MOSSEL BAY NEWS -  All the days spent away from home were worth it for Shanique Bruinders, Sao Bras High School’s top matriculant for 2025.

Bruinders, who is from Herbertsdale and has achieved three distinctions, lived in the Sao Bras High hostel in Mossel Bay for the duration of her high school years, away from her family.

Matriculants throughout Mossel Bay and South Africa received their highly anticipated National Senior Certificate results today, 13 January.

Bruinders told Mossel Bay Advertiser she had spoke with her mother, Nadia Blaauw, on the phone everyday throughout her Grade 12 year. 

“Especially when I needed her, she was incredibly supportive,” she said.

She was surprised to learn she was the school’s top learner. “I feel so excited, I almost can’t believe it,” she said.

Although she faced long nights studying and found it a bit difficult to manage her time, Bruinders’ hard work led to this proud moment.

Her plans for the future include heading to Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, where she will study social work.

Sao Bras High achieved a pass rate of 92.6%, compared with last year’s pass rate of 89.3%.

School principal Henry Willemse told the Advertiser the school had exceeded its goal of a 92% pass rate for 2025, and he hopes to reach 100% with this year’s Grade 12 class.

Willemse and the Western Cape’s Education Circuit manager and former Sao Bras High learner, Rozelle Smith-Neethling, emphasised that for those learners who were unsuccessful with their results, there are other opportunites to try again, particularly with the Second Chance Programme.

The programme was established by the Department of Basic Education in 2016, aimed at learners who would like to improve their results or eventually complete their matric qualification on a part-time basis. 

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