A rigorous class schedule that included studying for long hours and even on weekends, backed by the support of the teachers and parents, has been credited for the superb performance of Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical School.
The Umbumbulu-based school has significantly increased its number of top performers in the 2023 matric exams. It went from one student getting eight. As last year to eight learners scooping eight distinctions each this year.
The pupils said the results were earned, as they were in school seven days a week and for close to 14 hours each day, except on weekends.
One of the school’s top performers, Amahle Shezi, said she had to leave the comfort of her home and live closer to her school in order to focus on her school work.
“I had never lived away from home before, but I knew it was something I had to do in order to improve my marks. This year was hard. We gave up doing a lot of things as we just focused on studying,” she said.
Amahle, who hopes to study medicine, thanked the school’s teachers, saying that the principal, Mzwakhe Duma, and the team of teachers at the school had motivated them and gave them the support to perform.
Wandiswa Shezi, 17, who wants to study medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said he had felt some of the exams were tricky so he was surprised when he was told he had done well.
Wandiswa said the long hours and the sacrifices they made were all worth it.
“When you are at home, it is very hard to study. That is why it is better to be at school for all those hours because you just focus on studying.”
Khayalethu Mkhize, 18, said he was quite pleased with his results. He hopes to attend the University of the Witwatersrand to study computer science.
He credited the commitment and the support that the teachers had shown to the students for their success.
“When we were studying late in the evening and if a pupil did not have transport to go back home, the teachers would actually transport us,” he said.
School principal Duma could not contain his excitement.
“I am excited about the results, but I had been expecting them. We have been working very hard throughout the year.”
Duma said there were pupils at the school who they had to take into their care because of their situations at home, and they had performed exceedingly well.
There were also pupils who had been consistent top performers. Speaking about the path to success, he said it had not been easy, but had been made possible by the parents who made sure that their children were in school.
“At the beginning of the year, we had a meeting with the parents and pupils and I spelled out my vision and got the buy-in from the parents, and this is the result.”
He said the only holidays the pupils had were in December as they worked throughout the other school holidays.
“From 7am to 4pm, pupils are in class with a teacher, teaching. Thereafter there is study and at night they are again studying.”
He said the school’s pass rate had been steadily increasing and had been above 90% in 2022.
The Mercury