Silikamva High School celebrates historic 100% matric pass rate for 2025
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier visits Silikamva High School in Hout Bay after monumental matric performance
Image: WCED
Silikamva High School in Hout Bay has achieved a 100% matric pass rate for the class of 2025, marking a significant improvement from 94.3% in 2024 and highlighting a remarkable turnaround for the Quintile 3 school.
The milestone was celebrated by Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier, along with parents, teachers, NGOs and learners, as the school also recorded 75 distinctions from 154 candidates. In addition, 76% of learners achieved bachelor’s passes, while eight subjects, including Business Studies, English First Additional Language, Physical Sciences and isiXhosa Home Language, recorded a 100% pass rate.
Maynier praised the collective effort behind the achievement, saying the collaboration between the school leadership, staff, learners, operating partners, parents, and the broader community had been a key tool in the school’s success.
“As I look around today, I can see that the future is bright. I want to recognise the outstanding performance of the province and the district,” he said.
The minister noted that the Western Cape’s class of 2025 achieved the highest matric pass rate in the province’s history, at 88.2%.
The Overberg education district led the province with a 92.4% pass rate, the third-highest district pass rate nationally, and a bachelor’s pass rate of 49.5%. He added that the class of 2025 also delivered the highest bachelor’s pass rate ever recorded in the Western Cape, at 49.2%.
The Metro East education district achieved a pass rate of 87% and a bachelor’s pass rate of 50.2%. Maynier also recognised the hard work of teachers, crediting their dedication for ensuring learner success during the year.
Matric class of 2025 from Silikamva High School in Hout Bay achieves 100% pass rate
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Silikamva High School is categorised as a Quintile 3 school, this means that it serves a lower income community where parents are not required to pay school fees and the school receives additional government funding. Founded in 2013, the school has faced significant challenges in the past, recording a matric pass rate of just 40.4% in 2019.
“To turn things around, the school management team made the decision to invest in improving the school’s culture, with the help of their collaboration school operating partner, Common Good,” the Western Cape Education Department said in a statement released on Tuesday morning.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier visits Silikamva High School in Hout Bay after academic achievements
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
School principal Siphathisiwe Nkahla-Nkohla thanked stakeholders for their continued support of both learners and teachers.
“It is not easy to be a teacher in a township school or an informal settlement school because there are so many factors that affect our learners, but we still have to deal with these challenges,” she said.
“With the support of our partner, the hard work of our teachers and the commitment of our learners, we have reached this point.”
Matric learner Tinotenda Majeke reflected on the challenges of her final school year, including long daily commutes from Khayelitsha to Hout Bay.
“Thinking back to the times when I had to travel to school every morning, getting stuck in long traffic, surviving on just two hours of sleep because of long study nights and still having to attend classes, it really was not easy,” she said.
Majeke later moved to Hout Bay with the support of James House, which provides support like accommodation and resources for matric learners to reduce travel time and allow them to study safely.
“I feel very emotional because it was not easy. Matric was really challenging, and I am just so happy that we are here,” she said.
Matric learners in the class of 2025 at Silikamva High School in Hout Bay celebrate academic achievements
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Another learner, Oneliseka Dubula, described her matric year as demanding due to high academic pressure and lack of sleep.
“The sleepless nights, having to walk more than 20 minutes to school because I live far away, and trying not to fall asleep while writing the paper were some of the challenges I experienced,” she said.
“I managed to cope, but I still have mixed feelings about what to expect from my results.”
Addressing the learners, Maynier encouraged them to recognise the value of their effort.
“By putting in the extra hours for your schoolwork, you have made a direct investment in your own future,” he said.
“Most importantly, you have shown our province and our country that it does not matter where you come from or how many challenges you face, you can succeed, and we are very proud of you.”