MEC for Education in the Free State, Makalo Mohale, has revealed that the province’s class of 2023 has made history by achieving a record high that has never been achieved before.
The Top 100 matriculants of 2023 were awarded at the provincial Well-Done function at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein on Friday.
The Free State once again retains its top position for the fifth consecutive year, achieving the highest matric pass rate at 89.03 %.
Some of the matric class of 2023 top achievers in the Free State say they could not have excelled in their academic work, if it was not for the discipline and sacrifices, they had to make.
Teachers, learners, government officials and parents celebrated the top achievers from across the province. This is what some of the top brains had to say about the journey.
“I spent more time studying, focusing on my studies rather than going out. I had to surround myself with the other good students from our school and those from other schools. We had to assist each other, that’s what I did that was different from other students,” says one of the learners.
Another learner says “I feel very excited, honoured to be here today. I think it’s a combination of factors, I think I was lucky enough to be in such an amazing school and such a strong academic district as well, so the competition was there you know, inspiring me to work harder and be better. At the end of the day is also talent from God. I feel very blessed to be here today.”
Addressing the Well-Done event, MEC Mohale emphasised that they intend to build a system that will produce innovators with relevant skills. He has vowed that the Free state will remain number one.
“We’ve also made history as the province of the free state, much as at the level of the nation or a country level, we have achieved the highest, as the province of the free state we are proud that, we have achieved the record high 89 percent which we have never achieved before, so we’re quite happy that we’re doing well in terms of the past and we have taken very serious the call by the honorable premier and the governing party we must work harder to ensure that the quality of education that we’re giving to the youngsters, is even exhilarated at more wider, we need to ensure that, all these learners that have passed there must be some plan for them.”
The province’s Motheo District which came out second highest in the country and number one in the province with a 91.2% pass rate, believes their achievement stems from the hard work they have put in throughout the 2023 academic year. District Director December Moloi says their success is based on teamwork and support from various stakeholders. Three school districts in the Free State are among the country’s top ten best-performing districts in the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. Moloi says he is proud of the results.
“I’m very happy, I’m very excited, in actual fact, I’m celebrating the team. It is no easy feat to be the second best in the country, in the province being number one for the third year in a row, it really says a lot about team Motheo, of the officials, of the principals, of the unions, of the parents and the SGB’s, everyone. I think what we do, it boils down to embracing support, from everyone. It boils down from learning from others, it boils down to knuckling down and working very hard, there is no second option, just hard work.”
Premier Mxolisi Dukwana has credited the province’s outstanding matric pass results of 89.03 % to the provincial education department’s system that has been implemented throughout the years. Dukwana says they will be focusing on ensuring that the learners acquire skills for their professional growth.
“Because of the system we have put in place over the years, the unfortunate demise of the MEC Tate Makgoe, was just a setback. But we knew that because of the system that is in place, we’ll be able to do that. The emphasis in our case moving forward now will be looking into the quality, making sure that all students from Free State actually acquire some skills that will help them, especially your artisans, giving other skills and not only academic.”
The province has also acknowledged the late MEC Tate Makgoe, who died in a car accident last year. It is believed that this achievement is a tribute to his vision and tireless efforts in advancing education within the province.
Matric results announcement:
