Jubilation reverberated across South Africa as learners from both private and public schools received the good news of their matric results.

Matriculants from my alma mater, Dr MJ Madiba Secondary School where I matriculated 29 years ago, also had a reason to celebrate as they join the school’s alumni community.

The quintile 3 public school is in Ga-Madiba Village, Ga-Mashashane area outside Polokwane.

The matric class of 2024 continued with the school’s upward trajectory, achieving a 77.4% pass rate. In terms of pass types, six (25%) achieved bachelor endorsement, 15 (62,5%) got diploma passes and three (12,5%) obtained a higher certificate.

In respect of the percentage pass for 2024, 31 candidates wrote final examinations, an improvement from 62.7% in 2023 and 56.3% for 2022.

It should however be a concern that although 33 registered, the status for the other two is incomplete as they did not sit for the final examinations.

On the global status of secondary schooling completion, according to the overview of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG): “Quality Education”, without additional measures, by 2030, “Only one in six of countries will achieve universal secondary school completion target.”

The secondary school is nearly a half century old and named after Dr Moses Josiah Madiba. In 1973 the University of South Africa’s Faculty of Education conferred an honorary doctorate in education on Madiba for meritorious services as linguist, author, educationist, and community leader.

Experts, commentators have argued, and various parties continue contesting the implementation and/or benefits of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, especially the language policy.

Madiba, a pioneer in the development of the Northern Sotho language terminology, is said to have been an advocate of mother tongue instruction and of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction in primary school.

Dr Madiba departed 40 years ago on January 2, and he is known to have lived by the motto “Service to one’s people is the rent you pay for your stay on earth.”

Even though matric is the pinnacle of basic education, it is heart-warming that there is collaboration between teachers, learners, parents, alumni, supporters and partners to ensure an enabling teaching and learning environment in all grades at my alma mater.

Understandably, infrastructure of a school on the cusp of celebrating golden jubilee would need some sprucing up. Considering SDG 4 synopsis: “Low-and lower-middle-income countries face a nearly $100 billion annual financing gap to reach their education targets”, there is therefore a need for creative ways to raise funds for infrastructure improvement.

In that regard the school’s principal Dr Johannah Rapetsoa, senior management team, teachers, school governing body and parents made a call to alumni, supporters and partners to be of service to the school towards raising funds for installation of a security gate with a vision, and mission board.

In May 2024 a fundraising gala dinner was thus hosted at the school with the target to raise about R20 000 to complete the above project, but only just over half of the targeted amount was raised and work has commenced on the project thanks to generous donations.

It is evident that as part of ongoing collaborative efforts from supporters, partners, alumni and corporates, especially financial injection, would still be needed to accomplish the project and others that could still be in the pipeline.

Installation of a security gate with a vision, and mission board is a start toward giving the school a facelift.

However, conversations with many former learners in recent years indicated that the school needed more than that.

Renovation of school buildings, a modern library with internet connectivity, a science laboratory, installation of a security fence, and construction of a multipurpose sports facility are some of the interventions that need to be explored.

Besides academic excellence, Dr MJ Madiba Secondary School used to excel in extramural activities such as choir, softball, athletics, soccer, netball and softball.

In terms of choral music, it is perhaps a blessing that the man the school takes its name from was apparently a decent baritone singer and choir conductor.

To contact the school to offer support, supporters and corporates can visit the website whereas alumni can use the Facebook page to share ideas on how to plough back to their alma mater.

Maubane is a Dr MJ Madiba secondary school alumnus.