By Siphesihle Dlamini
The wait is almost over for the thousands of Form V students across Eswatini.
After months of anticipation, the 2024 Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) exam results are finally set to be released this Friday, February 7, 2025.
The announcement comes as a relief to students, parents, and educators alike, who have been counting down the days since the completion of the exams in November.
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After a long, stressful examination period, the moment that many have been waiting for is nearly here, as the results will determine the academic future of countless young minds in the Kingdom.
Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, will be responsible for revealing the highly anticipated results, as confirmed by the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA).
According to a press release issued by the council, the results will be officially made available to the public on Friday, but the formal approval process will take place just two days prior, on Wednesday, February 5.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our stakeholders throughout the marking, results processing, and approval stages,” said Hengiwe Ndlovu, the ECESWA Communications Officer, in a statement.
This meticulous process ensures that the results are accurate, credible, and in line with international academic standards, which has been a significant point of focus this year.
Exams Council Registrar, Dr Mandla Dlamini, has confirmed the results’ release, saying, “I can confirm that we will release the Form V results on Friday, 7 February”.
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The 2023 Form V results painted a concerning picture, marking the lowest performance in six years.
The Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) pass rate declined to 88.33 per cent from 92.58 per cent in 2022.
Similarly, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) pass rate dropped from 92.32 per cent to 84.07 per cent.
However, amidst the dip in performance, there was hope as the Eswatini Prevocational Certificate of Secondary Education (EPCSE) program, recorded an impressive 96.73 per cent pass rate, outperforming both EGCSE and IGCSE candidates.