South Africans have reacted with disbelief and concern after a high school in Limpopo became the only school in the country to record a 0% pass rate in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. The shocking outcome was revealed following the release of matric results by the Department of Basic Education on 13 January 2026, which showed an overall national pass rate of 88%.
The school at the centre of the controversy is Naledi-Ya-Meso Secondary School, located in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, under the Sekhukhune South Education District. According to reports, all 15 matriculants who sat for the final examinations at the school failed to meet the requirements to pass, making it the only school nationwide with a zero success rate. The news has sparked widespread debate about the quality of education, resource allocation, and systemic challenges facing some rural schools.
While most provinces recorded strong performances, Limpopo’s result has raised uncomfortable questions. KwaZulu-Natal led the country with a pass rate of 90.6%, followed by the Free State at 89.33%, and Gauteng at 89.06%. Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube praised the national improvement, noting that the 88% pass rate was 0.7% higher than the class of 2024. More than 656,000 learners passed, with over 345,000 achieving bachelor’s passes, highlighting progress in many parts of the country.
Despite these achievements, the situation at Naledi-Ya-Meso Secondary School has dominated public discourse. Briefly News contacted the Limpopo Department of Education to confirm the results and seek clarity on the circumstances surrounding the school’s performance. However, no response had been received at the time of publication.
On social media, South Africans expressed a mix of shock, frustration, and empathy. Some questioned the role of educators, while others called for a deeper investigation. “0%? What were the teachers doing throughout the year?” one user asked. Others urged caution, suggesting that the issue may stem from lack of resources, poor infrastructure, or broader socio-economic challenges rather than individual failure. “There might be deeper problems than we see on the surface,” another commenter noted.
Calls for urgent intervention have grown louder, with many urging the provincial government, the Premier, and the MEC for Education to visit the school and implement immediate support measures. Community members stressed that the learners’ futures are at stake and that silence or inaction would only worsen inequalities in the education system.
The news comes amid broader concerns raised by the Department of Basic Education about a gender gap in matric results. Minister Gwarube recently warned that an increasing number of boys are dropping out of school, often due to repeated grade failures, which eventually leads to learners giving up altogether.
As South Africa celebrates strong national matric results, the case of Naledi-Ya-Meso Secondary School serves as a stark reminder that success is not evenly distributed. It highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to ensure that no school, learner, or community is left behind in the country’s education system.
About the Author
