Joy erupted at Dinoto Technical School as staff members sang, danced and proudly chanted the name of Principal Siphamandla Mabuza after the school recorded an impressive 91.3% pass rate in the NSC examinations.

The result marks a remarkable turnaround for the school, which improved its pass rate by 13 percentage points, rising from 77.3% in the 2004 examinations to 91.3% achieved by the class of 2025.

Mabuza couldn’t contain his excitement, joining the teachers as they danced from the main entrance to the administration office.

“We are happy. We are grateful. It’s a collective effort. This one goes to the staff members,” Mabuza said.

After a demoralising 52.32% in 2022, the school has shown steady improvement, which Mabuza attributed to the relentless hard work, dedication and commitment of teachers and learners.

The school set an ambitious target of 90% at the start of the academic year. Through study camps and commitment to the school improvement plan (SIP), they surpassed that target by 1.3%.

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“We had internal camps and our learners were committed to the SIP programme held on Saturdays and Sundays. Our target was 90%. We’ve managed to beat it by 1.3%. It’s a remarkable achievement.”

The principal thanked the class of 2025 for their unwavering discipline, hard work and commitment, adding that they will assist those who passed with their tertiary applications, while also offering assistance to those who failed.

“I always told the learners that whatever they do here, they do it for themselves. It’s for their own future. We are going to help them with their tertiary applications and financial aid. We have a team that’s ready.

“We are going to help those who need a second chance. The staff here will work tirelessly to ensure they make it. The school will also help those who are struggling financially. We don’t want any of our learners to take a gap year,” said Mabuza.

Looking ahead, Mabuza stated that they will continue their study camps to ensure the class of 2026 maintains the school’s upward trajectory.

“We are going to help the learners to continue the momentum. Our sponsor, Volvo, has done a great job in assisting us with food for our camps and settling our electricity bill. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes.

“We are going to intensify our camps to improve mathematics and science. We are trying to make Dinoto be recognised for maths and science.”

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