Full marks for Wittedrift High who leads the way with 100% matric pass rate
Witterdrift High School made a big contribution to this year’s CX Country matric success, securing yet another 100% pass rate – the only public-school in Plettenberg Bay and Knysna to do so.
This also contributed to ensuring that the two coastal holiday towns did not only exceed the Eden District and Western Cape pass rate, but also the national tally.
Plett and Knysna managed an 87.5% pass rate, while Eden received 84.1% and the Western Cape 82.3%, while nationally 81.3% of learners made the grade.
The district was one of eight in the province to obtain a pass rate above 80%. Only one district. Metro East with a pass rate of 78.3%, dropped below the 80% mark.
The province, however, dropped to fourth place in the country from last years the third spot, having been edged out by Free State at 88.4%, followed by Gauteng with 87.2% and North
West with 86.8%.
Six of the seven schools in the two towns showed improvement on last years results with Wittedrift High School the only school in the area obtaining a 100% pass rate.
The schools five best-performing learners raked in the distinctions. Top of the class was Usiphile Matikiti with an average of 77% and four distinctions; close on her heels was Siphokazi Mtwa with an average of 76.3% and two distinctions.
Mart-Mari Koekemoer took the third spot with an average of 75.9% and three distinctions. Dylan Annandale managed an average of 75.3% for the fourth spot and also received four distinctions. Adam Shields secured the final spot in the top five with the same average, but two distinctions.
Wittedrift High principal Jeremy Marallich said he was very proud of his school’s achievement and attributed the success to dedicated teachers and learners, and support from the Western Cape education department. There was great elation among the youngsters who gathered at the school to collect their marks.
Concordia High in Knysna improved from 69.6% in 2018 to a whopping 81.9% while Knysna Secondary also edged up from 74.2% to 76.1%. Percy Mdala High showed massive improvement from 70.9% in 2018 to 82.9%.
The only Knysna school that dropped slightly was Knysna High, which went from 97.2% in 2018 to 95.1%.
In Plett, Murray High improved from 80.3% to 82.4% while Plettenberg Bay Secondary School showed a huge improvement from 74.5% to 93.8%.
Western Cape MEC for Education Debbie Schafer said she was very pleased with the performance of the Western Cape – “especially given the difficulties that we are facing as a result of inadequate funding and safety concerns.
“I would like to congratulate all our learners, teachers and administrative staff, who have put in an immense effort,” Schafer said.
She added one of the highlights was that the province had maintained an above 80% pass rate, achieving an increased percentage pass rate from 81.5% in 2018 to 82.3% in 2019.
Another highlight for Schafer was the increase in Bachelor passes from 42.3% the previous year to 43.6% in 2019. “The Western Cape also achieved the highest percentage of distinctions in the country.”
She added, however, that the pass rates needed to be seen in the context of the retention rate from Grade 10 to 12. “It can be tempting to cull learners between Grades 10 and 12 in order to enhance the matric pass rate.
“If we consider Grade 10 enrolment in 2017 (both public and independent schools) to those that wrote I am pleased that we have seen an improvement in retention of those entering Grade 10 in 2017 and those entering to write the NSC in 2019 from 62.9% in 2018 to 64.3% in 2019.”