Kraaifontein schools featured prominently at the annual matric awards ceremony held at the Western Cape Premier’s residence, Leeuwenhof, on Thursday, with both a top matriculant and a top school.
With an average of 87%, six distinctions, and the top achiever in business studies with 100%, the young Qhama Xametshata from Hector Peterson Secondary School in Wallacedene was awarded a Top 40 spot in the province.
Now embarking on her tertiary studies at the University of Johannesburg, Qhama told TygerBurger she was elated, as the price money of R15 000 will go a long way in assisting her with buying books for her first year of study for her Bachelor of Accounting.
“I enjoyed my matric year without too many challenges as I stayed at home and studied most of the time,” she says.
Embarking on her life journey, she says she is “still figuring out” her future as she makes Johannesburg her new home.
Dedicated teachers made it happen
With a pass rate of 89%, Kraaifontein High School secured seventh position in the top 10 most improved schools category. Schools in this category are recognised for improvements in pass rates, increased Bachelor’s degree access, subject excellence, and overall academic performance. The awards go to 10 public schools with 30 or more candidates showing consistent improvement from 2023 to 2025.
School principal Kervin Grove credits this achievement to dedicated teachers who motivated learners daily to excel. “As a school, we have been working hard and setting clear targets each year. We fell short by only one point in 2025. The children worked very hard, with teachers going the extra mile through weekend classes and holiday school. Staff made significant sacrifices, putting in extra hours that ultimately made this success possible,” he told TygerBurger.
Where do we go from here
While acknowledging increased matric pass quantities, provincial education minster David Maynier in his address highlighted concerning gaps in quality indicators. Only 25,4% of mathematics candidates and 27,6% of physical science candidates achieved marks of 60% or above – levels crucial for bachelor’s degree eligibility.
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“We simply cannot say we are delivering quality education when we have too few learners achieving a bachelor’s pass and too few passing mathematics and physical science well,” he said.
The department has thus outlined new targets focusing on raising bachelor’s pass rates above 60% and significantly increasing the number of learners achieving 60% or higher in mathematics and physical science.
“We must commit to excellence, and we must deliver excellence, in education in the Western Cape,” he said.
