St Thomas.
POLOKWANE – The Limpopo matric pass rate has increased from 66,9 per cent to 71,8 per cent. This was announced by the MEC for education Ms Dikeledi Magadzi at the Ranch Hotel on January 7.
Magadzi told the audience that the province is third with the highest enrolment figures in the grade 12 national senior certificate (NSC) examinations after KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
“In Limpopo, the examinations in 2013 involved a total of 82 483 full-time candidates. They wrote in at 1 414 examination centres. Altogether, learners wrote a total of 169 examination papers, and the answer scripts were marked by more than 5 000 markers.”
Magadzi says of the 82 483 full-time candidates who wrote, 59 183 passed.
“This translates to a 71,8 per cent pass rate. The fact that 59 183 learners passed is an indication that the province is working very hard. The increase in our grade 12 NSC results from 48,9 per cent in 2009 to 71,8 per cent in 2013 is proof that we have turned the tide she added.
The 71,8 per cent achieved by the class of 2013 is the highest pass rate in the province since the advent of democracy in South Africa.
Meanwhile local schools in Tubatse also performed extremely well; St Thomas College achieved an overall pass rate of
98,8 per cent, and was also the top-performing school in Tubatse. This was an increase from the 94,8 per cent achieved in the previous year, 79 per cent of their learners passed with bachelors. The school is the second top independent school in the province.
St Thomas principal Mr Samuel George said the learners have made the platinum city proud. “We were better than more than 50 independent schools, and once again our school is best in Tubatse circuit. We are aiming at 100 per cent pass rate this year,” explained George.
Another top-performing school in the Tubatse circuit was Calvin College, scooping position two.
They boast a matric pass rate of 94 per cent, which is also an increase as the school got 91 per cent in 2012. Among their best learners for 2013 is Harriet Magale, Jeannette Nkwana and Millet Kae – the trio achieved four distinctions each.
Letau High School in the deep rural area of Ga Riba Village was the third best school with its 93,3 per cent pass rate, which shows a great improvement from their previous pass rate of 75,86 per cent in 2012.
Fourth in the Tubatse circuit was Kweledi High School in Praktiseer with a pass rate of 88 per cent. Wem Combined School was fifth with a 69 per cent pass rate.
The school that performed poorest was Mogolo Secondary in Riba Cross which only achieved a 20 per cent pass rate.
Tubatse circuit manager Mr Solly Lingwati said he was not impressed with those schools that recorded a decrease in their pass rates.
“We always aim higher, schools that performed badly will be scrutinised. Credit must be given to St Thomas, Calvin College, Letau and Kweledi high schools. They did us proud.”
The top learner in the Greater Tubatse Municipality is Palesa Mashishimale Ngabane from St Thomas. She achieved seven distinctions. On the other hand Manoke High School in Bogwasha received the award for the best improved school in the circuit. It achieved a low 21,3 per cent in 2012 but improved to 75,5 per cent in 2013.
