Johannesburg – Abonile Nkonjane was the picture of cool when his community heaped praise on him for ensuring that his school in Vosloorus, Gauteng, was counted when the top-performing pupils for 2021 were honoured by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday.
The 18-year-old Nkonjane of Vosloorus Comprehensive Secondary School achieved four distinctions in technical maths, technical science, engineering and graphic design, and isiXhosa. He scooped second place for technical maths in the national excellence awards.
“I expected to pass but I didn’t expect to be acknowledged nationally,” he said.
He plans to study electrical engineering at Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town or University of Johannesburg. He revealed his anxiety about whether his preferred universities would offer him a place to study now that his results are out.
Nkonjane’s schoolmate, Siphosonke Ngumla, scored 100% for maths and physical science.
The technical school received a total of 23 distinctions.
Principal Jabulani Mnisi said he was not happy since this number represented a decline in performance from the 29 distinctions achieved in 2020.
He also lamented the overall school pass rate of 69.7%, much below the target he had set for the school of 95%.“We cannot go below the 92% we achieved in 2019. Our target for 2022 still remains 95%.”
Mpumalanga also had several pupils who were honoured by Motshekga.
One of the Mpumalanga top 10 pupils, Sfiso Hosana, who completed grade 12 at Mafemani High School in Thula-mahashe, Bushbuckridge, obtained seven distinctions.
The 19-year-old, who is going to study medicine at the University of Cape Town, said: “The UCT vice-chancellor [professor Mamokgethi Phakeng] telephoned me and told me they already reserved a space for me.
“I would like to thank my teachers for always motivating us and giving us strategies on how to study effectively. To show that my teachers did a good job, many pupils from my school also received different awards today.”
Hosana also thanked his parents for believing in him and making sure that they provided every study equipment that he needed, though only his mother is employed as a primary school teacher, while his father is unemployed.
When asked what his strategy to success was, he said time management and dedication played a vital part in his success.
Another pupil, who also obtained seven distinctions, is 18-year-old Gugu Maphaka from KwaMhlanga High School. She was also going to study medicine at UCT.
“I would like to encourage those who are doing grade 12 this year that it is possible to pass with flying colours regardless of the poor status of their schools and families,” said Maphaka.
“Our laboratories are not up to standard but our teachers were always encouraging us to work very hard and stay focused.”
Maphaka obtained distinctions in IsiNdebele, accounting, life orientation, English, mathematics, life science and physical science.
Wilberforce Nkosi, 17, from Sidlamafa High School in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, who obtained eight distinctions, told Sunday World that he was going to study BCom accounting at UCT.
“What I have learnt from Covid-19 is that a learner must depend on themselves, so that is why I used to study alone most of the time.
“My advice to others is that they must know what kind of people they are, so that it will be easy to come up with study strategies,” said Nkosi.
Grade 12 results in numbers
- 76.4%
Overall pass rate for 2021, representing a 0.2% improvement
- 735 000
Number of pupils who wrote matric exams
2 489
Number of pupils with special needs
- 120 000
Number of pupils who wrote exams in prison
- 211 725
Number of distinctions
- 61 887
Number of distinctions in KwaZulu-Natal, the highest in the country
- 256 031
Number of pupils who got bachelor passes
- Two
The number of provinces – Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal – that contributed 46% of the bachelor pass rate
- 85.7%
Pass rate in best-performing province – Free State
- One
Limpopo recorded a pass rate of less than 70%, at 66.7%
- 89.3%
Pass rate in the best-performing district – Tshwane South
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Also read: Matric learners: Get your matric results here
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