one branch in Mpumalanga (Nelspruit).

In Gauteng, learners were supported through projects in Soweto, Diepsloot and Roodepoort, while another project was based in Dimbaza in the Eastern Cape.

Together, the learners achieved 461 distinctions across all subjects. Five learners obtained seven distinctions each.

Two learners failed, one in Nelspruit and one in Umlazi, and Moodley said the reasons were being investigated in order to support and guide them towards successful futures.

Partnerships supporting science and technology pathways

Beyond the Learner Excellence Programme, PROTEC also partners with non-academic initiatives, including the GE Vernova Next Engineers programme, aimed at encouraging more learners into science- and technology-related careers.

Among participants in this programme, 37 matriculants passed and achieved 47 distinctions. Of these learners, 33 obtained bachelor passes, and two were included among PROTEC’s top 10 learners.

Top achievers in the Class of 2025

The top-performing learner in PROTEC’s Class of 2025 was Tania Motimele, from the PROTEC AngloGold Ashanti Project in Diepsloot. She attended Diepsloot Secondary #2 and achieved seven distinctions, including 97% in maths, 92% in physical sciences and 91% in English.

Motimele was named PROTEC’s Overall Top Learner, Top Maths Learner, Top Science Learner and Joint Top English Learner, sharing the English award with Makhubu Zandiswa from the Inanda Branch.

She was also recognised by the Gauteng Department of Education as the top-performing township learner in the Johannesburg North District.

Motimele credited the programme with helping her improve academically.

“PROTEC helped me a lot. I remember in Grade 10 team I was struggling with Maths. Physics and English and the PROTEC facilitators encouraged me to pull up my socks. I also particularly valued and enjoyed the vacation camps they organised.”

She has expressed an interest in Life Sciences and plans to pursue a career in medicine, particularly neurosurgery. She will begin her studies this year at the University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

Other learners who achieved seven distinctions included:

• Makhubu Zandiswa from the PROTEC Inanda Branch, who attended Durban Girls High and achieved seven distinctions, including 91% in English

• Fanele Mngadi from the PROTEC Mandeni Branch, who attended Impoqabulungu Secondary School

• Samuel Mokonyane, also from the Diepsloot project, who attended Diepsloot Secondary #3 and achieved seven distinctions, including 94% in maths

• Simphiwe Mahlomaholo from the GE Vernova Next Engineers Project, who attended St. Barnabas SOS and also achieved seven distinctions

Learners with six distinctions

Three learners achieved six distinctions:

• Kwanele Xulu from PROTEC Mandeni, who attended Impoqabulungu Secondary School

• Olwakhe Biyela from PROTEC Umbogintwini, who attended Zuzumqhele High

• Rayyaan Rayman from GE Vernova Next Engineers, who attended UJ Metropolitan Academy

Branch and project highlights

Four of the six KwaZulu-Natal branches recorded 100% bachelor pass rates - Mandeni, Stanger, Tongaat and Umbogintwini.

These branches produced 109 learners who achieved 220 distinctions, with Tongaat’s 39 learners accounting for 90 distinctions.

The PROTEC Abbott Laboratories Project in Roodepoort achieved a 100% bachelor pass rate, improving significantly from last year’s 74%. Its 26 matriculants achieved 30 distinctions.

The PROTEC Altron Dimbaza project recorded a 100% pass rate and an 81% bachelor pass rate, both improvements on the previous year. The 37 matriculants achieved 51 distinctions.

Of the 461 distinctions achieved by 290 learners, 14 were in maths, eight in science and 42 in English.

Broader challenges in South African education

Moodley said that while the results were encouraging, they also pointed to the need for deeper interventions in South Africa’s education system.

Moodley notes that while there is much to be celebrated in the analysis of the PROTEC matriculants’ achievements, there is also a need to dig deeper in an effort to extend PROTEC’s reach and impact, in the knowledge that it makes a difference in the lives of its learners and their wider communities.

“We know that there is much work to be done within the broad scope of South Africa’s education system. Sadly, the country’s matric results, while commendable in many instances, still highlight vast gaps that need to be addressed to ensure that the children of South Africa are given better opportunities for successful futures.

“As examples, we know that there is an approximate 27% dropout of learners between Grade 8 and matric, which is far too high. We also know that our key STEM subjects of maths and science are not achieving the results needed for STEM careers. Of the 34% of learners who wrote maths, according to available figures, fewer than 5 000 students achieved distinctions, which is reported to be far lower than were achieved in 2024.

“It remains clear that matric results are not a true reflection of the state of education in South Africa - and we look forward to a systemic approach that takes into account improved foundational education, upskilling of teachers, equitable distribution of resources, accountability across the board and many other interventions that would go a long way to enable our children to achieve their potential.”