Premier visits Orhovelani High School to address poor matric results
Orhovelani High’s 2024 matric pass rate was 33%. Issues such as the lack of teachers to cover all the subjects and poor working relations among the school’s management are said to be contributing factors.
A school that was known for its excellent results and producing dignitaries in society, such as the former premier of Mpumalanaga, Dr Mathews Phosa, is now regarded as an underperforming one.
Premier Mandla Ndlovu visited Orhovelani High School in Thulamahashe on February 4 to address the school’s 2024 matric results.
It only obtained a 33% pass rate. Out of the 48 learners who wrote their final exams, only 16 learners passed. The school only managed to obtain nine bachelor passes.
Bushbuckridge Local Municipality recorded one of the lowest pass rates for the 2024 matric results, with a pass rate that dropped from 80.2% in 2023 to 77.7%.
During his visit, Ndlovu consulted with the role players, including the school’s management, school governing body members and traditional leadership.
He said the lack of teachers for enrolled subjects and poor working relations among the members of management were contributing factors. He held the school’s leadership accountable for poor planning, such as having too many subjects but not enough teachers.
ALSO READ: Ninth anniversary of Lily Mine tragedy commemorated in Barberton
“If we have schools that are not performing, they will drag our performance down. That is why we are at 84%, because certain schools like this one did not perform very well. You can’t have the learners doing eight subjects when one of those does not even have a teacher, so right from the beginning, you are planning to fail our children. But I am happy with the outcome of the meeting. The management and the SGB expressed commitment to obtain a 100% pass rate from the Class of 2025,” Ndlovu said.
He urged the school to work hard in order to restore its record of excellent results. “The school is famous for producing luminaries in the society, such as Mathews Phosa, businessman Ruel Khoza and businesswoman Norah Fakude. We will also discuss the situation among ourselves and look for solutions to assist the people in this area and this school,” Ndlovu said.
