CAPE TOWN – The Christel House Class of 2025 were overjoyed after receiving their matric results with the school scoring a 96% pass rate and 70% of students achieving Bachelor passes.
Christel House South Africa 56 matric learners collectively earned 26 subject distinctions. Christel House South Africa is a no-fee, non-profit school based in Ottery and supports learners from disadvantaged communities, starting from Grade RR until age 18 and five years post matric.
The Western Cape achieved its highest pass rate of 88,2% up from the record-breaking 86,6% in 2024. The province’s bachelor’s pass rate increased from 47,8% to 49,2%. This is also the highest ever for the province, and the second highest in the country. David Maynier, provincial education minister, lauded the learners for their “exemplary achievement”.
Top performers shine
Valedictorian Alique Jacobs from Hanover Park was crowned as the best academic learner this year and achieved four distinctions and provisional acceptance to Stellenbosch University for Occupational Therapy.
He first joined the school in Grade R and despite losing his mother two years ago, he credits the school’s support for his success.
People’s Post spoke with Jabobs who was thrilled with his results.
“For the subjects that I excelled at I’m not really surprised because I feel like I’ve been consistent with my studies and during the final season I especially pushed myself to my limit,’ he said.
Jacobs scored his best marks for English, Afrikaans, Visual Art and Life Sciences.
He was also among the top three valedictorians last year at CHSA, which included Kuhle Javu (second place) and Alutha Tshongweni (third place), said school spokesperson, Megan Losper.
Jacobs studied and stayed with some of his classmates at CHSA’s Matric Intensive programme which was launched last year as a safe dormitory and study hub for the exam season.
Jacobs says the support from his fellow matrics kept him motivated. “My friends at Intensive really pushed me with my academics and were there with me for the entire time,” he said.
He hopes to study Occupational Therapy at Stellenbosch University or Accounting at the University of Johannesburg.
Second best matriculant, Javu from Philippi earned three distinctions and provisional acceptance for biomedical engineering at Stellenbosch University.
“I feel so elated and overwhelmed as it was a nerve-wracking experience where there was a lot of pressure from school, from family and especially from myself,” she said.
She encourages the class of 2026 to prepare for their final exams as soon as possible.
“Don’t procrastinate, because it can make you feel very overwhelmed with all the work. Have a plan for yourself for the year because there’s a lot of challenges in the year so it’s good to be flexible,” she said.
She hopes to become a biomedical engineer one day and hopes to study at Wits or Stellenbosch University.
Beyond the classroom
Chief Academic Officer, Dr Ronald Fortune emphasised that results represent only part of the school’s mission. “Our objective is to see our learners achieve upward economic mobility,” he explained.
“Today, 97% of our alumni are either working or studying, or doing both.”
Future expansion
The school welcomed its second cohort of 60 new Grade 8 learners this week, while planning another Grade RR-12 school in the Western Cape, subject to securing land.
ALSO READ Final push: Cape Town matrics stay overnight at school to ace exams
You must be logged in to post a comment.