Over two decades of 100% matric pass rate for LHS

Ladysmith High School (LHS) has done it again! Despite one pupil failing to achieve a pass in one subject and the school receiving a 99% matric pass rate, none of the educators gave up on their cherished record. A re-mark was requested by the student and he was credited with a pass, thus ensuring the school’s legacy of having an unbroken 100% pass rate for the last 23 years.

A fitting tribute to both former principal Dr Ettiene Liversage and current principal Mr Christo Pieterse that LHS is considered one of the best schools, not just in KwaZulu-Natal, but the country.

The announcement that the school’s record was unbroken was made by outgoing governing body chairman, Steve Tandy, at the election of governing body members on Tuesday evening. Tanya Muller has been elected as the new governing body chairman, with Sihle Khubeka as deputy chairman. New to the governing body are David Steele, Henk Lombard (treasurer) and Bheki Khumalo.

Cambridge University, in its attempts to identify the top 100 performing schools in the world, selected LHS as one of those schools. Although the criteria for selecting the top 100 international achieving schools is not known, it is believed that LHS’s achievements were placed in greater perspective given the fact that it is a multi-cultural, parallel-medium, co-ed high school, serving a rural community where no academic testing takes place on admission.

However, in whatever way, they were identified by this foreign academic institution of note. This invitation was extended to LHS, as it was to 99 other schools worldwide, to submit a two-page contribution to be included in their extremely prestigious 444-page publication. Ladysmith can be very proud of LHS, as it continues to shine as a beacon of educational excellence, not just here, but worldwide. May the school achieve many more 100% pass rates and keep its record unbroken.