KwaZulu-Natal private school pupils excelled under difficult Covid-19 lockdown conditions with at least 15 of them ranked in the top 5% in the country.
According to the Independent Examination Board (IEB) results, there was a 98.07% pass rate which is slightly lower than the 98.82% of 2019.
The IEB said all candidates who passed achieved marks that were good enough to enter tertiary study at one of the three levels.
KZN schools achieved exceptional results and 12 schools had pupils on both the outstanding and commendable achievements lists.
For pupils to make the outstanding list, they must have achieved in the top 5% in six or more subjects while to make the commendable list, they must achieve in the top 5% in five subjects.
About 2 201 pupils wrote the IEB examinations at 38 schools across the province.
The board noted that the impact of Covid-19 on the schooling population saw several pupils withdraw from the year and postpone completion of Grade 12 until 2021.
IEB chief executive Anne Oberholzer said the schools were impacted differently when the hard lockdown was imposed.
Oberholzer said while some schools had the necessary resources available and were able to transition smoothly to online teaching and learning - as some were already using the online system, others could not implement an online teaching model.
“Teachers in these situations reverted to traditional distance education strategies,” she said.
These included weekly learning programmes and prepared exercises and tasks which were emailed, delivered and collected.
“The initiative of schools and teachers to continue with teaching and learning during this time is a testimony to their professionalism and the commitment of teachers and learners, as well as the support of parents to pivot and adapt to our changed circumstances," said Oberholzer.
Oberholzer said that the matric class of 2020 had demonstrated that it was the culmination of the entire schooling experience that prepared pupils for their final matric examination.
“These achievements are proof that the Grade 12 year on its own does not provide the understanding, perseverance and resilience needed to achieve excellent results in the matric year – but that is the culmination of work and learning over 12 or 13 years of quality schooling,” she said.
She said that the value and significance of the NSC as a qualification that marked the end of schooling meant that its reliability as an indicator of competence and the trustworthiness of its assessment needed to be protected. “It is these principles of reliability and trustworthiness that led the minister of Basic Education to take decisions during this very difficult year to protect the integrity of the qualification by not trimming the curriculum. In so doing, she protected the learners of 2020 from being tarnished with the suggestion that their achievement is somehow inferior to that of learners in other years.
“Indeed, the efforts of the minister and her department ensured that the academic year was not lost and learners who are ready to move into the next phase of their life were not compromised and forced to place their futures on hold,” said Oberholzer.
Jonathan Manley, the executive principal of St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Kloof, which had six pupils among the top achievers lists, said the matric class of 2020 excelled in their matric examinations.
“We are so grateful for the way in which the community worked together to support the girls and our teachers,” he said.
Manley said while the top achievers had much to celebrate, the school’s 107 girls had all achieved a Bachelor Degree pass, which spoke volumes about their work ethic and dedication.
“As a Christian school, we committed every challenge to prayer and acted in faith throughout those uncertain days of 2020.
“I want to acknowledge the many people and parents who supported and encouraged us during those tough times,” said Manley.
Cal Warwick, the executive head of Crawford International La Lucia, which had four pupils on the top achievers lists, said coincidentally, the school’s theme for last year was “Whatever it takes”, and ’’we had to do whatever it took to get through the unusual year”.
Warwick said as a group, the matric pupils showed their grit as they pulled together.
She said while the teachers had to adjust to online teaching, they never compromised the integrity of the assessments.
’’It was a surreal year and the pupils had wonderful support from teachers and parents. It was a good team effort,’’ said Warwick.
The Mercury