Johannesburg - Two independent schools in Orange Farm that were marred by protests last year over clashes with the Gauteng Department of Education over subsidy payments have scored high in matric results.

Isikhumbuzo Secondary and Siyaphambili High schools scored big when matric results were released on Tuesday.

Learners from Isikhumbuzo scored a pass rate of 82.85% while those at Siyaphambili scored 84.61%.

There were reports last year of the challenges faced by these two schools over issues of subsidy payments but despite all that, the schools and their learners produced satisfactory marks.

School board members, learners, teachers and parents could not hide their excitement when the results were released.

“We were very worried on how our children would write their exams with the right frame of mind, while their education was constantly disrupted by protests over salaries of the teachers and service providers’ payments.

“We are grateful that even though there were challenges, we managed to pull through in order to make sure that the learners achieve the best and this was a collective effort by all of us involved,” said the head of curriculum at both schools, Sibusiso Makhanya.

Siyaphambili history teacher Mxolisi Nzondo, whose learners got a 100% pass rate, said he was proud to have soldiered on to make sure that the kids achieved the best.

“We had our own challenges and through resilience and passion of giving our kids the best education, we achieved the best. School directors and the board played a major role to make sure that we didn’t lose focus.”

Top achievers at Isikhumbuzo told the Star that their achievements were all thanks to the teachers who throughout the pandemic were helpful.

Pearl Maswanganyi, who was repeating Grade 12, said she was happy and excited to start a new life.

“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to achieve the marks I needed to study law at UJ. I look forward to starting a new chapter,” she said.

Maswanganyi said she was not happy with her 2019 results so she moved from Limpopo to Joburg to redo her matric year. She confirmed it was a very difficult time both personally and academically.

“Coming to a new environment and with the pandemic it was extra hard, but I was focused on my goals.”

She added the issues that marred the school did affect her as well as her classmates as they lost a maths and accounting teacher, leaving them to “self-study for prelims”. Maswanganyi obtained a Bachelor’s pass.

Another student told The Star he was happy he and his classmates at Isikhumbuzo Secondary were able to pass, despite all the challenges. France Mugeri, a quiet young learner, is one of the top achievers who obtained a Bachelor’s admission.

He will be using this year to gain skills as he will not be attending varsity this year because of the uncertainty of the pandemic.

He was grateful to his teachers.

“Despite personal issues that happened regarding teachers, they were able to still put us first,” said Mugeri.

Last year teachers from both schools went to the department headquarters in Marshall Town and locked officials inside offices as they demanded payment of subsidies.

Police and security personnel shot at the protesters with rubber bullets in December during the protest.

The Isikhumbuzo Secondary matter ended in court, where Judge Shanaaz Mia of the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg ruled that the department should pay the subsidy.

The matter escalated to boiling point when the department defied the court order. However, an agreement was reached between the school and the department to appoint administrators to run the school.

The attorneys acting on behalf of the schools in the legal battle congratulated the school and its learners.

“As the attorneys acting on behalf of Isikhumbuzo in the legal battle with the Department of Education in 2020, we have first-hand insight and knowledge as to the obstacles that the learners and in particular the matriculants at Isikhumbuzo endured last year. To achieve the remarkable pass rate that they have, we as Peer Carrim Attorneys congratulate them,” said lawyer Zaheer Moosa.

The Star

Bongani Mdakane

Two Orange Farm school clinch high pass rate despite protests over subsidies last year