Vosloorus Comprehensive Secondary School principal Jabulani Mnisi and his teachers experienced a stressful week when Monday passed without a phone call from the Department of Basic Education or enthusiastic parents informing him that they had been invited to meet Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
“I’ve grown accustomed to being a part of the excitement surrounding the announcement of the top performers,” said Mnisi, who has worked at the East Rand school since 2012.
“My teachers have been asking me if I’ve heard anything,” he told Sunday World on Wednesday, the day before the matric results were released.
Abongile Nkonjane, one of his students, placed second in technical mathematics in the category for Quintile 2 schools last year. Shosone Ngumla, a classmate of Nkonjane, earned a perfect score in arithmetic and physical science.
Mnisi, who joined the school as an assistant principal and teacher of physical science in 2014, stated that the institution had been vying for first place since 2014.
Since 2014, we have had national representation. We were absent in 2015, 2016, and 2017, but we will return in 2018, 2019, and 2021,” he stated.
“The majority of our top performers in physical science, mathematics, and history were boys,” said Mnisi, lamenting that even at the provincial level it has been a dry season.
“In 2022, 90% of our teachers are new hires, as the majority of our teachers have retired.” The remaining 10% will be eliminated from the system within two to three years,” he added, adding that they are now reconstructing and ushering in a new age.
“The school’s enrollment has increased from 1,200 to 1,800, making it impossible for me to remain in the classroom teaching my favorite subject, physical science,” said 47-year-old specialty teacher Mnisi. The school’s pass rate goal was 95%, but they obtained 76.19%.
He stated, “We will come back strong.”
Meanwhile, Eureka High School, which was dubbed the worst-performing school in Gauteng in 2021, has a pass percentage of 81.1%, up from 67.4% in 2021 and 55.5% in 2020.
Michael Masilela, the caretaker principal of Eureka, stated that the school was able to gain eight honors due to the efforts of its personnel and students.
Gangsterism, drug dealing by students, substance abuse, absenteeism, tardiness, poor leadership, unaccountable teachers, illegal and unethical conduct by school staff, a dysfunctional school governing body, and unsupportive parents were among the shocking problems identified as impeding education at the Springs, Ekurhuleni suburb school.
In 2021, the school was placed under management.
“Through commitment, dedication, and discipline, Eureka is reclaiming its dignity,” Masilela said, adding that 27.9% of the students earned a bachelor’s degree, diploma (46.51%), or higher certificate (25.54%).
The national matriculation pass rate increased by 3.7% in 2021, from 76.4% to 80.1%.
The performance of all nine provinces has improved, with no province earning a pass percentage below 70%.
Free State remained number one in the country, followed by Gauteng, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded the biggest performance of any province at 83% (marking a 6.2% rise from 2021), followed by Limpopo (up with by 5.3% to 72.1%) and Eastern Cape with an achievement of 77.3%, up 4.2% from 2021.
»Relapse and recovery for top and bottom schools«