‘What has gone wrong, Liverpool Secondary?’ – mayor
The school achieved a 66%, down from 68%, pass rate in the 2024 NSC exams.

“I hope they will address the challenges our children face in this school,” a parent shouted from Mayet Street as City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s motorcade entered Liverpool Secondary on January 23.
“Most learners here are ill-disciplined and use drugs,” the parent continued, as some learners demanded to use the entrance reserved for the mayor and his entourage despite being told to use a different gate.

Xhakaza has adopted the school as one of his projects for the year to help improve its academic performance and resolve the social issues affecting it.
Liverpool was one of the worst performing schools in the region in 2024 NSC exams in the region, going down to 66% pass from 68%, and has been plagued by issues of discipline, substance abuse and racial tensions.
“I’ve adopted the school because of issues of performance. We want to ensure there’s improvement,” said Xhakaza in a sitting with the school management.

“The fact that the matric results are going down, it’s something we have to work towards fixing. In the next three years, we should be able to turn around the situation,” he added.
Challenges
Xhakaza acknowledged that his remedial action won’t yield instant results but for Principal Navindra Ramsunder, this dismal matric performance was a sore point.

“It’s hurting me and my staff because of the effort we put in throughout the year,” he said.
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Ramsunder highlighted several problems, including parental involvement, overcrowding, municipal bills and substance abuse, as the challenges that need immediate attention.
“The school owes the municipality around R90 000. We hope the mayor will assist. Our substance abuse problem stems from what happens in the community. We request police visibility. We also need a kitchen for our consumer studies learners.”
Turnaround
Responding to Ramsunder, Finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi explained they have taken note of the school’s billing problem and will contact relevant departments to sort it out.
Xhakaza emphasised that the debt must be paid because that’s how the municipality generates its money.

“We will look at extending our support to the school further to address the magnitude of problems facing the school,” said Dlabathi.
He highlighted parental involvement, academic enhancement, addressing social ills, fixing infrastructure and adding extra-curricular activities as pillars that must be adopted to address Liverpool’s downward spiral.
Addressing the learners, Xhakaza urged the pupils to work with him to turn around the situation of the school.
“This school used to be one of the best-performing schools in Ekurhuleni. You used to achieve 90%. You used to be the most celebrated school.

“What has gone wrong? Something has gone wrong. We need to change it today. That’s why we are here – to change the school’s profile.”
The city also sponsored 400 learners with new school shoes while the top-performing matriculants will receive bursaries.
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