'Our computer lab doesn't have computers'

Despite facing several challenges which include infrastructure and furniture shortages, a Limpopo secondary school remains committed towards striving for success.

Lehlaga Secondary School at Maralaleng, Ga-Mphahlele, does not have a science or a computer lab. It also does not have a library, proper sanitation or even enough desks and chairs for all the pupils, but SGB deputy chairperson, Phillip Mphahlele, this did not stop the school from achieving 82.1% matric pass rate in 2023.

"Our results have been amazing for the past five years. This is mainly because teachers are hard workers. If we had enough chairs and enough classes we would really do amazing work and we have dedicated teachers who are determined to do their jobs," he said.

Mphahlele also said pupils also attend school on Saturdays and Sundays.

"Some of the teachers don't even mind coming on [weekends] just to ensure that they cover more work. So on Sunday, it would happen that we come at 8am and finish around 11am so that whoever wants to go to church can do that. Our pupils are also dedicated because we never have to fight with anyone to come to school during weekends."

The Class of 2023 has made history not only by achieving the highest number of distinctions and bachelor passes, but also increased the matric pass rate to 82.9%.

This is a 2.8% improvement compared to the 80.1% recorded last year.

Mphahlele said out of 112 grade 12 pupils, they had 41 bachelors pass, 24 diplomas and 27 certificates.

"We don't have enough desks and chairs because they break often and the SGB does try to buy the furniture but it is never enough. Sometimes you would find pupils sitting together because of the broken furniture, so it is a struggle for us," he said.  

Mphahlele said pupils don't have an opportunity to do science or agricultural practicals at school.

"We have a computer lab that doesn't have computers at all. We don't even have a science lab for practicals, and that is why we take our pupils on excursions where they normally do practical activities," he said.

Mphahlele said pupils who study agriculture would be taken to a farm in Johannesburg where they do practicals. "It is a struggle. We have been using mobile toilets for some time now but the department has promised to build us proper toilets so we are still waiting for them."

But Mphahlele said despite these challenges their pass rate had been impressive.

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga said earlier this year that the number of candidates qualifying for admission to bachelor studies at universities was 282,894, which represents 40.9% of the total number of candidates who wrote the National Senior Certificate exams.

"It is remarkable to note that the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo – the three most rural provinces in the country – produced 50.9% of the total bachelor passes. In addition, these three most rural provinces produced 59.0% of the total passes with distinction," said Motshekga at the time.

Class of 2023 also had the highest bachelors passes of all years, with four out of every 10 of the 900,000 pupils who wrote receiving one distinction. In 2012, when the Class of 2023 started grade 1, there were 1.2-million pupils, and this number had reduced significantly to 740,566 when the group sat for matric. Despite this, the Class of 2023 had the lowest absentee rate of all time at a rate of 3.4%.