Ilembe’s massive fail – and top performers

The Ilembe district 2016 matric results did not leave much for celebration as nearly half of the Grade 12 pupils failed. The district’s matric pass rate plummeted to a record low of 52.4 per cent making it the worst performing district in the province.

Of the 9 480 pupils who sat for the exams, 4 907 passed and 4 573 failed.

The result has regressed from last year when Ilembe had the second lowest pass rate at 59.2 per cent.

To rub salt in the wound, one school in Ilembe was among the six in KZN where all the pupils failed.

Mathematics and physical science were the subjects Ilembe pupils performed worst at.

The district had a pass rate of 19 percent for mathematics and 44 percent for physical science.

Announcing the matric results last week, KZN MEC for Education Mthandeni Dlugwana said that the results were concerning.

“KZN had the highest number of matriculants enrolled to write their National Senior Certificate examinations. The province registered 169023 candidates, which included those who were progressed in 2015. KZN had the highest number of progressed learners.

“Only 98 028 pupils passed out of the 147 646 pupils who wrote the examinations.”

Dlugwana added that KZN also has many pupils who come from underprivileged, rural areas.

“As one of the most rural provinces we are confronted with the highest levels of poverty, unemployment and inequalities. This places an extra burden in the allocation of resources to schools,” he said. With 66.4 per cent, KZN scored the the third lowest pass rate in the country. Despite the sad pass rate, Dlugwana encouraged pupils who failed to not give up.

“We are very worried about the number of students who failed in 2016. It is alarmingly high. They must however, also find comfort in the words of the late president Mandela when he said, ‘Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up’.”

It was not all bad news for some schools on the Ilembe front.

Two pupils from Stanger Manor Secondary school, Jenashlen Govender and Jivashen Reddy took the two top spots in the Ilembe district. Coming in third was Joshua Mark Pillay from Mandini Acadamy, in fourth place was Perm Mthethwa from Thukela Secondary school in Sundumbili and getting the fifth spot was Lindokuhle Ngobo from Qinisani High school in Upper Tongaat.

The Courier spoke to the two top performing pupils from Stanger Manor Seconday to find out the secret to their success. The modest Jenashlen Govender managed an impressive overall aggregate score of 93% with seven distinctions.

“My advice to anyone aiming high in matric is to invest in yourself. Decide what you want and set time aside every day to remind yourself why you are doing what you’re doing,” said Govender.

Jivashen Reddy, meanwhile, bagged a stunning eight distinctions with an overall aggregate of 91%. Asked what his advice for future matrics was, Reddy replied simply, “Have faith in yourself.” The headmaster of Stanger Manor Secondary, T Gounden, told The Courier that he was very proud of his students.

“Once again, Stanger Manor Secondary has maintained its proud history of academic excellence. We will continue to strive to provide quality education to our learners in preparation for their entry into higher education and to take their place as responsible citizens of our country,” said Gounden.

Govender is off to study Computer Engineering at TUKS while Reddy is headed to UCT to tackle Business Science and Actuarial Science. Schools in Tongaat which fall under the Pinetown district, achieved a pass rate of 66.38 percent.

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