For two consecutive years, the rural-based uMkhanyakude district has maintained its status as the torchbearer for KwaZulu-Natal, achieving a remarkable 92.8% overall in the province.
The district also emerged in the top three nationally after Fezile Dabi in the Free State, which recorded 93.5%.
District manager Thanduyise Motha, the man behind the successive gains for the far-flung district, told Sunday World on Tuesday that he inherited a district that was predominantly known as the stepchild of the province because of its poor results.
District had history of poor results
“Nobody had wanted to be assigned to uMkhanyakude because there was a notion that you would be setting yourself up for failure.
“But I raised my hand and said, ‘give it to me’. I knew what needed to be done and we are now bearing the fruits of our hard work. But my long-term dream is to achieve a 100% pass rate. I also aim to retire in this rural district,” Motha beamed.
Of the 52% bachelor’s passes attained by KZN, uMkhanyakude also recorded the highest number of them. The number of the best top 10 learners also came from the district. The other 12 provincial districts share the rest. For the 2023 academic year, uMkhanyakude also came out tops with 90% of the matric pass rate.
While delivering the provincial results for the matric class of 2024, KZN MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka explained the achievement was a collective effort of his predecessors. He said they had laid a solid foundation.
Covid-19, deadly floods in province
“This class of 2024 commenced their high school journey during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an unforeseen global challenge that disrupted not only the education sector but the very fabric of our learners’ lives.
“We appreciate the leadership of MEC Mshengu. He was in the forefront of making sure the sector continued to forge ahead,” said Hlomuka.
The MEC further stated that teachers had shown bravery, passion and commitment in facing the deadly pandemic head-on.
“Some of you sitting here today not only contracted the virus, you never gave up when you witnessed loved ones, educators and peers tragically losing the battle against the virus,” he noted.
The province was also dealt a heavy blow following massive destruction to infrastructure especially schools, during the deadly floods that battered it.
GPU credited with putting politics aside
Despite the massive challenge, it made it against all odds, occupying the second spot with 89.5%. This is an increase from 86.4% that the province attained last year.
Provincial Premier Thami Ntuli heaped praises to the government of provincial unity. He said it put aside party differences and spoke in one voice. The governing pact comprises the ANC, IFP, DA and the NFP.
“I would like to appreciate the commitment and the maturity displayed in the GPU. We all should be proud of what the province was able to achieve under this government of provincial unity,” said Ntuli.
He was, however, quick to bemoan the level of crime targeting schools and teachers. Ntuli said this hindered the delivery of education, impacting some schools that performed poorly.
“We must have all our hands on deck and fight crime. It cannot be business as usual when teachers are terrorised by thugs in the classrooms. As this government, we will intensify efforts to tackle brazen criminals. We will take the war to them,” he said.
Western Cape still leads with mathematics
Nationally, out of 880, 209 candidates who registered for the National Senior Certificate exam, 810, 900 were able to write. Of these, 69, 309 registered candidates were absent from the exams.
In terms of the breakdown of key or the so-called gateway subjects, the Western Cape achieved the highest pass rate in mathematics, at 78%. It was followed by the North West at 73.9%. Closely followed by the Free State at 73.2%.
Limpopo also topped the list when it came to mathematics participation with 44.1%. It was followed by the Eastern Cape at 42.9% and Mpumalanga at 40.7%.
