The Premier of Mpumalanga, Mandla Ndlovu, the MEC for Education, Cathy Dlamini, and the Executive Mayor of Cllr Mbuso Magubane visited Mkolishi High School in Tjakastad Jaunary 15.
The visit focused on the school’s performance over the past two years, during which it achieved a 100% matric pass rate. The Department of Education aimed to encourage the current Grade 12 learners to maintain this record and pledged to assist the school with the necessary resources.
Ndlovu commended the school for its achievements and recognized the contributions of teachers and learners. He referred to the results as a testament to their efforts and stated that the province celebrates the achievements of the class of 2024.
“My office will reward the learners here with full school uniform for 150 learners. We urged each an every school in the province to work towards a 100% pass rate. Once again thank you to the class of 2024 for making us proud and improving the provincial pass rate. Continue to fly the Mpumalanga flag even higher” said Ndlovu.
Mkolishi High School secured the top position among Quintile 1 schools in the province.
Quintile 1 schools in South Africa serve the poorest 20% of learners.
Despite limited resources, the learners have consistently produced strong academic results. The Premier, MEC, and other stakeholders committed to providing school uniforms and furniture, and a maintenance team will be sent to the school for renovation due to its current condition, which is not conducive to teaching and learning.
The Executive Mayor, Cllr. MP Magubane congratulated the school on its performance and acknowledged the teachers for their efforts in supporting the learners. He also encouraged learners to maintain the school’s strong academic record.
Dlamini highlighted that out of 575 schools in the province, Mkolishi High School excelled as the leading Quintile 1 school. She also noted that the school outperformed some schools in urban areas. The MEC expressed her expectations for the school to increase the number of distinctions and emphasized her hope to see its learners ranked among the top nationally next year.
The visit concluded with commitments from the Department of Education and other stakeholders to support the school in addressing its challenges while encouraging learners to sustain their academic performance. Mkolishi High School remains a model of resilience and determination in the province.
