MBABANE – The Junior Certificate (JC) examination results have recorded a slight decrease of 1.08 per cent compared to last year.
This was revealed by the Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, during a press engagement yesterday at the ministry’s boardroom.
This year’s JC results recorded a pass rate of 82.07 per cent compared to the 83.15 per cent pass rate achieved in 2024.
This reflects a noticeable decline from last year’s performance. According to the minister, a total of 17 674 candidates registered for the JC Examination in 2025, while 16 777 candidates registered in 2024. This represents a 4.74 per cent increase in candidature in 2025 when compared to 2024.
It was further revealed that in 2025, 17 365 candidates sat for the examination, while in 2024 the figure stood at 16 513. Absent candidates in 2025 were recorded at 309, while in 2024 a total of 356 candidates were absent.
Manzini emerged as the highest performing region with a pass rate of 85.23 per cent, followed by the Hhohho Region at 81.93 per cent, while the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions continued to record the lowest pass rates at 79.08 per cent for Shiselweni, which was the lowest, and 79.82 per cent for Lubombo.
Minister Nxumalo revealed that 844 candidates attained Merit passes in 2025, showing a percentage increase of 0.63 per cent, when compared with 2024, when 699 Merit passes were recorded. He further stated that 1 630 candidates attained First Class passes in 2025 compared to 1 665 in 2024, reflecting a decrease of 0.69 per cent.
“The number of Second Class passes increased by 1.5 per cent in 2025 when compared with 2024, as 8 742 candidates received Second Class passes in 2024, while 8 932 candidates received Second Class passes in 2025,” stated Nxumalo.
Third Class passes this year were attained by 2 845 candidates, compared to 2 625 in 2024, marking an increase of 0.48 per cent.
Meanwhile, this year recorded a higher number of Fails, reflecting an increase of 332 candidate fails compared to last year. The number of candidates who did not pass the 2025 JC examination stood at 3 114, compared to 2 782 in 2024. According to the minister, assessments across all externally examined levels were conducted successfully, and marking was completed within the set timelines.
The minister further commended the release of JC examination results in record time for the third consecutive year.
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Grade VII results delayed for further assessment
MBABANE – The Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, says the Grade VII results under the Eswatini Primary Certificate (EPC) have been withheld pending further assessment.
“I am only presenting the JC results and not the Grade VII results. I understand that parents, candidates, teachers and all stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the release of the Grade VII results as well,” stated Nxumalo. However, he said these results are still at the processing stage. He added that he had been assured by the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA) that the results will be released as soon as they are ready.
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11 cases of malpractice
MBABANE – The Ministry of Education and Training has revealed that ECESWA investigated and concluded all 11 cases of suspected malpractice recorded during the 2025 JC examinations.
Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, stated that this means all examination centres will receive their results, as there are no pending investigations.
“Having said that, I would like to point out that four invigilators, two from the Shiselweni Region and two from the Lubombo Region, were successfully prosecuted this year for assisting candidates during last year’s examinations,” stated the minister.
In addition, he said in 2025, the ministry witnessed an unprecedented number of prosecutions against individuals found guilty of committing various forms of malpractice, including forgery of certificates and examination result slips.
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Ngcoseni improves, records four Fails
MBABANE – Contrary to its dismal performance in previous years, Ngcoseni Secondary School recorded only four Fails this year compared to 76 Fails recorded in 2024.
When questioned on this development, Minister for Education and Training Owen Nxumalo attributed the improvement to interventions made by education inspectors who visited poorly performing schools following last year’s results.
“With the collaboration of the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA), inspectors were deployed to schools that recorded poor results to identify the causes of failure and implement interventions. Ngcoseni is one of those schools,” said the minister.
The schools that recorded the highest number of Fails this year were Inyandza High School and Ensingweni High School, with 57 failures each, followed by Ntsinini Secondary School and Ntfonjeni High School, which recorded 56 Fails each.
Ekukhanyeni High School followed with 50 Fails, while Mahamba High School recorded 48 Fails, translating to a 36.84 per cent pass rate. Schools that recorded the highest pass rates included St Michael’s High School with a 100 per cent pass rate and the highest number of Merit passes at 80 candidates.
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Msindazwe the lowest
MBABANE – Msindazwe High School was the lowest performing school.
This school had a 17.07 per cent pass rate, as 34 out of 41 pupils failed. Only seven pupils passed at Msindazwe High. At Zamani Secondary School, the pass rate was 35.9 per cent. In this school, there was only one Merit, no First Class, seven Second Class passes, six third and 25 learners failed. Mahamba High achieved only a 36.84 per cent pass rate, with 48 pupils failing. Ensingweni High School had a 43 per cent pass rate. Meanwhile vast majority of passing pupils across almost all schools fall into the Second Class category. For instance, Emcozini High School had 86 pupils in Second Class out of 121 passes. counts combined.
*Full article available in our publication
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