BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
Nkangala: Out of 53 391 learners who wrote the 2020 matric examination, 39 367 passed, which constitutes a 73.7% pass rate in Mpumalanga Province, a decline from 80.3% obtained in 2019.
This was revealed by MEC for Education in Mpumalanga, Bonakele Majuba during the 2020 matric results announcement held at the University of Mpumalanga in Mbombela, on Tuesday 23 February.
“It is common course that the 2020 school year was the most challenging year we have ever experienced with unprecedented developments in the annals of our education history,” Majuba said.
Majuba pronounced that the province recorded a milestone leading more than 93 899 candidates sitting for the combined National Senior Certificate and Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations for the year 2020.
Majuba said the 2020 NSC examination results of Mpumalanga Province constitute the highest number of candidates in the history of the province, recording a milestone of more than 93 899 candidates sitting for the combined National Senior Certificate and Senior Certificate examinations for the year 2020.
Mpumalanga stood at sixth position in the national pass rate with 73.7%, just above Limpopo that achieved 68.2%.
Bohlabela and Nkangala Districts both recorded took honours in the province with a shared 74.6% pass rate, which is above the provincial average.
Ehlanzeni District recorded a 74.5% which is also above the provincial performance whilst Gert Sibande District registered a 70.9% pass rate.
“We are encouraged by the fact that all four districts within the province managed to perform above 70% under the trying conditions we spelt out earlier on. Indeed, we expect improvement moving on,” indicated Majuba.
Furthermore, Majuba announced that Emakhazeni Local Municipality recorded 88% pass mark, which surpassed all the 17 provincial local municipalities within the Mpumalanga Province.
“In this regard, we wish to congratulate the Executive Mayor of Emakhazeni Local Municipality, Cllr Ngwenya, the Circuit Manager M. Nomvula Motloung and their teams. This is work well done and Congratulations for the sterling performance,” said the MEC.
Out of the 71 circuits within the province, Mbombela Circuit is the overall best performing circuit by recording a 90.3% pass rate as compared with 89.2% in 2019, marking an improvement of 1.1%.
“In this circuit, 1458 leaners registered to write the 2020 NSC examination, 1418 wrote and out of those who wrote, 1281 progressed. We also wish to congratulate Lekwa East Circuit for registering 89.8% pass rate this time around. This marks a 16.9% improvement and marks the circuit as the most improved circuit in the province. 48 out of 71 circuits performed above 70%,” explained Majuba.
Majuba reiterated that out of 555 schools which served as examination centres, that administered the grade 12 examinations, thirty of them recorded a 100% pass rate.
“It is worth noting that out of the 555 schools which sat for this examination, 213 performed between the 80% to 99% pass rate bracket. Equally, we note that 358 out of 555 schools performed above 70%,” he said.
The 2020 overall best performing school in the province is Magigwana Secondary School, within Thulamahashe Circuit in Bohlabela District. 276 learners from this school wrote the 2020 Grade 12 examination and all of them passed, recording a 100% pass rate.
“Two hundred and eleven out of the 276 candidates from this school met the bachelor degree admission requirement, effectively this means 76.4% of learners from this school are eligible for registering degree programmes in any university of their choice in the country,” the MEC detailed.
He emphasized that the school has a good history of outstanding performance, for the last five years, with an 80% pass rate, consistently with a registration of more than 200 grade 12 candidates each year.
Majuba stated that out of the six boarding schools in the province, four participated the examination, with exceptional performance by eMakhazeni Boarding School with 83.3% compared with 67.9% in 2019, eZakheni Boarding School recording 66.7% compared to 73.3% in 2019, Shongwe Boarding School registered a 93.6% compared to the 90.7% obtained in 2019 and Izimbali Boarding School obtaining 92.6% against the 97.3% of 2019.
Majuba announced Willem Kurpershoek, from Hoerskool Middleburg, as the overall top achiever in the province passing all his seven with distinctions.
The 18-year-old says he is eyeing his sights to become a doctor and will be studying medicine at the University of Johannesburg.
Other top achievers became Peace Phangisa (18) and Mthobisi Hlathwayo (18) from the DD Mabuza Comprehensive School in Nkomazi Circuit. The candidates scored 300 out of 300 in Technical Mathematics and also registered distinctions in Technical Sciences.
Majuba said the department is going to award the Ephraim Mogale Provincial Bursdary Scheme to the best ten top achievers and top three learners from the no-fee boarding schools to further their studies.
“I congratulate them for their excellent achievement and wish them well in their quest to further their studies,” Majuba said.
