Durban - The release of matric results on Tuesday for the nearly 800 000 pupils who sat for exams countrywide last year, has been an anti-climax after exam watchdog Umalusi weighed in on the subject.
Umalusi announced that the overall pass rate has dipped by 3.5 percent when measured against the class of 2014.
Again, subjects like mathematical literacy, accountancy, geography and history proved to be stumbling blocks for pupils.
But star Kearsney College pupil, Jabulani Nyathi, who aced the Independent Examination Board’s (IEB) exams and finished as one of their top performers, said it was not all doom and gloom for those who performed poorly.
“Failures are opportunities to grow. People who might be disappointed with their results should see this as a chance to push themselves to reach new heights,” he said.
Jabulani, who scored seven As in the matric exams, was the school’s dux.
He was also placed on the IEB’s outstanding achievers list, for pupils ranked in the top 5 percent of matrics in six or more subjects.
Jabulani, who was the school’s deputy head prefect, was a boarder at Kearsney.
He is from Pretoria and attended primary school in Nelspruit.
He went on to the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School after securing a scholarship, also becoming the school’s choir leader.
His continued academic excellence earned him a scholarship to Kearsney in Grade 10.
The youngster said his mother would never have been able to afford to send him to a private school had it not been for his determination.
With regards to the subjects that perennially overwhelm pupils, he said:
“Pupils should use any available resources like libraries and past papers to improve their knowledge.”
- The Sunday Tribune