‘It’s not easy’: Are the teachers behind matric results top achievers appreciated enough?

The matric class of 2024 is celebrating their 87.3% pass rate, but hats must also be doffed for those who guided them along the way.

Teachers face difficult circumstances and heightened scrutiny daily, and the announcement of matric results is their day to bask in reflective glory.  

Each year brings its own challenges, and this group holds a special place in the hearts of many educators, as they were the Grade 8 learners whose first year of high school was disrupted by the global health crisis in 2020.

Teachers walk the whole journey

A teacher told The Citizen that this was the time of year they received the most appreciation from learners, as they acknowledge those who have walked the educational journey with them.

“During the year, you wouldn’t really see that because the school is measured by results. So it is only around this period where you see teachers getting appreciated by their [pupils],” Highlands North Boys High Life Sciences teacher Phindile Mdlalose said.  

“During the year, it’s just a normal day, business as usual, but today is a very big day for the Department of Education and teachers as a whole,” said Mdlalose, whose class achieved 96.2% in her subject.

Resilience is the word of 2024

Head of Academics at The King’s School Discovery, Cathy Segehout and Business Studies teacher at the school, Fundiswa Adu-Agyei praised their learners’ resilience.

“Through the toughest times, both the teachers and these Grade 12s showed resilience, determination and a hope for the future which produced great results. We are so proud of them,” said Segehout.

“They consistently pushed themselves to excel. Their hard work and resilience have truly earned them a sense of pride and accomplishment as they celebrate their achievements,” added Adu-Agyei.

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Hamida Moosa, principal at Al Aqsa School in Lenasia, stated her pride in the Class of 2024, praising the teachers who had helped earn 18 100% pass rates in the last 21 years at the school.

“Our biggest resource is our human resource — a group of educators who are so passionate about what they deliver to the children, maximising each child’s potential,” stated Moosa.

“A learner may enter the school having been an average B or C candidate, and every teacher will make sure that they elevate the learner,” Moosa explained.

Teachers not appreciated

A teacher who asked to remain anonymous said that while the Class of 2024 had many talented learners, others were “lazy” and “spoon-fed”.

The teacher told The Citizen that while parents also had a hand in their child’s success, many seemed to hand over their responsibilities to the school, believing that paying school fees would guarantee their child an exceptional matric pass.

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Highlands North Boys High Maths Literacy teacher, Yogandran Naidoo added that appreciation was lacking from all sectors of society.

“They don’t realise the effort that goes into making one learner pass. It’s not easy, because when they leave home, parents think ‘Oh, they’re going to learn’, but they not here to learn, they come to be with their friends, so we have to get them in line,” said Naidoo.

A vocational calling

However, Naidoo stated that learners were responding better in recent years, stressing how the school tried its best to identify learners who may need extra attention.

“[Pupils are] putting more effort into their studies. I think they’re realising it is a struggle out there, so they have to get their socks up and get good results,” he explained.

Mdlalose agreed, stressing the need for children not to wait until Grade 12 to start preparing for the final hurdle.

Mdlalose summed up the sentiment shared by all teachers, who say the job is a thankless one that represents a higher calling.

“[It’s a] passion, nothing else. When I think about it, I don’t imagine myself doing anything else but being inside a classroom,” he said

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