North West Education MEC Wendy Matsemela says the matric class of 2021 is the strongest and most dedicated group of learners the province has ever produced.
Matsemela was speaking during the announcement of the province’s 2021 matric results at MM Sebitloane special school in Taung. The province has obtained a 78.2% pass rate. This is an improvement of 2% from the previous year.
Matsemela says although the province obtained position four nationally, they are proud to have been placed second in business studies, physical science and mathematics.
Since 2016, the North West province has always been in the fourth position countrywide but in 2020 they dropped to the fifth position. Although they managed to reclaim the fourth spot this year, the provincial education authorities say they aim to do even better this year.
They are also extremely proud about being placed second in a number of critical subjects. MEC for education, Wendy Matsemela explains, “In the country, in business studies, this class came number two after free state. In physical science, they came number two after the western cape, in mathematics, they also came number two after the western cape. So this reflects how strong these learners are despite that COVID-19 disturbed their teaching and learning.”
Matsemela’s sentiments were echoed by Premier Bushy Maape who says the province’s performance is a reflection of the resilience of learners who had to adapt to new ways of learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic which affected their schooling program.
“This shows that we are turning the corner in terms of the perception that people had of the North West that we are rural, and to them rural means backward, and to them rural means under-performing province, and so we are amongst the best performing provinces in the country.”
Eloise Shelly from Hartebeespoort High School is the overall top learner in the province. She obtained eight distinctions and attributes her achievement to hard work.
“Oh, I think there’s no secret to just a straight line of success. I think it’s consistent hard work no matter what and when you start doubting yourself. It’s important to just continue working because self-doubt should not impact your work, but your hard work will always impact your self-doubt.”
Another learner, Oarabile Ndonyane, from Eletsa Secondary School in Brits, obtained a 100% pass rate in Economics, Accounting and Business Studies, a feat that she is very proud of.
” Well, I feel happy. I’m ecstatic, I feel very proud of myself and my secret has always been hard work, dedication and always believing in myself even though the odds were against me.”
Meanwhile, 28 schools across the province obtained a 100% pass rate including two farm schools.
Equal Education’s Roné McFarlane reacts to 2021 matric results:
Secret to excellence
North West’s class of 2021 top performers say their secret to excellence was to take advantage of the class rotation system that came with the COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
They used the system as an opportunity to give extra attention to subjects that they obtained the least marks in to be able to pass all their subjects well.
Shelley explains, “When we had lockdown there were different rotations, so we would be at school at different times and when I was not at school – how I managed that was that I made sure that I planned everything in advance. I would plan my schedule for the week ahead and made sure that I didn’t fall behind. I did the school work that I needed to do when I was at school again.”
“What I always practiced was mathematics because I’m having difficulty with it, and my secret has always been hard work, dedication, and always believing in myself even when the odds were against me,” says Ndonyane.
They have encouraged the 2022 matriculants to take every none-school-day as an opportunity to focus on their studies, especially subjects they find challenging.
VIDEO: Matric 2021 – Parents from North West pleased with 2021 matric results
