Several northern suburbs’ high schools have maintained matric pass rates in the 90% bracket.
The average school pass rate for the five high schools in the Northern News area the overall school-pass percentage is 94.28%, a slight drip from 96.94% in 2018.
Many matriculants returned to their schools on Wednesday January 8 to get their National Senior Certificate (NSC) results and celebrate or commiserate with friends and family.
The Western Cape class of 2019 came third nationally, with a 82.3% pass rate; the Free State was the top performer with 88.4% and Gauteng came second with 87.2%.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said the Western Cape had maintained a pass rate above 80%, going from 81.5% in 2018 to 82.3% in 2019. The province also had the highest percentage of distinctions in the country, said Ms Schäfer.
Fairbairn College in Richmond Estate scored a 97.2% pass rate, down from 98% pass rate in 2018; 78% of the 178 pupils who sat the NSC exam qualified for a Bachelor’s pass, and collectively the matrics received the school had 205 subject distinctions.
“I am happy with the matric results,” said principal Headmaster Bernie Marchand, adding that eight of the school’s matrics had been accepted to study medicine.
The school had also seen an increase in the number of subject distinctions and A aggregates.
However, he is disappointed in the decrease of the pass rate, but thrilled with the increase in subject distinctions and “A” aggregates.
“Well done to the following candidates on achieving an aggregate of 80% and above: Mccene Jacob, 90.5% and seven distinctions; Mohammed Taariq Mowzer, 90% and seven distinctions; Muhammad Mahfooz Bashirodin Mowzer, 89.2% and eight distinctions; Amarah Mohamed, 88.4% and seven distinctions; Keana Young, 85.8%; Sarah Wyngaardt, 85.7% and six distinctions; Jerrin Zinzan, Steyn 83.8% and six distinctions,” he said.
The pass rate at Tygerberg High School in Parow North dipped from 98.6% in 2018 to 96.7% in 2019.
Danelle Keown was the dux with an 88.7% aggregate and also seven distinctions.Â
In April last year, Danelle and another Tygerberg High pupil, Carlie Solomon, were among the 26 finalists in the was a bursary winner in the Nedbank and Western Cape Government and Provincial Treasury and Education essay-writing competition. The topic was radical socio-economic transformation.Â
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Danelle was one of the 15 competition finalists who won a bursary.
The pass rate at President High School in Goodwood Estate was 94.8%, down from 96.2% in 2018.Â
Parow High School achieved a 94.3% pass rate compared to the previous year’s 96.1%. The last time they achieved a school scored a 100% pass rate in 2008 and 99% in 2016.Â
Parow High’s two top pupils are Aarifah Ebrahim with 86.5% and NathaniĂ«l Hector with 81.3%. The school has 14 B aggregates.Â
Goodwood College achieved a 97.9% matric pass rate. In last year’s NSC exams. Ninety-eight pupils sat for the NSC exam and 58.9% of them scored Bachelor’s passes, up from 37.6% the year before.
JG Meiring High School in Goodwood Estate recorded a 93% pass rate compared to last year’s 93.8%.
Ms Schäfer said it was important to consider the a very important factor to analyse is the number and percentage of pupils writing the of Multiple Exam Opportunity (MEO) pupils in the various provinces when looking at the country’s matric results.Â
“While some provinces have up to 20% of their candidates taking the MEO examination, the Western Cape has only 3%. This again is the lowest in the country, indicating that more learners are being given the opportunity to write and complete the full examination, while still retaining an over 80% pass rate,” she said.Â
The results of those writing the MEO, who are usually weaker pupils, are not included in the pass percentage.Â
That could give an artificial view of the improvements, said Ms Schäfer.Â
“I am therefore pleased that the minister announced last year that this is the last year that the MEO will be permitted.”
Under the MEO, struggling matrics can students are given an opportunity to complete their exams over two years.
To qualify for MEO, a pupil has to be a progressed learner, who has completed all their school-based assessment requirements in all seven subjects.
In addition, the pupil had to have attended school regularly and not have been absent for more than 20 days without a valid reason; have written the preparatory examination in all subjects and have failed a minimum of three subjects.
The MEO was introduced as part of the progressed-learner policy to combat the high drop-out rate. Under this policy, pupils can only repeat at most one grade per phase.