​Thembisa Sholongu 
The Gauteng Education system has emerged as a mature, stable, and resilient force, as indicated by the National Senior Certificate (NSC) 2023 results. 
The Class of 2023 achieved an impressive pass rate of 85.4%, marking a noteworthy 0.95% improvement over the 2022 accomplishment of 84.4%. 
This achievement has set a new record for the country's highest overall pass rates and bachelor pass rates. Notably, Gauteng contributed 20% of all bachelor's passes nationally.
A staggering 191 664 learners enrolled to sit for the NSC examinations in 2023, with 132 570 as full-time candidates, 7197 having progressed from grade 11 in 2022 to grade 12 in 2023, and 59 094 as part-time candidates. 
The celebration of top achievers took place at the Microsoft Corporate offices in Bryanston on Friday, where MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane highlighted Gauteng'sGauteng's uniqueness as the only diverse and complex province offering education in all 11 official languages of the country, including ten non-official languages. This feature positions Gauteng's basic education system as a global player for development.
MEC Chiloane said performance has improved within the context of Gauteng's large, unique, and complex provincial education system over the last 29 years. 
"It further demonstrates that this system benefits from careful planning, direct attention and targeted interventions, despite it being under pressure," said MEC Chiloane.
Over 94.1% of Gauteng schools performed above the nationally defined benchmark for school underperformance, a notable increase from 92.6% in 2021. Only 34 public and independent schools achieved less than 65% compared to 53 the previous year. 
Chiloane acknowledged the concern of consistently underperforming schools, expressing the need for urgent attention to address the matter without aiming to punish.
"We must continue to demand accountability for results, particularly in chronically failing schools. The purpose is not to punish the management, teachers and learners but to provide the right combination of incentives, support and resources to accelerate the changes needed to improve the quality of education in those schools," he said. 
In Gauteng, all 15 districts performed above 82% against the national average of 82.9%, with Johannesburg West-leading as the top district nationally at 892.6%. Remarkably, Gauteng West achieved the most significant improvement in 2023 with a 4.7% increase in the pass rate.
MEC Chiloane said four districts had a slight decline due to the impact of the pandemic on learning. 
For his part, Premier Panyaza Lesufi expressed disappointment with districts performing below the national average, emphasising the importance of recognising and rewarding excellence. 
"You must reward goodness where people put their energy; you must reward those that are indeed making it possible as the province to shine. 
"I must register my disappointment with districts that have not performed above the national average of 82%. What pains me is that the districts that service most of our people are performing below 82%," said Premier Lesufi. 
Addressing the issue of examinations, Lesufi advocated for allowing all Grade 12 students to write one examination across the country, emphasising the need for equal treatment and opportunities for all South African children.
He stressed the aim is not to disband or discard any examination but to ensure quality education for every child. 
"In 1995, the national matric results were 53.4%, and in 2023, the national matric results pass rate was 82%, so we have moved, and it is within that context we strongly believe all our children should be treated equally and fairly and write one examination across the country to determine who is the best learner in our country."
He said South Africa could not have a situation where other children are perceived to be writing poor quality examinations while others are perceived as writing quality education.
"All these children are South African children, all these children are going to the same universities, all these children deserve quality if there is quality," he said, adding that the aim was not to disband or discard any examination but to give all children quality education. 
"Benefits must be made available to all our children. No one must get their results early and be accepted at universities; others bring their results later and are told universities have no space. 
"There must be no one that gets bursaries first, and others get bursaries later because their results were released later. If these children belong to South Africa (SA), treat them equally. We do not want to disband any examination, we do not want to discard any examination, we want quality education for all our children," he said.
Premier Lesufi also urged President Cyril Ramapohosa to sign the document making Early Childhood Development (ECD) compulsory. 
The Premier concluded by giving special recognition to Mohaladitoe Secondary School in Sedibeng West, applauding their tremendous effort in turning around the school's performance from 56.6% to an outstanding 93.8%.