Mamelodi schools produce good matric results despite the odds

Vlakfontein Secondary School has continued to produce outstanding matric results and 2020 was no exception.

Despite challenges with the national lockdown, the school retained its first position in Mamelodi, with a 97% pass rate for 2020.

Principal of the school Moses Makofane said he was excited with the results and that the school would continue to aim high.

Vlakfontein matric results started to show an upward trajectory in 2015, and in 2019 and 2020, the school has been ranked first in matric results in Mamelodi.

“The dedication and passion of the learners and teachers in their school have produced these results,” said Makofane.

He said the road was still long “but slowly we are getting there”.

“We want to achieve a whopping 100% pass rate at Vlakfontein.”

Makofane thanked the parents for supporting their children and making sure that the learners focused on their schoolwork.

He said 2020 was a difficult year for everyone with the Covid-19 virus.

“At the announcement of the national lockdown, the school had already finished 60% of the curriculum.

“The secret of the school achieving good results is starting early and finishing the curriculum before end of June,” said Makofane.

Makofane said teaching started early and the teachers never looked back, and the extra classes from the beginning of the year played a big role in achieving good results.

“Our goal at Vlakfontein Secondary School is quality results for the learners.”

Letticia Zondo (19) from Vlakfontein Secondary School said it was a tough year for everyone, but she was happy with her performance.

She would be able to chase her dream of studying to become a teacher.

Another school that performed well was Ribane Laka Secondary School with a 90% pass rate.

Principal Martha Ngoma said she was impressed by the performance of the learners and teachers.

“The matriculants showed their parents and educators that they were determined to impress and maintain the school’s reputation by working hard every day,” said Ngoma.

“Our educators have once again worked hard as it was expected and reached their goal of seeing an African child succeed.

“The teachers and learners were disciplined throughout the year. It is all thanks to the intervention programme at the school which started at the beginning of the year,” Ngoma said.

“We have our own intervention programme at the school and we have been producing good results for years,” said Ngoma, whose school’s star performer was Itumeleng Kgari (18) with four distinctions.

“The announcement of the national lockdown almost destroyed my plans of achieving good results,” said Kgari.

“Dedication and sleepless nights reading while we were waiting for our president to adjust the levels really helped me a lot.”

She plans to study chemical engineering at the University of Pretoria.

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