MINISTER TOLASHE WISHES SOCIAL GRANTS BENEFICIARIES WELL

• 696,886 social grant beneficiaries are sitting for the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, supported by a R46.67 billion investment from SASSA since 1997.
• The success of social grant beneficiaries in 2023, with an 81.3% pass rate, highlights the positive impact of social assistance on education and child well-being.
• Minister Sisisi Tolashe wishes this year’s candidates well and encourages them to apply for NSFAS to secure funding for their tertiary education.

Pretoria: The Minister of Social Development, Ms Sisisi Tolashe, extends her best wishes to social grant beneficiaries as they prepare for their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

According to records from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), 696,886 social grant beneficiaries will be sitting for the NSC this year. Since 1997, the Department, through SASSA, has invested R46.67 billion in supporting these learners, including those in the Class of 2024.

In 2023, 556,133 social grant beneficiaries wrote their final matric exams, with 451,578 passing—achieving an impressive 81.3% pass rate. This success highlights the substantial positive impact of comprehensive social security on the health and well-being of children.

Social assistance remains the government’s largest programme for tackling poverty.

As the Class of 2024 embarks on their final examinations, Minister Tolashe addressed the social grant beneficiaries, saying, “We understand the journey you have undertaken, and we wish you the best of luck as you write your examinations.”

Beneficiaries are also encouraged to apply for tertiary education funding through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Issued by the National Department of Social Development