Cape Town, 01 June 2026 – The International Education group at Cambridge University Press & Assessment (Cambridge) has celebrated the exceptional achievements of 128 students at an Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards ceremony in Cape Town on Thursday 28 May.

Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards recognise high performance in Cambridge examinations worldwide, celebrating the success of learners across more than 40 countries. The awards recognise both individual subject excellence and sustained academic performance, with categories including ‘Top in the World’, ‘Top in Country’ and ‘Best Across’, reflecting the highest levels of achievement in Cambridge examinations.

Outstanding results for South African students

A total of 146 awards were presented to learners from 44 schools across the country, an increase of 12 awards year-on-year. The awards recognise students’ performance in Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS & A Level examinations in the June and November 2025 exam series.

At the ceremony, 17 ‘Top in the World’ awards were presented to students for achieving the highest standard mark globally in a single subject, while 70 awards for the accolade of ‘Top in South Africa’ were presented. A further 53 awards were presented in the ‘High Achievement’ category – this is granted to learners who have achieved outstanding results in less commonly taken subjects, while six learners were recognised with ‘Best Across’ awards for attaining the highest cumulative standard marks across a defined number of subjects.

“Achieving Top in South Africa for IGCSE Physics means the world to me because it serves as validation that all of my efforts and all the time spent studying wasn’t in vain. In physics we often have to draw from multiple sources and formulas to arrive at an answer. I feel like this way of thinking will be helpful to me moving forward in various areas of my life,” said Kai Mallela, a student from Reddam House Durbanville.

“Winning top in the country for AS Level Art and Design really just gives me so much joy because it’s just a combination of all the hard work that I put in and it just shows that the subject I love so much loves me back and it means so much to me,” said Lila Viljoen from Newberry House Montessori School. “By studying art and design I was able to learn that discipline is something that spans through all subjects. It’s not just something that’s needed to study, it’s something that’s needed to achieve something over a long period of time,” she added.

“Language and literature has taught me critical thinking and has taught me to communicate effectively and with empathy. It has taught me to think deeper than surface level, analyse text with meaning and look at how language shapes meaning and emotion,” commented Emily de Reuck from El Shaddai Christian School, who was acknowledged as Top in the World for Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English.

Local recognition for a global benchmark

“The Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards are an important benchmark that speaks to the quality of the Cambridge curriculum. These awards not only honour the dedication, resilience and talent of learners, but also applaud the commitment of the teachers and schools who support them. Learners in South Africa are achieving at such a high level and this demonstrates global standards that are achieved locally,” said Juan Visser, Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, International Education, Cambridge.

Juan Visser with student

All award winners received official certificates in recognition of their achievements, underscoring the importance of academic excellence and the value of international benchmarking in education.

The Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards form part of Cambridge’s broader commitment to recognising and celebrating student success, while supporting schools to raise the profile of academic achievement within their communities. Many Cambridge students progress to tertiary studies at both local and international higher education institutions, a testament to the value and global recognition of Cambridge qualifications.