Sithengile Senior Secondary School in Claremont, KwaZulu-Natal, recorded a 96.8% pass rate in the 2025 matric exams, an improvement from 90.6% in 2024. The school supported 246 pupils, with over 140 securing bachelor's passes and distinctions in maths and science, amid socioeconomic hurdles. Principal Sibongile Shabalala highlighted the team's dedication in overcoming these obstacles.
In Claremont township, KwaZulu-Natal, Sithengile Senior Secondary School celebrated a remarkable 96.8% matric pass rate for 2025, up six points from 2024's 90.6%. Out of 246 candidates, more than 140 achieved bachelor's passes, including distinctions in mathematics and science. Principal Sibongile Shabalala described the effort as 'very strenuous and difficult,' crediting an 'adoption strategy' where the management team personally guided 22 struggling Grade 12 pupils facing issues like substance use, including cigarettes, weed, and 'incika'—a sedative mix of cough syrup and soft drinks.
The school organized overnight study sessions, or 'cross-nighting,' for boys, supervised by teachers and secured by extra hires. Girls joined regular extra classes. To encourage participation, a second meal was provided through fundraising, featuring chicken biryani and balanced options. 'We fundraised to be able to provide the second meals,' Shabalala said. One pupil joked upon results release: 'See, ma’am, your biryani helped, I passed.'
Teachers invested intensely, often living at the school. 'We spent all our time here, we basically lived here,' Shabalala noted, with help from lower-grade staff, assistants, and external specialists. Support came from the district manager and school governing body for security and funds. However, parental involvement proved challenging due to child-headed households, distant families, and some parents in the Eastern Cape.
A tearful pupil, who nearly quit mid-year, thanked Shabalala for persistence. Teachers acted as 'social workers, counsellors and parents,' the principal said. Expert Mlamuli Nkosingiphile Hlatshwayo from the University of Johannesburg warned against glorifying such successes amid structural issues like long walks to school, underfunding, and infrastructure woes. He urged focus on early childhood development to build stronger foundations, rather than fixating on matric results alone.