Some 67,8% of matrics passed last year's exams – up from 60,7% in 2009, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Thursday.

She described the pass rate as a "remarkable achievement" and said it was possible that the 2010 public sector strike might have robbed the department of its targeted 70% pass rate.

Chief Director of Exams Nkosinathi Sishi said at the same news briefing in Pretoria that 364 513 pupils passed their exams.

There were 643 546 candidates who sat for the exams of whom 537 543 wrote all seven subjects. Of those 23,5% obtained university entrance, up from 19,9%.

There were 18 schools where no pupils passed and 504 schools that achieved a 100% pass rate.

In 2009, 60,7% of matrics passed the 2009 exams which was just under 2% down from 2008.

In 2008, 62,5% of matrics passed.

Sishi said nine subjects had been adjusted upwards and ten had been adjusted downwards.

Exam papers were marked at 127 marking centres and the results were made available to Umalusi, the Council of Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, on December 24.

Gauteng was the top province with a 78,6% pass rate, followed by the Western Cape which achieved 76,8%, Motshekga said.

This was followed by the Northern Cape with 72,3% – the biggest improvement by a province. In 2009 the Northern Cape had a 61,3% pass rate.

KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State each had a pass rate of 70,7%.

The Eastern Cape had a 58,3% pass rate followed by Limpopo and Mpumulanga, which had 57,9% and 56,8% respectively.
Gauteng also led with the number of pupils who obtained university entrance at 33,9%.

It was followed by the Western Cape with 31,5%.

There were 2 142 schools that obtained a pass rate of between 80% and 100%, while 1 848 obtained a pass rate of between 60% and 79,9%.

Some 1 510 schools obtained a pass rate of between 40% and 60%, and 844 schools had a pass rate of between 20% and 40%.

Some 172 obtained a pass rate of 20% or less.

Motshekga said there was still much work to be done to further improve the results.

Deputy Basic Education Minister Enver Surty said the results were accurate.

By the time of the World Cup and subsequent public sector strike, most schools had already completed the syllabus, he said.

"The teachers themselves have worked hard, notwithstanding the industrial action."