The matrics of 2015 have put the Western Cape back at the top of the class. With 84.7% of its pupils passing the National Senior Certificate, the province achieved the country's highest pass rate, Gauteng snapping at its heels on 84.2%.Education MEC Debbie Schäfer could barely contain her excitement when Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga made the announcement last night in Midrand. She noted that the Western Cape was the only province to improve its pass rate."Given the many challenges our education system faces, improving the quality of education is possible only through sustained interventions in our schools, and the hard work of the matrics, their teachers and district officials," said Schäfer.Motshekga gave a rundown of the performance of provinces, with the exclusion of "progressed" learners - those promoted to Grade 12 even though they failed Grade 11 - and the Western Cape took pole position again, with 88%.Click here to check your matric results.The province recorded the highest number of bachelor passes in the country. These are pupils who qualify to study towards a degree. The rest of the successful matriculants qualify to study for a diploma or higher education certificate."Increasing the number of candidates writing and passing the NSC is one of the priorities of this province. It is therefore very pleasing that the Western Cape achieved the highest number of passes since the inception of the NSC," said Schäfer.Earlier Motshekga said: "The Western Cape had 53731 candidates in total, out of which 22739 are bachelor passes. Well done to MEC Schäfer and her team."Premier Helen Zille took to Twitter to express her delight."There is no district in the Western Cape that performed lower than 80%. That is outstanding."The province produced the top matriculant in the country. Andrew Tucker, from South African College High School, chalked up the achievement despite reportedly being absent from school for six months last year. He has a rare autoimmune disorder...