By Palesa Mofoti
The Department of Education hosted a matric awards ceremony at TD Church Tabernacle in Kimberley on Friday, 19 January. The ceremony was to acknowledge the top learners in the province and honor their achievements.
The ceremony was attended the Premier of the province, Dr Zamani Saul, MEC for Education, Zolile Monakali and Acting Head of the Department, Gideon Oliphant, and the Deputy Director General, Dr Michelle Ishmail.
Other stakeholders such as MTN, Vodacom, Standard Bank, Old Mutual, South African Institute of Charter Accountants (SAICA) and representatives from the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) also attended the ceremony. They donated cash, electronic devices including laptops.
Out of 20 top achievers, 14 were females. The provincial government pledged to give R50 000, to each of them.
“Public education accounts for almost 35% of the provincial budget. Annually the department invests 8 billion to ensure quality education in our public schools,” highlighted the Premier.
Namakwa District recorded the highest pass with 81,6 percent with an increase of 1,6%, ZF Mgacwu obtained 81,4 with a decrease of 2,4 percent. Pixley ka Seme 74,2 a decline of 4,1%, Francis Baard achieved 73,9% with an improvement of 1,8% and John Taolo Gaetsewe recorded a 73,7% pass with a rise of 5,7%.
“Although we recorded an improvement of 1.6% in the 2023 matric results, regrettably, we are still below the national average of 82, 9%,” added Saul.
Out of the 20 top achievers, three are from Francis Baard, Keamogetswe Zoleka Medupe and Maryam Habib from Kimberley Girls’ High and Katlego Modisadife from Thabane High School.
“It’s hard work and dedication putting in long hours,” said Megan Jade Viewe, from Northern Cape High School who was the Provincial achiever in Business Studies, she plans to study Bcom Business Management.
Although Habib did not expect much due to fear of being disappointed, she is proud of her performance. She intends to study Medicine at the University of the Free State.
Other achievers included Jabulile Mafilika from Vuyolwethu High School for IsiXhosa Home Language. Realeboga Moseki from Retlameleng Special School won the South African Sign Language award. For Technical Science, the honor went to Unathi Mohau Makina from Emang Mmogo. Lishante Tazneem from Kimberley Girls High scooped the Visual Arts award and the award for Sesotho Home Language went to Lebopo Samuel Molefe from Dr EP Lekgela.
“I am the first in my family to get a bachelor’s degree, so that’s a generational curse I have broken; I am excited and happy to have made it. It took hard work and dedication. I wish the matric of 2024 the best of luck,” said a delighted Keamogetswe Medupe.
“The awards came as a shock. I was stunned because I didn’t enjoy the exams. All that hard work wasn’t in vain,” Kutloano Shushu from Emang Mmogo.
In his closing remarks, the Premier urged parents to be more actively involved in their children’s education.
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