The North Coast is fast becoming a national academic powerhouse for both public and independent schools.
iLembe district public schools’ matric class of 2023 earned an 88.6% pass rate, placing it as the 8th best district municipality or metro in South Africa out of 52.
It was also the third best in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which itself overtook Gauteng in the provincial standings to finish second behind the Free State.
There remains work to be done with 11.4% of pupils failing, but is an improvement from last year’s 83.9% pass rate and is way up from 75.7% in 2021 and 76.9% in 2020.
iLembe was also recognised for being the district with the most schools that achieved a 100% pass rate within KZN.
“It is with great pleasure that I extend my warmest congratulations to the learners of iLembe district for their remarkable performance. The attainment of this outcome bears testimony to our collective commitment,” said KwaDukuza mayor, Lindile Nhaca, who singled out Lethithemba High School in Ward 27 for obtaining a 100% pass rate for the third consecutive year.
Groutville High School’s Sfuso Mthembu was iLembe’s top public school matriculant in 2023.
Mthembu claimed a full house of eight distinctions and hopes to study law this year, although he awaits acceptance letters from the universities he has applied to.
“I hope to find out soon because I am passionate about the law and see it as a way to make a difference in my home community of Charlottedale,” he said.
Mthembu lives with his mother, who has struggled to put food on the table by finding part-time work where she can.
His school in Groutville has had to overcome its own obstacles to produce good matriculants.
“We have struggled with budget cuts and continued issues with crime,” said Groutville High School principal, Simphiwe Gumede.
“Two guards were recently held at gunpoint and 33 classroom projectors were stolen.”
It means pupils and teachers have had to work extra hard, so they deserve credit for the good results.”
Gumede heaped praise on Mthembu, while citing the success of a new school programme that starts year-end examination preparations in June.
The school’s pass rate improved from 92.6% to 98%.
The next two highest achievers in iLembe both came from Stanger Manor Secondary School.
Tahlia Naicker and Anya Ramkilawan finished second and third respectively, both claiming seven distinctions.
Naicker plans to study medicine at the University of Stellenbosch and Ramkilawan also hopes to pursue a career in medicine.
Top IEB results for North Coast
The North Coast’s top IEB matriculants further back up claims of a significant brains trust in the area.
Ashton International College Ballito and Reddam House Ballito both achieved 100% bachelor’s pass rates, while Crawford International College North Coast earned 95.5% and Curro Salt Rock 80%.
Crawford’s Daisy Pybus was the North Coast’s top IEB matriculant for 2023, with eight distinctions and an average of 94.62%.
Ashton’s Diyajal Dass finished second with nine distinctions and an average of 92%, while Crawford’s Dhivya Naicker (eight distinctions, 90.92% average) finished third.
The top three were also the only three on the North Coast to make the IEB’s outstanding achiever list, which honours matrics who finished in the top 5% countrywide for six subjects and earned a distinction for life orientation.
Crawford’s matrics managed 11 subject results in the top 1% nationally, with Ashton adding another four.
You can find the results of the IEB schools in more depth in our ‘Matric Results’ feature on pages 6-13.
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