Warning:
This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.
The 2014 national matric pass rate is 75.8 percent - 2.4 percent lower than the 78.2 percent achieved in 2013.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says pass rates in five of the nine provinces declined in 2014.
The worst performing province was the Eastern Cape, with a pass rate of 65.4 percent, a 0.5 percentage point improvement on last year.
KwaZulu-Natal had the steepest decline, from a pass rate of 77.4 percent in 2013 to 69.7 percent last year.
The top performer, Gauteng, had an 84.7 percent pass rate, 2.3 percentage points lower than the 87 percent in 2013.
