Staff members and learners at Manyano High School at Ilitha Park were exhilarated after the school was announced as the top performing school in Khayelitsha with a 99,5% pass rate. The school has been among the best performing schools in the area for so many years. Parents accompanying their children flocked to the school to fetch their children’s academic statements on Tuesday 13 January.
The deputy principal Loyiso Kanzi described the celebration as an historical moment. He said it is the first time Manyano reached 99%.
“We are so delighted as staff members. Today is a special day not only for us but for the community as well. For years the school was always above 90% when it comes to matric results. But it is the first time that we reached 99%,” he said, adding that out of 198 learners who wrote the exam only one failed.
He bragged that the school obtained 106 distinctions. Kanzi praised his colleagues for doing a great job. He said they sacrificed a lot to get good
results.
“Since day one, we never had a holiday or weekends off. We ensure that all the teachers are at school with the learners. We had camps at schools during the weekends. We thank them for dedicating their lives to their work, including the parents who allowed their children to come here when we needed them the most,” he stated. Kanzi described Manyano as a school of excellence.
The top achiever at the school Unabakhe Mbuti (18) got seven distinctions on IsiXhosa, English, Life Orientation, Geography, Mathematics and Life Science. Mbuti said she is over the moon.
“I was studying very hard, but I didn’t expect seven distinctions. I was surprised when my teachers informed me this morning (Tuesday 13 January) when I arrived at school,” said Mbuti. She said believing in God and praying all the time was her only secret.
“I was studying like everybody else. I had no secret. But I kept on praying all the time,” she stated. Mbuti said she is going to do a Mechanical Engineering course at Stellenbosch University. She advised the upcoming matriculants to focus on their books and stop socialising too much.
One of the parents, Nolusapho Welile, said she is proud of the school. She described Manyano as one of the best schools in Khayelitsha.
“As parents we are happy with the results produced by the school. I didn’t see it coming even though I know that Manyano is one of the best schools not only in Khayelitsha but in the province.
“For many years Manyano has never disappointed us. It was always above 90% pass rate. But to be a top school in Khayelitsha it surprises me a lot,” said Welile.
