Basic Education hosts 11th edition of National Education Excelence Awards, 29 Aug

The Department of Basic Education will host the 2025 National Education Excellence Awards (NEEAs) at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Friday, 29 August 2025. The 11th edition of the NEEAs will be held under the theme: “Recognising Excellence in Education.

The awards are aimed at recognizing the crucial role of districts in the education ecosystem and celebrating exceptional performance and innovation within the country's education system. The winners are selected from education districts across all nine provinces, and they honor outstanding districts, schools, and educators for their efforts in improving the quality of learning and teaching.

Education Districts are the glue that holds the entire basic education ecosystem together, along with the support from Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) to improve the functionality of schools across the country.

Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Deputy Minister Mhaule will present the awards to deserving district candidates across a variety of categories and across all school quintiles and the highpoint of the night will be marked by the presentation of a Special Ministerial Award.

The categories that will be awarded at the 2025 NEEAs include the following:
DISTRICT CATEGORIES
a. Top Performing District - Districts that achieved highest overall percentage pass in the 2024 NSC examinations:
i. District serving up to 400 Schools; and
ii. District serving over 400 Schools.
b. Most Improved District – District with most improvement in NSC (2023 – 2024).
c. Top Performing District – A focus on Highest Number of Bachelor Passes over a three year period (2022 – 2024).
d. Highest NSC Accounting Passes 60% and above: 2022 – 2024
e. Highest NSC Mathematics Passes 60% and above: 2022 – 2024
f. Highest NSC Physical Science Passes 60% and above: 2022 – 2024
g. Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Accounting 2022 – 2024
h. Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Mathematics 2022 – 2024
i. Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Physical Science 2022 – 2024
j. Excellence in District Leadership and Management.
k. Excellence in Support for Improving Primary Schools Learning Outcomes.

SCHOOLS CATEGORIES
l. Top Performing Public Ordinary School – School that achieved the highest overall score in
the 2024 NSC examinations using the Quality performance indicators criteria.
I. Quintile 1
II. Quintile 2
III. Quintile 3
IV. Quintile 4
V. Quintile 5
m. Top performing Full-Service School.
n. Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Primary Schools
o. Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Secondary Schools.
p. Special Ministerial Award.

Minister Gwarube, Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule and Director-General Mathanzima Mweli will be joined at the awards ceremony by senior officials, the partners and stakeholders in the basic education sector.

The 2025 National Education Excellence Awards will be held as follows:
Date: Friday, 29 August 2025
Time: 08h30
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg

Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Head of Communication 
Cell: 083 580 8275

Lukhanyo Vangqa
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 066 302 1533

Terence Khala
Media Relations Officer 
Cell: 081 758 1546 

#GovZAUpdates