THE class of 2015 let out a huge sigh of relief on Wednesday, 6 January, after the release of their eagerly anticipated final-year examination results. Learners excitedly flocked their respective schools to collect their statements of results and the Queensburgh News visited some of the high schools in the area.
Although the overall national and provincial results may have dropped, statistics from local schools suggest otherwise and indicate that they are gaining momentum with their matric pass rates. KwaZulu-Natal was listed among the three provinces with the lowest pass rate in the country, however, the Umlazi District, which local schools fall under, had the highest pass rate in the province at 72.6 per cent.
Phambili High School in Rossburgh showed an improvement in results achieved in 2014 from 35 per cent to 50.5 per cent in 2015. Principal, Londa Luthuli said he was pleased with his learners’ effort although they did not meet the 60 per cent target that they had aimed for at the start of the previous year. “I am excited about this year and the potential that the new matriculants hold. I believe that we are slowly phasing out mediocre results and reeling in better results every year,” he said. Luthuli said they are aiming for an 80 per cent pass rate in 2016.
Queensburgh Girls’ High School in Malvern has consistently done well over the years with an average pass rate of 99 per cent over the last three years, dropped by just a percentage from 2014’s 99.4 percent. The all-girls high school achieved a 98.8 percent pass rate in 2015 and headmistress, Mrs Motheeram, said she was proud of all her girls. “I am extremely proud of the class of 2015 and have no doubt that the two learners who did not make it, will do better this year. We are able to maintain a high pass rate every year due to our dedicated teachers who put in a lot of effort, sometimes sacrificing their weekends and holidays with extra classes,” she said.
Queensburgh High School in Escombe also achieved remarkable results with a 90 per cent pass rate in 2015 from a 78 per cent in 2014. Deputy Principal, Marthinus Myburgh, said he was excited about his school’s performance. “I am very excited about the improvement in the pass rate which can be attributed to the teachers, staff, a change of culture for our learners, and discipline,” he said. The school will continue to uphold these values and looks forward to obtaining higher figures from the class of 2016. “We are proud of our top achievers, Nhlakanipho Mbhele who got six distinctions and an average of 85 per cent, Serisha Singh got five distinctions and Kiara Sewparsath got four,” added Myburgh.
Other local schools include Rossburgh High School with a pass rate of 71.2 per cent from 74.8 per cent in 2014 while Werda Skool obtained an 87 per cent pass rate last year from 100 per cent in 2014.
