MOSSEL BAY NEWS - After receiving the results of the final exam of their school career, members of the class of 2021 are ready to take on the world.

Owing to Covid-19, these learners faced many obstacles in 2020 and 2021, comprising two fundamentally important grades in their schooling.

However, they seem to have risen to the occasion to prove themselves. According to the Western Cape Education Department circuit manager, Rozelle Neethling-Smith, the department is pleased with the schools' performance this year.

Point

At Point High School, 26 matrics achieved A-aggregates. The matric pass rate was 98.5%.

In total there were 260 subject distinctions. Lucia Pauw was the 2021 dux learner with eight distinctions and a 95% aggregate.

The matric exemption percentage was 90.45%, a record for the school.

"Very few schools in South Africa achieved this. Despite Covid-19 and all the challenges it presented, our teachers and matrics did their utmost to make 2021 a success," said Point headmaster, Adolf Gouws.

Great Brak River

Great Brak River Secondary School boasts second place among the local high schools, with a matric pass rate of 94.9%. This is an improvement for the school following its 2020 matric pass rate of 88%. The school has a matric exemption percentage of 77.4%. The head girl of 2021, Dueliney Blokland was the top performer at the school with five distinctions."I am very proud of our learners' hard word and wish them success on their future endeavours," said the principal, Desmond Speelman.

Great Brak River Secondary School top scorer Dueliney Blokland with police spokesperson Sergeant Laurianne Botha, who regularly motivated learners at the school.

Hillcrest

Hillcrest matrics' pass rate was 90.7% and its matric exemption rate, 53.3%. In his speech during the announcement of the results at the school on Friday, 21 January, principal Ivan Kroneberg shared insightful statistics on other schools in the region bordering Mossel Bay, commending the class of 2021 on its overall performance. Simamkele Matakana, with five distinctions, was the school's top matriculant of 2021.

Amanda Mkhize (left) and Ambesa Piliso, both among the top five in the class of 2021 at Hillcrest Secondary School, with the principal, Ivan Kroneberg.

Sao Bras

Rosemary Michaels earned the top spot at High School Sao Bras with five distinctions. The school has a matric pass rate of 81.7%, which is an improvement of the previous year's pass rate of 79.5%.

Sao Bras matrics celebrating their good results.

Indwe

Indwe Secondary School too prides itself in a huge improvement on its matric pass rate. The class of 2021 had a matric pass rate of 62.4% compared to the 49.8% of the previous year, during which the Covid-19 pandemic caused upheaval in the education system.

The top matric performer at Indwe, Ezile Kolanisi, achieved four distinctions.

Indwe's top girl, Ezile Kolanisi has her sights set on studying a B Com Accounting as her first choice.

"We are very proud. The class of 2021 gives us hope," a current matric learner told the Mossel Bay Advertiser, following the announcement of the results on Friday.

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