Top Achievers
| Published date | 28 January 2022 |
| Publication title | Mail & Guardian: Web Edition Articles (Johannesburg, South Africa) |
Motshekga said the high-quality results achieved were a hallmark of the performance of the cohort, and that the classes of 2020 and 2021 produced among the best results of quality in the history of the NSC exams. "We are of the strong view that, had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, these two classes could have been the best performers since the inception of the NSC exams," she said. "The unquestionable resilience our school community has shown against such a devastating pandemic cannot go by unnoticed."
These classes, she added, persevered against monumental challenges, and obstacles that the system had never been exposed to in the past: "It is without doubt that the 2021 academic year will be remembered as the year that, not only presented major health challenges, but as the second year in which the entire world was held ransom by COVID-19. To date, the class of 2021 has been most affected, as they had to endure two consecutive years of harsh exposure to the unrelenting pandemic. These learners have characterised the resilience of the system, which withstood an unprecedented test of administering an examination of the largest number of candidates, all while faced by the worst pandemic in human history."
The class of 2021 felt the effects of lost learning and teaching time in their grade 11 year, and faced the same harsh realities while completing matric. "We continued with differentiated timetabling, trimmed curriculum delivery for the school communities below grade 12, regular provisioning of school feeding and psychosocial services, as well as extra tuition and support provided to the matric class of 2021, which were all intended to mitigate against the risks brought about by the prolonged absence of learners from schooling."
Motshekga said the government, in collaboration with the Basic Education Department and other strategic partners, worked tirelessly to strike a balance between saving lives and saving the academic year.
For this reason, when celebrating the successes, it is essential to contextualise the hostile environment within which the class of 2021 sat for their National Senior Certificate examinations — an environment, added Motshekga, that none of the previous cohorts of learners had ever been exposed to in the past: "The 2021 and 2020 academic years will remain extraordinary years for all sectors in the world, and our Basic Education Sector in particular."
Despite this, the department said it was happy to report that Umalusi, the Quality Council in General and Further Education and Training, declared "no systemic irregularities reported that might have compromised the credibility and the integrity of the November 2021 NSC examinations, administered by the DBE".
The Executive Committee of Umalusi further approved the "release of the DBE November 2021 NSC examination results, based on the available evidence that the examinations were administered in accordance with the examination policies and regulations".
In celebrating the achievements of the class of 2021, the minister also paid tribute to the principals, teachers and support staff for the work they have done and continue to do, and applauded their ongoing sacrifices. But, she said, the battle is far from won: "All hands must be on deck, as the class of 2022 may face three consecutive years of hardship, brought on by the pandemic and its variants."
She encouraged all learners aged 12-17 who are eligible for the vaccine to get their shot, and reminded educators and support staff to get boosted for additional protection. "This is the best way we can protect our school communities from COVID-19 and its variants," she said.
She concluded her address by thanking the class of 2021 for their hard work, and offering some words of support as they enter this new phase of their lives: "Your future is in the palm of your hands, so make the correct choices. I wish you all the best in your youthful lives!"
She also had encouragement for those candidates who did not perform as well as hoped. "Do not despair; there are lots of life chances available," she said. "Those who wish to improve their results can enrol for the Second Chance Matric Programme, where you will receive support from the DBE and our partners — we won't leave you to your own devices!"
Top Achievers 2021: In a class of their own!
The top matric learners in South Africa represent much more than just academic excellence; they carry the entire basic education system on their broad shoulders and embody the hopes and aspirations of their schools, families and communities. This was according to Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, who addressed a celebratory breakfast in Houghton, Johannesburg, for the top achievers from South Africa's public schools.
Motshekga says that to excel at this level is no mean feat: "You must understand the magnitude as a top learner, because the class of 2021 is literally and figuratively in a class of its own. It is the only class so far that studied for two consecutive years under the state of disaster measures to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19." These annual celebrations were not a time for modesty, she said, but instead a time to shine: "Honouring the top learners is not an act of vanity but affirmation, because as a nation we affirm that honesty has its rewards; we exalt the virtues of hard work and we truly celebrate the gallant efforts of a select few among us who tower above all the rest.
"These awards focus on 12 years of blood, sweat and tears, and those who make excellence a habit become top learners." She said it takes dedication to shine as a top learner in the largest public examinations in the SADC region.
The successes of the top achievers, however, are not theirs alone, Motshekga said: "We know that there is an exhausted teacher, principal and caregiver behind every top learner, and we salute all of you as true patriots. All of you — top learners, teachers, principals and caregivers — represent what it means to be an achiever in the basic education sector through deeds, not words."
Motshekga said although completing the NSC examinations was a great mountain to summit, it would serve learners well to remember the words of former president Nelson Mandela: "After climbing a great hill, one finds that there are many more hills to climb." The journey to tremendous success has only just begun; and she said she looked forward to seeing how these learners tackle the hills that still lie ahead, namely tertiary studies, the world of work and adult life in general.
While the journey may be far from over, Motshekga said she rests assured knowing that learners have been given a solid foundation early in life, and a springboard to take their dreams to even greater heights. "Indeed, a good beginning makes a good ending, and public schooling teaches beyond academics; it incorporates teaching about life and building a truly democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, united and prosperous society based on justice and equality."
She urged learners, especially these top achievers, to grasp the opportunities available to them with both hands. "After 12 years of learning, you have mastered the art of knowledge acquisition; your next step in life is knowledge production! As you begin your journey towards adulthood, history demands you to espouse the values of hard work, honesty, truth, integrity, humility and selflessness as you march to victory and conquer your fears."
Free State still top dog – for third consecutive year
When it came to provincial performance and pass rate, the Free State province remained top of the league for a third year in a row with 85.7%. The Department of Basic Education announced that Gauteng came in second with a pass rate of 82.8%, despite a 1% decline from 2020. The Western Cape came in third, followed by the North West province, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and Limpopo.
Sazi Bongwe from St John's College achieved nine distinctions
Public schools competing for South Africa's best matric results have a high bar to meet — they need at least three distinctions per learner just to make it into the top five! This is according to Gradesmatch, a career guidance platform that monitors and analyses the country's matric results annually. In 2021 the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng schools shone: nine of the country's top 10 schools are situated in these two provinces.
In first place, with 3.75 distinctions per learner, was Eden College in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. From the same province and in close second was Inkamana School, with 3.73 distinctions per learner. With 3.4 distinctions per learner the Gauteng-based Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool came in third, followed by Al-Falaag College in KZN and Tshwane Muslim School, with 3.1 and 3.09 distinctions per learner respectively.
Just outside the top five, Westville Girls High in KwaZulu-Natal achieved almost 2.9 distinctions per learner, with the province's Star College hot on its heels. In Gauteng, Hoërskool Menlopark boasted 2.88 distinctions per learner while SAMA High School had 2.68 distinctions per learner. Rounding off the top 10 performing public schools for the 2021 academic year was C&N Meisieskool Oranje in the Free State with 2.82 distinctions per learner — the only school to feature on the list from a province other than Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal.
Private schools shine with IEB results
The IEB (Independent Examinations Board) matric results showcased the performance of independent and private schools, and there is...
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