Minerva Secondary School, long regarded as one of Alexandra’s most challenging institutions due to persistent issues including violent behaviour among learners, has defied expectations by topping all schools in the township with an outstanding 97% matric pass rate in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations.

The achievement marks a turnaround for the school, which has historically grappled with discipline problems and underperformance.

During an oversight visit by the Alexandra Parliamentary Constituency Office on January 15, principal Nontsikelelo Tsatsi described the result as a historic milestone that the school is determined to protect. “We are number one with 97%. We are excited, but now we are gearing up to sustain it. Dropping from this level would be very painful.”

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Tsatsi expressed pride in the class’s performance, noting that only six learners failed two subjects each, and the school is actively encouraging them to pursue supplementary opportunities.

The school’s top performers stood out with one learner achieving seven distinctions, including mathematics and physical sciences, while another earned five distinctions, including mathematics and accounting.

Tsatsi attributed the success to strong commitment and discipline from the learners, coupled with the teachers’ dedication. “Our teachers donated their time and spent much of it here supporting these learners after hours. The district has also been incredibly supportive.”

District officials hailed the results as unprecedented, positioning Minerva as number five in the province and the most improved school in its circuit. They described the school as having transformed from one of the most difficult to a model of progress under Tsatsi’s leadership.

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Deputy Minister of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike joined in the congratulations, reflecting on prior engagements with the school. “When we received the news that the performance had jumped over 20% from last year, we were proud. Clearly, something good is happening here.”

Acknowledging the school’s ongoing challenges, the deputy minister emphasised continued support. She noted that they are familiar with the issues at Minerva, and that the chief whip of councillors will escalate some matters to the council.

This triumph comes against the backdrop of South Africa’s record national matric pass rate of 88% for the class of 2025, the highest in history, with Gauteng securing the third spot nationally.

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