North West has once again stamped its authority on South Africa’s education map, producing a top achiever from a rural Quintile 2 school – a feat provincial leaders say reflects the growing strength and reach of public education in the province.
At the centre of this achievement is Temogo Matong, an 18-year-old matriculant from Setswakgosing Secondary School in Morokweng Village, outside Vryburg, who emerged as the national top pupil in Quintile 2 schools during the 2025 matric results, while also ranking among the province’s top achievers overall.
A middle child in a family of three, Matong draws inspiration from home. His elder sister is studying towards a Bachelor of Education degree at a tertiary institution, while his younger sister is still at school.
For Matong, academic excellence was never about accolades or ceremony, but about access. Passing with flying colours was a strategy, a deliberate pathway to securing a bursary that would allow him to pursue higher education.
That focus followed him even after his final examinations. While many of his peers were enjoying the December break, Matong found himself replaying a single mathematics question in his mind, worried it could cost him four crucial marks.
“That one question was worth four marks, and it stressed me a lot,” he said. “I wanted 100% so that I could be guaranteed a bursary to further my studies. When the national announcements were made and my name was mentioned among the top achievers, I automatically received a bursary.”
Matong’s results speak to sustained discipline and institutional support. His highest subject mark was an impressive 99%, while his lowest stood at 90%, placing him firmly at the top of the national rankings within the Quintile 2 category.
He also secured first place in the North West for mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences and geography.
Education MEC Viola Motsumi said Matong’s achievement demonstrates that quality education in North West is not confined to urban centres.
“As the North West Department of Education, we are extremely proud that Temogo Matong comes from a school based in a rural area,” Motsumi said. “Our schools are producing top learners who can compete with the best in the country. As a department, we provide quality education, regardless of where a school is located. These schools are producing the jewels of our country.”
Matong is a living testament to Motsumi’s words, with discipline being one of the attributes his school contributed to his life. He said his success was a product of a consistent daily study routine, even during periods when the academic workload felt overwhelming. He also acknowledged the role played by structured academic support programmes offered to pupils.
“Our schools hosted a lot of holiday camps, and at first I undermined them,” he said.
“But after reflecting, I realised those camps laid the foundation for all the subjects I performed well in.”
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants confirmed that Matong participated in the 2025 North West Saica Academic Camps during both Grade 11 and Grade 12, describing his achievement as historic for the province.
“This incredible achievement marks the first time a learner from the North West has been named a national winner in this category,” Saica said in a statement congratulating him.
At the school level, Setswakgosing Secondary School principal Olaotse Moreke said Matong’s potential was evident from an early stage.
“From the lower grades, Temogo showed signs of being an exceptional learner,” Moreke said. “He was always dedicated and committed to his studies.”
Beyond his own performance, Matong said he made a point of sharing his knowledge with classmates, believing that collective effort strengthens individual success. He encouraged other pupils to remain focused and disciplined.
“My advice is simple,” he said. “Listen to your teachers, no matter their age. They are trained to guide you. Learners should cut off distractions, distance themselves from friends who take them away from their books, and form study groups to help one another.”
As he looks ahead, Matong plans to pursue medical studies at the University of Cape Town.
His journey, provincial leaders say, is not an exception but a reflection of a public education system in the North West steadily producing excellence.
